Water resources

Vernal pools are small, isolated wetlands that hold water on a temporary basis, most often during winter and spring. They might be as small as a living room or as big as a football field, and can occur deep in the forest, in open wetlands, and in low spots in land.  They are filled by the spring's rising water table or snow run-off. Because they don't have an above-ground outlet for water, they are usually gone by late summer. *

Vernal pools are very important to the life cycle of many amphibians, as they are too shallow and short-lived to support fish that would eat the amphibian eggs or larvae. Vernal pools and their adjacent upland habitats encourage biodiversity by supporting an abundance of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates not found in other areas.  

Species that depend on vernal pools for successful breeding include fairy shrimp (inch-long crustaceans with a lifespan of just a few weeks); spotted, marbled and Jefferson salamanders; eastern spadefoot toads; and wood frogs. A wide variety of other forest animals, including birds, turtles, snakes, and small and large mammals also use these pools for feeding and resting. In addition, these "sylvan gems" are aesthetically pleasing, with moss-covered logs, delicate hues of greens and browns, and dappled sunlight shining through forest cover. 

However, because they are small, hard to identify, and subject to limited regulation, they are often impacted by development. As a result, vernal pools - and the species that depend on them - are rapidly disappearing. 

Many vernal pool amphibians go back to breed in the pools where they were born. If the pool is disturbed or destroyed by development, the amphibians show little tendency to relocate. It is also important to remember that these animals rely on both vernal pools and connecting upland terrestrial habitats for survival, spending about 11 out of 12 months each year in adjacent uplands, forests and wetlands. 

Even a relatively small degree of development (25% of surrounding critical terrestrial habitat) can negatively impact vernal pool wildlife. For example, one study done in Massachusetts found that when 25 acres of upland forest next to a vernal pool was cleared, the pool's wood frog population became locally extinct, despite a 150-foot-wide forested buffer around the pool and a forested wetland corridor adjacent to the pool. 

The most valuable vernal pools are:

• ecologically significant due to size and the length of time they hold water; 
• have state-listed or vernal pool species present/breeding; and 
• are surrounded by intact, undeveloped critical terrestrial habitat. 

Vernal pools, like Atlantic Cedar Swamps, are critical habitats that we must continue to work together to protect. Mechanisms include acquisition by a conservation organization like a land trust; conservation easements; employment of best management practices to integrate design, engineering and natural resource protection into developments; zoning/ordinances; and last but not least, voluntary stewardship programs by landowners. 

*According to A Field Guide to the Animals of Vernal Pools by Kenney and Burne, "many of our larger vernal pools persist for several years before drying". And according to Elizabeth Colburn's book Vernal Pools: Natural History and Conservation when defining the hydrology of vernal pools, states "they dry up annually or every few years - standing water either disappears completely, or water levels drop substantially durning the summer, exposing most of the pool bottom and retaining only a fraction of the peak volume". 

EXPLORE VERNAL POOLS

Are you interested in exploring a vernal pool this season? Contact CFPA's education director, Emma, to set up a program! If you can get a small group together (~5-15 individuals), let us know: ekravet@ctwoodlands.org.

• Calhoun, A.J.K. and M.W. Klemens, 2002. Best development practices: Conserving pool-breeding amphibians in residential and commercial developments in the northeastern United States. MCA Technical Paper No. 5. 
• The Vernal Pool Association, 
• EPA webpage on vernal pools
• Center for Watershed Protection

Source: AMC Outdoors Magazine, April 2005

Source:  Connecticut Sea Grant Fact Sheet #10 

• The average U.S. household uses more than 22,000 gallons of water per year just on showers and baths. (Source: New Dream) Shorten shower time.  Using water to wet down and rinse off only can save up to seven gallons of water/minute. Fill the bathtub halfway to save up to 15 gallons. Install low-flow showerheads and shut-off valves. Run hot water very briefly before getting into the shower.
• Insulate hot water tanks to reduce the time to get hot water from the tap. 
• Install low-flow faucet fixtures. 
• Repair leaks promptly. One leaky faucet can waste 15 gallons of water/day; a leaky toilet can waste 170 gallons a day. 
• Turn faucets off tightly when not in use. 
• Turn water on and off when brushing teeth, shaving, and washing dishes. 
• Turn the water on and off when washing the car.  A running hose wastes over 100 gallons of water in the time it takes to wash the car. 
• Replace older toilets with ultra-low flow models. The newer low flow models work well. 
• If you don't have a low-flow toilet, put a brick in the water tank. 
• Store a pitcher of cold water in the refrigerator. 
• Use an automatic dishwasher (it uses less water than hand washing), running only full loads and avoiding pre-rinsing. 
• Sort clothing, pretreat stains, and select the appropriate load size for laundry. 
• When purchasing a washing machine, consider a front-loading model.  They use 70% less water, detergent and fabric softeners. 
• Landscape to minimize watering (called xeriscaping), by using drought-resistant plants, and improving soils or using mulch. (Note: Over-mulching trees and shrubs can kill them. Don't use more than 3" and don't let mulch come into contact with tree trunk). 
• Direct gutters to rain barrels or rainwater tanks for use in watering nearby lawns, hanging plants and gardens. 1,000 square feet of roof can collect 420 gallons of water from 1 inch of rain. 
• Don't mow the lawn shorter than 3 inches.  
• Water the lawn only when necessary.  Step on the grass; if it springs back up when you move your foot, it does not need water. 
• Water lawns early in the morning, when it is cooler.
• Use shut off valves on hoses. 
• Consider drip irrigation around trees and shrubs.
• Cover a swimming pool. An average sized pool can evaporate about 1,000 gallons of water per month if left uncovered. A pool cover can cut the loss by up to 90%. 
• Spread out high water use throughout the day and evening to avoid taxing your well. 

• Water Conservation Measures, State of CT DPH 
• NIDIS: Drought in CT
• Water Woes: The Well Has Gone Dry (Our Better Nature) 
• Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels (Our Better Nature) 
• Conservation & Drought guidance (CT DPH) - Private Well Users and Public Water Supply Users 

• New Dream empowers individuals, communities, and organizations to transform the ways they consume to improve well-being for people and the planet.
• Connecticut Sea Grant, Conserving Water at Home, Fact Sheet 10.
• Connecticut Sea Grant, Conservation Landscaping for Water Quality, Fact Sheet 5.