COMMISSION

The park contains a variety of water features including streams, drainages, vernal
pools, and palustrine wetlands. Three intermittent streams run southeasterly through the
eastern portion of the park and flow into Coyote Creek. A fourth intermittent stream runs
northwesterly through the northeast corner of the SVRA and drains into Buffalo Creek.
Several seasonal drainages are tributaries to these intermittent streams or lower elevation
settling basins. Vernal pools occur throughout the park, primarily in non-OHV riding areas.
Vernal pools are seasonal depressional wetlands created through direct precipitation
and surface run-off. Palustrine wetlands are non-tidal wetlands covered with emergent
vegetation. They are often referred to as marshes. These water features are scattered
throughout the park (Heitner and Elsom, 2015 Annual Monitoring Report of Wildlife Habitat
and Trail Conditions at Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area 2016, 7).
Several State Parks buildings are present on the site including the Environmental Training
Center, District Office, Sector Office, Maintenance Facility, and an entrance kiosk.
Concessionaires lease and operate facilities within the park and maintain structures
associated with those facilities, such as observation towers, storefronts, storage containers,
and restrooms (Heitner and Elsom, 2015 Annual Monitoring Report of Wildlife Habitat and
Trail Conditions at Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area 2016, 8).
Buffer Lands
The Storm Water and the Vernal Pool Management Use Areas (described in the Prairie
City SVRA General Plan Update) act as a buffer for noise and dust produced from OHV
recreational activities. Prairie City SVRA has
almost 200 acres of vernal pool grasslands, a
California prairie ecosystem that includes both
upland grasslands and the seasonal wetland
vernal pools that are home to many native species
of flora and fauna. The vernal pool grasslands
contain threatened and endangered wildlife species
and native California plants and provide SVRA
environmental scientists with valuable research
opportunities. Prairie City SVRA staff also use the
Vernal pool
vernal pool area for outreach and educational programs such as the annual Vernal Pool
Tour and has the potential as a non-motorized recreation area of the park.
Small Mammal Trapping
Sherman trapping is used at Prairie City SVRA following the transect protocol developed
by Pearson and Ruggiero (Pearson and Ruggiero 2003). The Sherman trap is a collapsible
sheet metal box-style animal trap designed for the live capture of small mammals.
2017 Program Report 113