Sandbach Flashes

Sandbach Flashes consists of a number of pools formed as a result of subsidence due to the solution of underlying salt deposits.

Inland saline habitats such as those present at Sandbach Flashes are extremely rare in Britain and support unusual communities of plants and animals.

Due to the differing age, depth, and water chemistry, the flashes show considerable variation in their plant and animal communities.

At Fodens Flash the emergent vegetation grades into fen and wet woodland dominated by alder Alnus glutinosa and willow Salix spp.

The more saline flashes are fed by natural brine springs and contain a range of species tolerant of brackish water, for example, spiked water-milfoil Myriophyllum spicatum, fennel-leaved pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus and horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris and the green alga Enteromorpha intestinalis.