Woods Bay

(Preserved Bay)

Portion of NAPP infrared photograph of Woods Bay (1989). Bay is the dark feature located in the center of image.

Portion of topographic map From USGS Turbeville quadrangle (1983). This area is from a drained bay near the one shown to the left (note drainage features).

Cartographic Products:

Woods Bay Woods Bay

(NAPP) (Topo Map)

SC MAPS Order Form (.xls format)

Rationale

Of all the landforms in South Carolina that have aroused the curiosity of both geologists and local residents, Carolina Bays are at the top of the list. Woods Bay was selected as the Carolina Bay study site because it is the largest Bay preserved in a near-pristine condition and also because it is one of the most easily accessible, being located just south of Interstate Highway 95 on the border of Clarendon, Florence, and Sumter counties. In the 1920's, most of the cypress trees were logged, and tramways were laid over swampy areas to allow timber to be hauled out. In 1971, logging companies were prevented from repeating the harvest when Woods Bay was made a state park. It contains both swampland areas and grassy savanna areas, as well as pine barrens along its sand rim. A cypress-tupelo community dominates the interior of the Bay, while longleaf pines cover the drier rims. Woods Bay stands in sharp contrast with nearby Dials Bay, which was drained for agricultural use. The park is a refuge for many varieties of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, as well as to a host of rare and specialized plants.

Background Information
    Description of Landforms, Drainage Patterns, and Geologic Processes
        Characteristic Landforms of Carolina Bays
        Geographic Features of Special Interest
        Theories of Origin
        Catastrophic Extraterrestrial Theory
        Gradualistic Terrestrial Theory
        Carolina Bays Soils
        Typical Carolina Bays Soils Types
    Influence of Topography on Historical Events and Cultural Trends
        A Breif Historical View of the Bays
        Objective Description of Carolina Bays
        Subjective Description of Carolina Bays
        Sharecropping
    Natural Resources, Land Use, and Environmental Concerns
        Draining the Bays for Agriculture and Forestry
        Carolina Bays as a Unique Natural Habitat
        Recent Efforts to Preserve the Carolina Bays

Study Site 8A--Woods Bay (Preserved Bay)
    Brief Site Description
        Characteristics of Woods Bay
        Park Facilities, Boardwalk, and Canoe Trips
        Land Use in Woods Bay
    Activity 8A-1: Anatomy of a Carolina Bay