Murrieta has received enough rainfall this winter for visitors to enjoy the beauty in and around the vernal pools at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. 

The reserve, located at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains in southwest Riverside County is considered a hidden gem to the community. Spanning over nine-thousand acres, the reserve is protected land that offers glimpses into the history and ecosystems of the area. 

Unique to the plateau are three vernal pools, one of which is accessible for the public to view. The vernal pools come alive during the rainy seasons.

     Recent rainfall has filled the vernal pools

Park Interpreter with the Riverside County Parks, Rob Hicks said the ecosystem on the reserve is coming alive thanks to the almost ten inches of rain it has received this season. 

The last two storms in January brought enough rain to fill the vernal pools by the boardwalk. This rain brought to life the fairy shrimp. There are only two types of fairy shrimp and one of them called the Santa Rosa Fairy Shrimp can only be found on the plateau. 

“You cannot find these fairy shrimp anywhere else in the world,” said Hicks. The shrimp are part of the ecosystem. Dragonflies, diving beetles and migrating fowl feed on the shrimp and contribute to the food chain. 

Visitors to the vernal pools during a rainy season should see lots of ducks, birds and on occasion coyotes feeding off the land. 

“There are few places to see fantastic rare wetlands that are easily accessible to the public,” said Hicks. The trails leading to the vernal pools are fairly flat and easy for hikers to navigate. 

The wetlands are on top of an old lava flow, ten million years old. Visitors can still find black rock from the extinct volcano and the trails have a reddish color. 

“The red colored dirt is from the oxidation of the black lava rock,” said Hicks. When the plateau had hot lava flowing millions of years ago the continent was located further south into Mexico. The continent continues to move north about a half an inch every year said, Hicks.

The fairy shrimp also have a long history at the plateau. The shrimp lay at the bottom of the vernal pools as embryos, waiting for the perfect condition to hatch. 

"They can remain in an embryo state for centuries or longer said," said Hicks. The fairy shrimp population strategically hatch only five to 10-percent of their population each season. 

“Fairy shrimp can wait thousands of years to develop. They are amazing creatures,” said Hicks. “Visitors may soon get to see an explosion of wildflowers thanks to this season's rainfall.” 

Hicks reminds visitors it is vital to the reserve to stay on the trails when they come out to visit. The public can also stop by the visitor center to learn more about the State’s ecological reserve. The center will have maps and more information on the rare plants and endangered species found on the reserve.