Water Report

 From JPA President Joe Hebert: Water Levels and Safety

Today I contacted Green Mountain Power who control the dam at the outlet of Joes Pond. They are
currently releasing water as fast as possible but noted water is still flowing into the pond. They anticipate
it will take a few more days for the levels to substantially decrease.
Additionally given the high levels please operate your boats slowly. With the elevated water levels
more shoreline damage can be done by wakes. Undoubtedly there also is a considerable amount of debris
floating in the pond. Be smart and safe!

Joe Hebert
President JPA

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

I don't think I mentioned that I measured a total of 4.52 inches of rain this morning.  That is just about an inch less than I measured a year ago in that July 10th disaster. Walden reported 7 inches!! That's a lot, but I think the brunt of the storm was slanting off in a NNE direction, and they probably just happened to be under a heavier cloud that here.

Jamie picked me up this afternoon and we took a ride around the pond and over Cabot Plain to see how bad the damage is. Roads are definitely passable with only mostly minor washing along ditches. There are a few spots that will require more work and material, but it's nothing like last year's storm. Everyone around the pond is having to deal with high water, of course. We've been through it before. We stopped at the dam in West Danville and there is an unbelievable amount of water going over the dam; that said, ditches and brooks are still running pretty high, emptying into the pond off the hillsides. It will take a few days for things to quiet down - if we don't get drenched again. I was just outside checking my pond (which is full but functioning very well) and the western sky was very dark and threatening. I expect we will have more showers tonight.

Ginger Erdmann told us parts of the wetlands that are along Channel Drive are floating in their cove  again. This has happened before when there was high water. The masses of plants and roots float away and land on someone's lawn or lodge along shoreline where they shouldn't be. The trick is to move them back to the reedy area where they belong before the water goes down - and hope they stay there and take root again. It is the normal process of nature trying to take back what humans have taken away. The main channel coming from Walden into Joe's Pond used to run along what is now Route 15 until the railroad was built. That waterway was filled in to make room for the rail bed and the course of the channel moved west to its present location. Where there used to be open water, a beach and boat rental business operated by James McKellopp, is now marsh - about where "Camp Swampy" is located.  Channel Drive is under water - and that happens frequently in wet weather - it crosses the marsh. Details of this and other flood stories are in the West Danville history book published in 2021, if anyone is interested.

Things are beginning to settle down and get sorted out. The runaway boat I reported earlier this morning has been located and is secure again. If anyone is missing a trash barrel, it is still upright next to the Dimick's boathouse. The buoy markers seem to still be in place; they sometimes get displaced during high water events, but Jamie said he has had to adapt to allow for the wake boat activity and they now have bungee cords attached so there is some "give" when they get tossed around and raised to extraordinary levels. 

And here comes another rain shower!