The 482 ha Tenmile Creek RNA is located in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Coos County, Oregon. Topographic relief is minimal throughout the area, and elevations range from sea level to 61 m. The natural communities represent a progression inland from the open beach at the ocean's edge to a more stabilized foredune and deflation plain system (the wind-eroded area behind the foredune where the surface lies close to the water table). The beach area is sparsely vegetated with species that can gain a foothold in this changing environment, such as sea rocket (Cakile), and vegetation in the sand dunes and plains is also generally negligible; however small patches (less than 2 acres) dominated by red fescue (Festuca rubra)-salt rush (Juncus lesueurii) and seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) occur. Beyond this area lies the more stable foredune, which is dominated by non-native European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria). The wetlands of the deflation plain, located behind the foredune, are very diverse with Hooker willow (Salix hookeriana) and Pacific wax-myrtle (Myrica californica) dominating the shrub wetlands and slough sedge (Carex obnupta) prominent in the herbaceous wetlands. Shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) can also be found in the deflation plains as well as in wet dune hollows and swales. Several open dune plant communities in the RNA are considered to be rare by the Oregon Dunes NRA. These communities include: red fescue dunes, American dunegrass dunes, seashore bluegrass dunes, and shorepine/slough sedge wetlands. These areas have become limited in extent due to European beachgrass invasion and the use off-road vehicles.

Township/Range/Section:

The area lies within sections 1, 2, 11, and 12 T23S, R13W.

Latitude:

43,36N

Longitude:

124,11W

Quad Map:

Lakeside, Oreg. (7.5)

Threatened or Endangered Species:

Federally listed as Threatened, the Western snowy plover has been seen on active nests in and near the RNA.

Exotic Species Present:

European beach grass (Ammophila arenaria).

Plant Communities:

Seashore lupine dunes, European beachgrass dunes, Red fescue-salt rush grassland, Hooker's willow/slough sedge-pacific silverweed, Shorepine/slough sedge, Shorepine-sitka spruce/evergreen huckleberry, Sitka spruce/evergreen huckleberry, Douglas-fir/western rhododendron-evergreen huckleberry, and Open sand dunes.

Aquatic Features Present:

The Pacific Ocean is along the western edge of the area. Aquatic habitat types are represented in the deflation plains and a few of the scattered ponds which can be found throughout the dunes. The aquatic habitats found in the deflation dunes are primarily emergent wetlands and shrub-dominated wetlands with small areas of open water present in the more expansive sites.

Soils:

Beaches, Bullards sandy loam, Dune land, Heceta-Waldport fine sands, Netarts loamy fine sand, Waldport fine sand, Waldport-Dune land complex, and Waldport-Heceta fine sands.

Other Physical Features:

Past Disturbance History:

European beach grass encroachment and illegal harvest of Matsutake mushrooms. Small transplants of several species of trees and shrubs used for nursery stock have been removed from deflation plains in the past, no permits have been issued in the last five years (~since 1992?).

Other Comments:

Access by trail or via beach