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Vernal Pools

Where Are Vernal Pools Found?

California's vernal pools occur on a variety of landscape formations, most often on alluvial formations deposited by ancient waterways and seas. The greatest extent of this type of landscape formation is in our Central Valley, in areas where alluvial surfaces were exposed after the retreat of the inland sea during the Pleistocene era. Similar alluvial landscape formations occur in inland valleys of the inner Coast Ranges (Sonoma County), and along coastal terraces of Southern California, where geologic forces have lifted the original alluvial landscape surfaces above sea level.

Second types of landscape formation with vernal pools are ancient volcanic mudflows, where rapid weathering of volcanic materials has formed dense clay soils and bedrock restricting layers near the soil surface. Volcanic landscape formations are found in northeast California and in the northern end of the Sacramento Valley. These types are not found in Sonoma County

to view a California map of Vernal Pools

Why Are Vernal Pools Regulated and Who Regulates Them?

Federal, state, and local laws and policies regulate certain activities in wetlands, including vernal pools, and may prohibit activities that could harm or harass threatened or endangered wildlife species or migratory waterfowl. In addition, the California Environmental Quality Act, a state law, requires public agencies to consider the effects of proposed actions on biological resources. Environmental laws and policies that pertain to vernal pools in California include:

The Federal Clean Water Act Section 404 (US Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency), Endangered Species Act (US Fish and Wildlife Service), and Migratory Bird Treaty Act (US Fish and Wildlife Service);
Wetland provisions of the Food Security Act (Natural Resources Conservation Service);
The State Endangered Species Act and California Fish and Game Code (California Department of Fish and Game), California Environmental Quality Act (County Planning Departments);
County General Plan Policies and Habitat Conservation Plan Policies.
These environmental laws and policies require agencies and landowners to consider the effects of a proposed action on the environment; determine if a less damaging alternative is available; obtain and comply with necessary wetland permits; and comply with endangered species laws (for vernal pools that support endangered species). Compensatory mitigation may be required by local Planning Departments or regulatory permitting agencies to help ensure that the project does not result in a loss of wetland function

Who is affected by vernal pools in Sonoma County?

Vernal Pool mitigation has become an issue that every developer and property owner must face when proposing development on the Santa Rosa Plain (SRP). The SRP area stretches from Cotati on the south to Windsor on the north and from the Mayacamas Mountains on the east to the Laguna de Santa Rosa to the west. This large expanse of land is laced with wetlands and pockets of endangered CTS or flowers.

The list of projects that are affected range from agricultural crop conversion at one extreme to development projects for single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, affordable housing, offices and commercial development. Public agency projects such as the City of Santa Rosa's Water Reclamation Project and Cal Trans - Highway 12 / Farmers Road Extension have been required to mitigate for fill of wetlands and endangered species impacts. Mitigation has become an accepted element of the development process and has become a routine component for most developers, who see it as a needed solution for projects to proceed.

Basic Definitions:

mit·i·gate (m¹t"¹g³t") v. mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing, mit·i·gates. --tr. 1. To moderate (a quality or condition) in force or intensity; alleviate. See Synonyms at relieve. --intr. To become milder. [Middle English mitigaten, from Latin mºtig³re, mºtig³t- : mºtis, soft + agere, to drive, do; see ACT.] --mit"i·ga·ble (-g…-b…l) adj. --mit"i·ga"tion n. --mit"i·ga"tive or mit"i·ga·to"ry (-g…-tôr", -t½r") adj. --mit"i·ga"tor n.

wet·land (wµt"l²nd") n. A lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife: a program to preserve our state's wetlands.

ver·nal (vûr"n…l) adj. 1. Of, relating to, or occurring in the spring. 2. Characteristic of or resembling spring. 3. Fresh and young; youthful. [Latin vrn³lis, from vrnus, from vr, spring. See wes- below.] --ver"nal·ly adv.

pool (p›l) n. 1. A small body of still water. 2. An accumulation of standing liquid; a puddle: a pool of blood. 3. A deep or still place in a stream. 4. A swimming pool. 5. An underground accumulation of petroleum or gas in porous sedimentary rock. --pool intr.v. pooled, pool·ing, pools. 1. To form pools or a pool: The receding tide pooled in hollows along the shore. 2. To accumulate in a body part: preventing blood from pooling in the limbs. [Middle English, from Old English p½l.]