Agenda 11-16-2021; 8-c - Approval of Interlocal Agreement Renewal and Master Plan - Little River Regional Park and Natural Area

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20 Site Analysis/Current Conditions This section will summarize the natural and cultural "An Inventory of Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitats features that provide the basis for the park's uses and for Orange County, North Carolina! Dawson Sather development potential. Restrictions on the park use, and Stephen P.Hall and (1988);Bruce Sorrie and Rich including easements and stream buffers,will also Shaw(2004). be described.The existing level of development and "Plant Communities and Management Plan for the programming will be summarized as the framework for Little River Regional Park"Brenda Wichmann,Wade recommended park improvements. Wall,and Andrew Walker. (2010). During the park's first 15 years of operation,there were numerous improvements and facilities constructed, Geology(Bradley,2011) including 7 miles of hiking trails,7 miles of biking trails, Little River Park is located in the Carolina geologic ter- an accessible looped trail,two picnic pavilions,play- rane(Figure 3).The Carolina terrane underlies northern ground, parking lot, restrooms and park office. Orange and Durham counties,and consists of approx- Between 2001 and 2011 Durham and Orange counties imately 630-to 615-million-year-old metamorphosed also conducted several studies focusing on the park's crystalline rocks of volcanic and intrusive origin. Rocks archaeological and cultural resources,geology,and of the present-day Carolina terrane were originally part plant communities.The findings of those studies sup- of a volcanic island arc that formed over 630 million plement other State and local natural resource invento- years ago off the coast of the ancient continent called ries and reports. Gondwana.These rocks were originally formed hun- dreds of miles from ancient North America (then called The following reports helped guide the development of Laurentia)and through the process of plate tectonics this section: accreted to what is now North America.The volcanic • "Cultural Resource Survey of the Little River Regional processes that produced these Carolina terrane rocks Park and Natural Area in Orange and Durham Coun- millions of years ago can be observed today on the ties,North Carolina:'Linda France Stine and Deborah modern-day volcanic island arcs of Japan,the Aleutian Joy,Legacy Research Associates, Inc. (2001). Islands and the island of Java. • "Archaeological Testing Investigation sat 31 OR547 Lit- The Carolina terrane rock formations present within Lit- tle River Regional Park and Natural Area Durham and tle River Park include the rock types shown in Figure 3. Orange Counties, North Carolina:'Deborah Joy and The southern portion of the park is underlain by mixed Amy Carruth, Legacy Research Associates, Inc.(2003). epiclastic-pyroclastic rocks that are interlayered with lavas of dacitic origin (Zhe/pl),while the rocks present • "Additional Cultural Resources Work for the Little in the northern portion of the park are lavas and tuffs River Regional Parkin Orange and Durham Counties, (Zhdlt(u)).The rocks found in the northernmost por- North Carolina:'Legacy Research Associates,Inc. tion of the park are andesitic to basaltic lavas and tuffs (2009). (Zhablt). • "The(Brief)Geologic Story of the Little River with There are several locations within the Little River Park, Reference to the Rocks of the Little River Park Area easily accessible from the parking area and hiking trails, Kit:'Phil Bradley, North Carolina Geological Survey with rock outcrops that are good examples of the three (NCGS). (2011). consolidated rock types found in the park.Several of • "1999 Durham County Inventory of Important Natural the locations listed below Figure 3 also demonstrate Areas, Plants,and Wildlife."Stephen P.Hall and Robert various geologic principles of interest. D.Sutter.(1999). 8 Little River Regional Park&Natural Area Master Plan