Garden tip: The beauty of vernal pools
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife describes vernal pools as “depressions in areas where a hard underground layer prevents rainwater from draining downward into the subsoil.”
There are several vernal pools close enough for us to visit — Jepson Prairie in Dixon, Mather Fields in east Sacramento and Rancho Seco in southeast Sacramento.
The wildflowers that often grow in colorful rings as the water subsides are beautiful but not long-lasting. Fifteen plants are listed as threatened or endangered. Some of the endangered plant species that grow there include meadowfoam, Orcutt grass and Hoover’s spurge. Fairy shrimp are endangered crustaceans that live in vernal pools. They persist as cysts through the dry season.
These beautiful and unique areas are declining in number. They are an important ecosystem in the California landscape.
— Katie Martin, UC Marin master gardener