Feeder creeks overflowing their banks

I headed out a little early tonight because of the heavy rains, and was meet with this at my first FrogWatch site. Needless to say, crossing this would bring a heavy fine, and with my luck, I would be bobbing down the Ohio River somehow my morning… None of this is even connected to the Ohio River watershed. So… I called off the remaining surveys because I’m sure the 2 National Park locations I like to visit are probably experiencing the same.

I have visited sites with full chorusing frogs after heavy rains and flooding, and it is always very quiet. Whether or not some get swept away, move to higher ground or what, I’m sure the overflowing ponds, vernal pools and standing water are impacted pretty severely by these events.

Water erosion can free up pollutants from neighboring fields and roads and then they are directed into the waterways which feed these bodies of water, thus contaminating them. One way developments manage this is to construct basins to catch runoff from parking lots and roads. They hold the water and release it at a rate as to reduce the strain on our sewer system. Often these basins contain plants that help filter the water, thereby reducing the impact of pollution from the runoff.

Maybe I’ll go out tomorrow night and see what is moving about.