Physiography of the Southern United States

The forests of the South cover a vast range of territory ranging from the northern areas of Virginia and Kentucky to the forests of East Texas and Oklahoma. This area covers several different regions including mountains, coastal plains, and river valleys. The physiographic regions include:

• Coastal Plain
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain
  • Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Delta)
  • Florida Peninsula
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain
• Piedmont Province
• Blue Ridge Province
• Ridge and Valley Province
• Appalachian Plateaus
• Interior Low Plateaus
• Interior Highlands

For physiographic information on a specific state, click one of the following links: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

The Coastal Plain stretches from the Piney Woods of East Texas to the Atlantic shore. This area encompasses the West Gulf Coastal Plain, Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain, East Gulf Coastal Plain, Florida Peninsula, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain (Walker and Oswald 2000).

Coastal Plain

The East Gulf Coastal Plain is characterized by terraces that run almost parallel to the Gulf of Mexico, while the West Gulf Coastal Plain includes low ridges and valleys runing parallel to the current coastline. These plains areas are home to the most productive pine forests in the South (Walker and Oswald 2000).

Interrupting these patterns are the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain and the Florida Peninsula. The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain, or Delta, runs north to south along the river and contains distinctive lowland hardwood forests. In contrast, the northern area of the Florida Peninsula rises abruptly from the sea floor. This area consists of marine terrace lowlands that are generally less than 100 feet in elevation. The central part of the peninsula, south of Tampa Bay, consists of broad plains less than 20 feet in elevation. At one time, this area was 80-85% swampland. Pines cover the higher areas of this part of the peninsula. The southern area of the peninsula consists mainly of non-forested lands (Walker and Oswald 2000).

The southern Atlantic Coastal Plain begins at the Delaware River and runs south to the Georgia coastline. This area is marked by a series of fluvial step-like and marine terraces that run parallel to the ocean. The northern area of the Atlantic Coastal Plain begins in central North Carolina and covers the northern part of the southern forest. Bays and estuaries divide the area into a series of peninsula-like extensions (Walker and Oswald 2000).

More information about the Coastal Plain can be found at the Wikipedia Free Encylopedia site.

Piedmont Province

The Piedmont Province covers an area from north of the Potomac River south to Alabama. This area consists of the eastern foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Elevations in this province range from 300 to 1200 feet above sea level. Granite rests underneath approximately 20% of the area creating uplands and rock formations. Rolling hills, isolated rock features, and valleys dot the landscape of the Piedmont Province (Walker and Oswald 2000). More in-depth information about the Piedmont Province can be found in the Southern Appalachian Encyclopedia.

Blue Ridge Province

The Blue Ridge Mountains, a belt 5-80 miles wide, extend from the southern Appalachians in Virginia southward to Georgia. The area ranges in elevation from 1000 to 4000 feet above sea level, making it the most rugged topography east of the Rocky Mountains. The province appears as a single ridge or flanked by lesser ridges in the north, while in the south closely spaced ridges form a rugged landscape with a prominent escarpment overlooking the Piedmont Province. The rugged area has discouraged many settlers but it is home for many craving the isolation provided by the land (Walker and Oswald 2000). More information about the Blue Ridge Province can be found in the Southern Appalachian Encyclopedia.

Ridge and Valley

Lying between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Plateaus, the Ridge and Valley Province is an area 50-75 miles in width. Even crested ridges, separated by narrow valleys, make up this area. The rock base consists of shale, sandstone, and limestone. American chestnut forests once covered much of this area. Because of the high soil fertility, agriculture now dominates the valleys. Power and flood control projects also dot the landscape (Walker and Oswald 2000). The Ridge and Valley Province is covered in more detail in the Southern Appalachian Encyclopedia.

Appalachian Plateaus

Geological uplifts within the Southern Appalachian Mountains are referred to as the Appalachian Plateaus. Eastern boundary elevations range from 500-1000 feet above sea level. The western landscape is cut into buttes and promontories by the many streams running through the area (Walker and Oswald 2000). More in-depth information regarding the Appalachian Plateaus can be found in the Southern Appalachian Encylopedia.

Interior Low Plateaus

To the west of the Appalachian Plateaus, lie the Interior Plateaus. The plateaus form a broad upwarp running parallel to the Appalachain Mountains. Erosion has eaten up much of the original soil to create basins such as those around Nashville and Lexington. These areas are now primarily farmland (Walker and Oswald 2000).

The U. S. Geological Survey website has more information related to the Interior Low Plateaus.

Consisting of the Ozark Plateaus and the Ouachita Province, the Interior Highlands of the southern forest are located in Oklahoma and Arkansas. To the north, the Ozark Plateaus rise 2200 feet above sea level. Regional streams dissect the plateaus creating flatland prairies between the rivers (Walker and Oswald 2000).

Interior Highlands

The Arkansas River separates the Ozark Plateaus from the Ouachita Province in the southern part of the Interior Highlands. The topography of the area is similar to the Ridge and Valley Province. Elevations range from below 1000 feet to 2600 feet near the Oklahoma border in the West (Walker and Oswald 2000).

The U. S. Geological Survey website has more information related to the Interior Highlands.