Steve Kite (Geology prof. at WVU) confirms that this would be an ancient river terrace, (maybe 1 million years old) that is now developing karst topography. Most of these terraces are 100-140 ft above the river, so this would be among the highest at 150' above the river. Dr Kite expects the cobbles to be weathered quartzite. Pond is surrounded by diverse upland deciduous forest with (perhaps successional) rich floodplain species mixed with oaks.;Vegetation is banded from open water to muck (sparse veg) to herb community to trees on perephery. Small, probably natural, depression wetland, a completely isolated (hydrologically) small depression on top of cobble-strewn river bluff, 150 m above current channel of Shenandoah River. Similar to black pond sinkholes in morphology, with overhanging trees around an open central shallow pond. Bedrock is mapped as Elbrook Cambrian limestone, so this may be karst feature, possibly overlain by ancient river channel or levee. Rounded cobbles are abundant.
Representativeness
Plot was placed to include entire 600 square meter depression wetland. This is one of 3 depression wetlands on the ridgetop.
