Watershed Projects: 2023-2028
Resource: Water
Water Shed:
Scale-dependence of watersheds, and how each body of water has its own watershed - from the smallest ponds and creeks to rivers... to the Ocean!
Catchment Ponds:
Set up ponds that cascade the topography of the landscape. Begin at the top of the hill replenish aquifers, provide irrigation and prevent erosion of top soil.
On the 70 Acres we have:
Multiple Springs, an existing pond, a creek and a plan!
We are expanding our Pond Ecosystem Approach:
Small catchment higher that feeds the main pond 90 feet below. In general, numerous small ponds higher in elevation are superior to one big pond lower.
NOTE: Remember that 1/3 of raindrops become surface runoff, so in your high rainfall area (let’s say 42 inches per year) you’ll have 14 inches of runoff, which is 14 X 30,000 gal. per acre-inch, or 420,00 gallons per acre. Just a 5 acre watershed would yield 2 million gallons.
Know Your Waterflow!
New Pond >
New Run Off / Creek >
Spring entrance to Existing Pond > Overflow >
Creek (Riparian) >
Pass by Pasture with Spring as New Pond >
Flow back to same creek >
Enter Woods to Flow to the Forest Wetland as new pond >
Flows to Barnes Creek >
Flows to Susquehanna River>
Flows to Chesapeake Bay Estuary
(Estuaries are bodies of water and their surrounding coastal habitats typically found where rivers meet the sea.)
1. Pond #1
Catchment ~ A spring located at the top of hay field @1490 elevation
Pond idea (New) ~ Highest Elevation - Upper Hay Field above Pond @1490 Feet. A pond could flow down to the existing pond intake where the one spring feeds the pond. Is it possible to start a pond using pigs in a paddock to find the best place for water?
2. Pond #2
Existing Pond ~ Becomes Pond #2 - below Pond #1 (2025 riparian area) @1420 est elevation
Pond #1 (Existing) @ 1400 Feet, located below the upper hay field. In the middle of the elevation of the property.
3. Creek
Our 2023 Planted Riparian Area
Located ~ Creek: Below Pond - pond overflow / run off feeds creek under the road / across the street at 1400 Feet. @1400' to 1290' elevation that currently flows to wet lands and to (connecting Ponds #3 & #4)
4. Pond #3
Catchment ~ Pond Idea (New) ~ Currently, wet Land from ground springs and creek run off in a pasture located between barn and lower creek riparian @1380 elevation
5. Pond #4
Catchment ~ Multiple Vernal pools. (New) just before Barnes Creek in the woods open area. @1290 elevation.
Another Riparian area!
Multiple Vernal Pools ~ Marshy, Wet Land in Forest, Springs off creek feeding a larger creek system.
This will be a set of Vernal pools.
Vernal Pools are temporary, shallow wetlands that fill with water during the spring and dry up in the summer, providing unique habitat for certain species of wildlife, including amphibians and invertebrates.
Key Characteristics:
Temporary:
Vernal pools are ephemeral, meaning they only hold water for a portion of the year, typically from winter to spring.
Shallow:
They are characterized by their shallow depth, often no more than a few feet.
No permanent inlet or outlet:
Unlike ponds or lakes, vernal pools lack permanent water sources or outlets.
Unique habitat:
The temporary nature of vernal pools makes them a specialized habitat for certain species, including amphibians like salamanders and frogs, as well as invertebrates like fairy shrimp.
Formation:
Vernal pools form in depressions where a hard layer of soil or bedrock prevents water from draining into the subsoil.
Location:
They can be found in various locations, including glaciated areas of the northeastern and midwestern states, and under Mediterranean climate conditions on the West Coast.
Importance:
Water Shed:
Scale-dependence of watersheds, and how each body of water has its own watershed - from the smallest ponds and creeks to rivers... to the Ocean!
Catchment Ponds:
Set up ponds that cascade the topography of the landscape. Begin at the top of the hill replenish aquifers, provide irrigation and prevent erosion of top soil.
On the 70 Acres we have:
Multiple Springs, an existing pond, a creek and a plan!
We are expanding our Pond Ecosystem Approach:
Small catchment higher that feeds the main pond 90 feet below. In general, numerous small ponds higher in elevation are superior to one big pond lower.
NOTE: Remember that 1/3 of raindrops become surface runoff, so in your high rainfall area (let’s say 42 inches per year) you’ll have 14 inches of runoff, which is 14 X 30,000 gal. per acre-inch, or 420,00 gallons per acre. Just a 5 acre watershed would yield 2 million gallons.
That’s a lot of water.
Know Your Waterflow!
- Sources
- Rainfall
- Topography
- Soil Conditions
New Pond >
New Run Off / Creek >
Spring entrance to Existing Pond > Overflow >
Creek (Riparian) >
Pass by Pasture with Spring as New Pond >
Flow back to same creek >
Enter Woods to Flow to the Forest Wetland as new pond >
Flows to Barnes Creek >
Flows to Susquehanna River>
Flows to Chesapeake Bay Estuary
(Estuaries are bodies of water and their surrounding coastal habitats typically found where rivers meet the sea.)
1. Pond #1
Catchment ~ A spring located at the top of hay field @1490 elevation
Pond idea (New) ~ Highest Elevation - Upper Hay Field above Pond @1490 Feet. A pond could flow down to the existing pond intake where the one spring feeds the pond. Is it possible to start a pond using pigs in a paddock to find the best place for water?
2. Pond #2
Existing Pond ~ Becomes Pond #2 - below Pond #1 (2025 riparian area) @1420 est elevation
Pond #1 (Existing) @ 1400 Feet, located below the upper hay field. In the middle of the elevation of the property.
3. Creek
Our 2023 Planted Riparian Area
Located ~ Creek: Below Pond - pond overflow / run off feeds creek under the road / across the street at 1400 Feet. @1400' to 1290' elevation that currently flows to wet lands and to (connecting Ponds #3 & #4)
4. Pond #3
Catchment ~ Pond Idea (New) ~ Currently, wet Land from ground springs and creek run off in a pasture located between barn and lower creek riparian @1380 elevation
5. Pond #4
Catchment ~ Multiple Vernal pools. (New) just before Barnes Creek in the woods open area. @1290 elevation.
Another Riparian area!
Multiple Vernal Pools ~ Marshy, Wet Land in Forest, Springs off creek feeding a larger creek system.
This will be a set of Vernal pools.
Vernal Pools are temporary, shallow wetlands that fill with water during the spring and dry up in the summer, providing unique habitat for certain species of wildlife, including amphibians and invertebrates.
Key Characteristics:
Temporary:
Vernal pools are ephemeral, meaning they only hold water for a portion of the year, typically from winter to spring.
Shallow:
They are characterized by their shallow depth, often no more than a few feet.
No permanent inlet or outlet:
Unlike ponds or lakes, vernal pools lack permanent water sources or outlets.
Unique habitat:
The temporary nature of vernal pools makes them a specialized habitat for certain species, including amphibians like salamanders and frogs, as well as invertebrates like fairy shrimp.
Formation:
Vernal pools form in depressions where a hard layer of soil or bedrock prevents water from draining into the subsoil.
Location:
They can be found in various locations, including glaciated areas of the northeastern and midwestern states, and under Mediterranean climate conditions on the West Coast.
Importance:
Vernal pools are ecologically important, supporting a variety of plants and animals, including those that are rare or endangered.
