Reflections on Water - Chapter 8, Reflections on Water & Drought Dialog

Chris Nicodemus & Katrina Meserve

The segment Reflections on Water and Drought appeared in the October 1st ACT Newsletter shortly after the first in a series of soaking rains finally reached the North Country in late September. Relief to some waterways and ponds was immediate, but water in streams and rivers rapidly dropped again and wells were slow to come back online. Additional heavy rains in mid and late October coupled with the much-reduced evaporation with lower temperatures and reduced sunlight are slowly helping the region recover from the drought and reduce the danger of wildfire, but a water deficit does remain.  

Multiple wells near me went dry in August and September. What can I do to assure that will not happen to me?

The performance of individual wells is a function of many factors and consultation with a well company to address the specific issues and risks associated with any given well would be necessary. For shallow ground water wells located above the bedrock, the disruption of vegetative canopy uphill from a well site resulting in rapid run off and increased evaporation will likely impact the function of nearby wells. For deeper bedrock wells, the persistence of water is harder to anticipate and is influenced by factors farther from the well associated with water movement through bedrock fissures. The principles of protecting ground water at the municipal or regional scale will help ensure overall water tables are maintained but may not address problems occurring with an individual well. 

The perennial stream in the woods near my house went dry this summer. What will happen to the fish and amphibians?

The summer has been a severe stress to many water-dependent creatures. Fish trapped in pools that dried would be unlikely to survive and amphibians may have fared better depending on what protective habitat was nearby. Shrubbery and damp plant life are critical to allowing the amphibians safe haven. Sun exposed environments are more challenging. Spring was damp enough that the spring breeding season for amphibians was likely successful, but the new seasonal generation may have had difficulty surviving the drought. Next year’s vernal egg mass counts will be telling. Fish have already returned to sections of streams that dried completely having swum upstream from nearby pools that did not completely desiccate. 

If trees pull water from the soil, how do they keep the ground water levels higher rather than compete for scarce water?

I like this question because it points to a seeming paradox. If you have ever grown tomatoes in a planter, when the plants are big and vigorous they do dry out the container soil quickly and demand frequent watering, so the conclusion points to a yes answer. The difference in the case of exterior terrain and open land relates to the ability of a canopy to absorb the heat of the sun and maintain a cool understory. The ground remains cooler, does not harden off and remains able to absorb whatever scant moisture is to be found on cool nights and perhaps occasional showers. A sunbaked terrain becomes oppressively hot in summer and water is driven from the soil and the surface hardens. Any rain that does fall is not absorbed and the risk of flash flooding downstream is heightened. The vegetative canopy forms a natural sponge to hold water, protect sensitive plants and wildlife and buffer the habitat 

Banner photo by EP Chow.

Photos by Chris Nicodemus