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By ELIZABETH MILLER
Rappahannock News Contributing Writer
In Shenandoah National Park we are lucky to have freshwater springs. Only 3 percent of the world’s water is fresh. More than half of it is trapped as ice and glaciers leaving less than 1 percent for all living things. You’re invited to discover Shenandoah’s springs and the complex web of life they support.
It is truly magical the way springs find their way to the surface. Water travel through porous rock in between hard rocks. The pressure created causes the water to rise to the surface where it becomes available to plants and animals. Some springs are a water source for many of the Park’s stream. Others can become dry during periods of drought.
Many springs don’t freeze and flow year round. Plants nearby get a head start early in the year. They then provide food for many animals that are preparing to give birth. Some plants become critical for wildlife survival for this reason.
Don’t forget amphibians and reptiles that are tied to these wet areas for all or part of their lives. Box turtles burrow in muddy banks near streams to wait out cold winters. Many salamanders depend on spring water for breeding and egglaying sites.
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