Veeder Pond: Carmel Valley Vernal Pool

Veeder Pond in Garland Park

Vernal pools are seasonally flooded depressions found on ancient soils with an impermeable layer such as a hardpan, claypan, or volcanic basalt. The impermeable layer allows the pools to retain water much longer then the surrounding uplands; nonetheless, the pools are shallow enough to dry up each season. Vernal pools often fill and empty several times during the rainy season.
As winter rains fill the pools, freshwater invertebrates, crustaceans, and amphibians emerge.

From: California Wetlands Information System
Picture from the NatureID Blog