BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Rain in the forecast for next week is expected to bring some relief to Vermont waterways and the wildlife that depend on them.
In some places, exposed river and lakebeds stretch far from shore, revealing the extent of the drought’s impact on the region’s waterways.
While the most visible impacts have been how the water looks from the surface, there are complications below the surface as well. The vast majority of Vermont’s lakes and streams are fed by groundwater. Experts said that since the region had a soggy start to the year, there was a good reserve that has kept pools cool.
That has proved beneficial for aquatic species like brook trout, which spawn in the fall and have adapted to time their spawning during low water levels.
Aquatic biologists said next week’s rain will help their population get a head start. “The fish may have anticipated this before we did. This will be good, they are getting ready to spawn, and when the water comes up, those isolated pools fill up in those areas that was dry, they will be able to access their spawning grounds again. This is perfect timing,” said Will Eldridge with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
If the drought had started earlier in the summer, experts said conditions would be worse for the fish. Low levels mean warmer water, which makes it difficult to produce more oxygen. That can have a detrimental effect on fish and other plant species and spread disease.
