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Seasonally flooded basins are poorly drained, shallow depressions that may have standing water for a few weeks each year, but are usually dry for much of the growing season. These basins may be kettles in glacial deposits, low spots in outwash plains, or depressions in floodplains. They are frequently cultivated. However, when these basins are not cultivated, wetland vegetation can become established. Typical species include smartweeds, beggarticks, nut-grasses, and wild millet. One unique aspect of seasonally flooded basins is that the alternating periods of flood and drought can eliminate perennial plants so that annual plant species typically dominate the community.
 Seasonally flooded basins are important for waterfowl and shorebirds. These temporary water holding basins frequently have an abundance of plant seeds and invertebrates, which makes them ideal feeding and resting areas for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. In spring, seasonally flooded basins are used as pairing ponds by ducks, and the abundant invertebrate population provides a protein-rich diet for egg-laying hens.
The Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory recognizes this community type with the name ephemeral pond. Click here to read the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ community descriptions for these community types.
The wetland plant community description in italics above is excerpted from Eggers, S.D. and D.M. Reed. 1997. Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota and Wisconsin. (2nd Edition). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, MN.
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