Cottonwood Pond: After the Storm

After the Storm

December 29, 2016

I am, of course, not down in the bottom of my woods during a storm. I have been at Cottonwood Pond during steady rains, but never during a storm. If lightening or heavy winds would ensue, scrambling up the slippery slope to get back to shelter would be rather problematic, so I have not taken that chance.

So, normally I see the effects of a recent storm and visualize what happened during the event.

Heavy rains (or heavy snow melt) and rushing water have the strongest influence on Cottonwood Pond.

Sometimes it has an immediate effect, such as carving out a new channel, thus redirecting water flow at that time as well as in the future. This, in turn, creates more changes in other aspects.

Creek water, coming from the right and rushing up against a natural "dam" in the Creek

During a deluge, water rushes down the main channel of the Creek, but here an excess has pushed over the bank, even slightly up the slope, creating new channels that will be carved more deeply if there are more heavy rains.

Sometimes it makes a change, but the influence of that change does not manifest until a later time. For example, heavy rains can loosen dirt on the Cottonwood root ball, but maybe the dirt falls off after the pull of gravity works on it gradually, over time.

Over several years, much dirt has fallen from the Root Ball, creating Mud Piles below, at the edge of the pond.

Side view of the thinning Root Ball

Near the end of 2016, strong water flow left signs here and there, telling me the story of what it was doing while I slept.

Bare places above the edge of the Creek show where strong water flow had pushed over the banks, sometimes exposing Crawdad holes

Bare spots above the Creek's edge show where water had cut over during strong flow

During heavy flow times, water fills up "little pond" on the other side of the Root Ball. The overflow goes in two directions: to the left at the base of the back slope, flowing toward Temporary Creek #2, and over the Isthmus (these photos) where it flows into the main pond (bottom of left photo.) Bare spots show where water was rushing through.

Excess water in the main pond then flows through the Seep. This view is from the pond corner, looking toward the Creek, where the Seep ends. The path of recent water is evident.

Temporary Creek #1, which flows toward Cottonwood Pond from the ESE, with more water than usual, showing that much water had flowed down the slopes to this gathering area.

The Swampy Spot was indeed "swampy", filled by Temporary Creek #1. This very low spot acts as another holding area for water until this overflows.

The water had been very busy, leaving evidence of its flow from the Swampy Spot to Cottonwood Pond. Here, a line can be seen coming from the Swampy Spot (just below the slope.)

Another view of the flow line from the Swampy Spot, this time with Inlet to the pond seen in the upper right.

Flow line headed toward the Inlet

Now looking from the Swampy Spot toward the Inlet - evidence where water had pushed away leaves on its rush toward the pond.

Normally, heavy water flow causes turbidity in the pond, churning up the fine sediment and bringing in more sediment and particles from elsewhere, clouding the water. But, this time around there had been enough time for things to settle before I got down there. Though there was a little turbidity left in the spots that experienced heaviest water flow, the water was fairly clear.

Looking through the Cove at the base of the Root Ball - clear water reflecting blue sky.

Water in the main pond

Something very notable was the lack of tannin stain, or the great decrease of it. A little over a month previous, the water had looked more like Sassafras tea. By late December, silt had settled and leaves were all brown, and the bottom had become greenish-brown. What had happened to the tannin? There is so much to learn!

The main pond, seen from the south, over the Inlet

Water in "little pond", reflecting the sky and canopy

The Inlet, full of clear water, as seen from across the main pond

Overall, the woodland was almost completely bare, compared to a month before. It seemed empty of color, mainly shades of brown and gray, and was fairly empty of sound. It was more like an ancient, silent cathedral, pillars casting rows of shadows on the brown floor. Like a cold, empty cathedral, the air on December 29 was brisk, a tiny bit of ice evident at the edges of water. The cold likely was causing birds and other wildlife to stay safe and warm in burrows, tunnels, tree holes and other nests.

The top leaf layer of the woods floor was dry, but more flattened, not as fluffy as it was in November. Some were pressed very flat by the weight of water from the recent storm. Leaves were more uniform in color. Lower layers were breaking down, allowing leaves on top to settle in.

Leaves in the water were flattened and grayish-brown, also, and covered with a fine layer of silt.

Corner of "little pond" showing a slight amount of ice among wet leaves

Water and leaves in the Swampy Spot

A breeze gently rippled the surface of Cottonwood Pond, sending sparkling reflections onto the Root Ball.

The year was ending in quietude at Cottonwood Pond, thus far.

"little pond"

Main pond, seen from the north

*********************************************************************************

Philosophy for a Bold New Year

We are entering a bold new year. By “bold” I mean that those of us who are very concerned about the state of our country and its future find that we must work hard. We must do the positive things that we do even more than before – stronger, with more resilience, more fortitude – to help make things better. Once in awhile, the silt settles. But the force of rushing water creates more turbulence. That force needs to be positive, though, reshaping the “landscape” in such a way that creates changes that will help everyone, not just a privileged, select few. And when that force happens to be negative, we need to do what we can to work with the effects of it, to create something better.

When there is turbulence, we need to be able to be calm enough to let the sediment settle so that we can see clearly through.

Being in the midst of Nature, being aware, observant and contemplative, we learn what we need to carry on, and we build up the calm and inner strength to do so.