Dredging and Seasonal Wetland

When it rains, sediment from the surronding hillsides is carried down by the creeks. It used to settle in the once vast marsh land that covered this area. Since the majority of those marshes have been developed, the sediment now settles on the river bottom, making it more shallow, less navigable and more prone to flooding. Due to this sediment build up, the river must be dredged every four years. The ponds at Shollenberger Park were created as a site to collect and settle the accumulated sediment that the dredge machine removes from the river. The creation of the dredge ponds has established a rich and varied wetlands ecosystem. The water in the ponds comes from fresh rainwater but with every dredge cycle an abundance of salt water is mixed in. A large lake in winter and barely a puddle or two in summer (except after a dredge cycle or very big winter), the ponds are seasonal wetlands. During the limited time of moisture, organisms such as salamanders, frogs, toads, fairy shrimp and microorganisms must secure shelter, find food, locate a mate, and reproduce. What do these animals do in the dry season? They either become dormant in the mud, deposit eggs to be born when the next rains arrive, or migrate to another location.

Tour text from "Self Guided Tour of Shollenberger Park" available on site.