Brush Creek Fen

Location:  Custer County 
Size:   9 acres
Designated:   2003
Landowner: Private

An unusual wetland, Brush Creek Fen is on a shallow ridge between North and South Brush creeks, yet does not receive water from either creek. Rather, underground springs slowly release water into the fen’s upper wet meadows, forming small freshets that finger through the lower meadows. The waters likely remain perched on the higher ridge due to an impermeable subsurface lens. The fen is dominated by beaked sedge (Carex utriculata), with Idaho bent grass (Agrostis idahoensis) abundant. Peat is sporadic (some quaking), mixed with thin rocky soils supporting blue and occasional Englemann spruce. Wood lily, Hypoxis hirsuta, Carex leptalea, an Alnus/Picea plant community, and nesting Lewis woodpecker can be found at this site.