After the storm

High 36, mostly cloudy

The ice storm that came last night was mild in the Easthampton area, but left the hilltowns and the northern Pioneer Valley with a thick glaze and no power.  By noon, the ice had melted off the branches in downtown Easthampton.  Mountain Road stayed open throughout the storm and was safe at 10 am when I drove to work.

Ice storms in New England play an important role in shaping the natural landscape and increasing the biodiversity of the forests.  These storms are common in our area, and more dramatic and frequent in the higher elevations and in northern New England.  The effect is fallen trees and broken tree limbs, both of which allow light to reach the forest floor.  The openings are opportunities for herbaceous plants and for pioneer trees like White Pine (Pinus strobus) to exploit.  Finally, they get their chance!  The seeds that have been dormant for years can sprout, and the new plants can grow (and sometimes become a source of reachable browse for deer and other animals).

I went for a very short hike in the Dwyer Conservation Area this afternoon.  I forgot that there was a flood warning for this area, and when I got to the trail head I saw that sure enough, the Manhan River had swelled.  I could walk no further than to the first bench.  The water was almost over the high banks here.  If we get more water, the river will surely spill out onto the floodplain.

[caption id="attachment_24" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="High water at the Dwyer Conservation Area"][/caption]

From the banks I thought about how fun it might be to kayak in these high waters.  When the rivers are flooded, you can float over fields and through people's backyards; you can go places you could never go otherwise.  But a second look at the water told me that kayaking the Manhan today might not be such a good idea.  Strange eddies and odd currents made the water look unpredictable, wild and mysterious.  Maybe even dangerous!  I've fallen in the Manhan in November, and that's an experience I don't want to relive.  I'll wait till spring and watch from the bench.

[caption id="attachment_25" align="alignnone" width="418" caption="View from the bench"][/caption]