by John Hicks-Courant
johnhc@TheWorld.com
This is Year 3, Post-SWEAT (PS), and the initiation of a new, third volume of this meager publication, The Shawsheen Trib.
In addition to whatever emerges as the central subject of each issue, there are four things that will appear regularly:
• An organizational “wish list”
A single-page fact sheet about one of the river’s denizens
A schedule of planned events
A review of events that occurred since the last issue of the Shawsheen Trib.
The idea of the organizational “wish list” has been sloshing around for a couple of years now, and we finally decided it was about time to give it some space. The items on the list are those things that we, as an organization, would find very useful.
The single-page fact sheet about one of the river’s denizens is an attempt to inform our members and friends about the diversity of wildlife in, on, and near the Shawsheen River. Taking advantage of Sharon’s artistic skills, we will illustrate each fact sheet with line drawings of the subject. In this issue, the subject is the Belted Kingfisher. We regularly see at least one in the wooded section below the First Meadow, and sometimes there are two. We started seeing them about five years ago, which we took to be a sign of our success in restoring the habitat of the fish these birds consume.
The schedule of planned events you will always find on the last page of the issue. Given that the Trib is issued only every third month, the data on the last page tends to become less reliable toward the end of the three-month term. Please don’t hesitate to call Bob Rauseo or any of the other Executive Committee members for additional or updated information about an activity you’re interested in participating in.
There are two past events briefly described in this issue. The first is the end-of-season River Sweep through part of Bedford, Billerica, and then part of Tewksbury. The other is the Winter Solstice trip, which we did as a sunrise rather than a sunset paddle. The river has been mostly frozen since shortly after that trip.
The frozen river is indicative of the reality of the return — at least for the time being — of a cold winter. When precipitation accompanies this cold weather, we get snow on the ground. Snow that stays. I could be wrong about this, but I don’t believe this winter’s snow has completely disappeared since Christmas.
Several heavy snowstorms have contributed to the existing snow cover. A few rains have been absorbed by the snow pack. What this means for the river is a good, healthy, spring cleaning by high and fast floodwaters. The channel will get a scouring such as it hasn’t had in years, and the floodplains will be swept of the flotsam left by careless anglers.
This flooding is predictable because the snow, as it melts, seeps down into the water table and recharges it. When the spring rains arrive, the water table will already be full, and the water will run straight to the tributary streams and the river. It is under these kinds of conditions that four inches of rain can raise the Shawsheen River three feet or more overnight.
Some people regard such flooding as a recurring disaster. We regard it as a recurring event of high importance to the health of the river system. We concede that poor civil engineering, poorer zoning enforcement, and general ignorance of the predictable force of the river will create some uncomfortable personal experiences.
The in-depth subject of this issue is flooding. What it is, how it happens, and why it is so incredibly important that the Shawsheen River floods at least once every year. Please let us know what you think.
