Madrona Marsh
Vernal freshwater marsh in Southern California, USA
About
The Madrona Marsh Preserve, in the city of Torrance in the South Bay region of Southern California, is a seasonal Delta wetland with vernal pools. The 43 acres (17 ha) was a former site of oil wells and is one of the few natural areas remaining within an urban landscape.
Formed eons ago when the mountains of the Palos Verdes Peninsula rose to the south, Madrona Marsh is a shallow depression fed by wet season (spring) storms as the name "vernal" indicates. After the rainy season, evaporation, percolation and transpiration reduce the water depth by about one-quarter of an inch (6 mm) per day. By the end of August, the wetland is dry and remains so until the following rainy season. Situated on land that was set aside for oil production in 1924, Madrona Marsh was never developed while the city grew up around the site and remains a valuable natural habitat for birds, reptiles, insects and small mammals.
Nearby
More to see within walking distance
Torrance, California
City in Los Angeles County, California, US
0.9 mi away
Del Amo Fashion Center
Shopping mall in Southern California
0.4 mi away
Torrance Transit Center
Transport hub in Torrance, California
1.3 mi away
Torrance Art Museum
Art Museum in California, CA
0.9 mi awaySushi Inaba
Japanese restaurant in Torrance, California, U.S.
1.1 mi awayPlaces to eat nearby
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