The Spillway Natural Habitat Area

The spillway habitat provides cover for small mammals and insects for birds.

Directly across Tamarack Drive from the Memorial Garden is a field. This field is part of overflow mitigation for Lake Tamarack. As a Class 1 dam, the Lake Tamarack dam and surrounding areas have to be managed in accordance with regulations from the Georgia state Safe Dams program. The fields on either side of the spillway creek that lead to the Memorial Garden waterfall have to remain largely free of trees that might hinder the dispersal of excess water should the lake/creek overflow their banks.

BTCI does an excellent job ensuring that the Lake Tamarack dam remains in compliance with regulations. Until recently, the protocol for the field was to mow and treat with herbicide what could not be mowed (the area in the creek bed which remains mostly dry but is rocky and unsuited for equipment). Several years ago the Lake & Wildlife Habitat Conservation committee partnered with BTCI to allow this area to return to wildlife habitat.

*Note this is NOT the field on the dam side of the spillway where dogs sometimes run, where events sometimes occur, and where kayaks can be launched. It is the other side of the spillway creek.

To start, we simply stopped mowing the entire field, and waited.

Japanese stilt grass, beefsteak (perilla mint), Chinse privet, and Chinese bush clover are 4 invasives that really wanted to take over. It was (and will be more) work to minimize them and allow the good natives to maintain the upper hand, but so far so good.

Dog fennel was the most prominent plant in the spring and summer of 2024. The South Carolina Native Plant Society published this great article in June of 2024 that helped us appreciate the benefits of all that dog fennel! In addition to the dog fennel, we noticed native grasses such as little blue stem, purple passion flower vines, and blackberry.

Coming into 2025, we determined that a path along the right/creek side of the field was needed to improve access. Two paths were also cut parallel to Tamarack Drive to divide the area and provide even better access, allowing the segments to be managed differently. Wildflower seeds were scattered in the areas closest to the road, mostly for human interest. Several hearty deer resistant natives (yarrow, joe pye weed, and giant anise hyssop) were planted with the goal of providing more diversity.

Only several inches tall each, many Tiny bluets were beautiful in the middle towards the back in the early spring this year.

Golden ragwort (packera aurea) showed off with yellow displays in April and May. There is still lots of dog fennel, but also quite a bit of late boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) that will bloom late into the fall. American burnweed (erechtites hieraciifolus) is a pioneer species that will improve the soil and make way for later successional wildflowers.

Beloved by wildlife and people alike, wild blackberries (rubus occidentalis) are growing strong in the creek bed. Along with native grasses the area is teeming with life. One issue is the water loving alder trees that take root in the dirt areas in between all the rocks. These can't stay due to the Safe Dam regulations against woody plants. The BTCI grounds crew does not have time to work at the granular level, removing just the alders. To avoid herbicide use on the desirable plants, James Smith and Ken Sinclair tackled the alders. Cutting and applying herbicide selectively to the cut stumps, we hope to be able to control the alders and allow other herbaceous plants to contribute in the warm seasons.

It will be interesting to see how the area evolves, what nature has waiting in the seedbank to show up at its proper time. If you would like to learn more about this area, or have some time to help nudge it along in a good direction, let us know! Email benttreelw@gmail.com