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Seasonality is an issue of great
importance to the falls of New England. It refers to the fluctuations in the
volume of water sources of waterfalls. As seasons change in New England, so
does the volume of water flowing down each of these structures. In an ideal
world, each waterfall would always look the exact way you wanted it to,
never losing any of its attractiveness or appeal. This just is not the
case, though; seasonality is a factor to be considered before embarking on
any trip described in this guide.
Our advice is simple: Try to visit the
waterfalls during the spring, but if you can't, then visit before the middle
of summer to reduce the likelihood of visiting a dried-up waterfall.
Spring runoff from the previous winter can last throughout most of spring
and, at times, even into summer. Unless a record-breaking drought has
occurred, every waterfall in this guidebook will be flowing; we
intentionally did not include those we found to be too highly
seasonal. Beyond the middle of June, however, each waterfall’s character
begins to change.
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Here are some general guidelines that have
proven themselves true in our travels.
- Mountain brooks are likely to dry up faster
than lowland rivers.
- The waterfalls of northern New England
survive for longer in summer than do the falls of the south.
- Falls at the base of a mountain are likely
to remain longer than falls located halfway up a trail leading to
the summit.
- Snowy winters mean longer waterfall seasons
during the warmer months.
- If you are hiking along a stream to a
waterfall, and there is little water flowing, you run the risk of
uncovering a dried-up falls.
- When there is little volume flowing but the
water source is abnormally wide, the falls are still likely to be
quite powerful. We have been pleasantly surprised several times.
- You can expect a normally seasonal waterfall
to be roaring with power for up to one week after a day of heavy
rain. You are guaranteed a great show if you visit within three
days of a storm.
Seasonality is not always a terrible thing;
differences in water flow create new sparkling personalities and
characteristic changes. Here are the benefits of seasonality.
- A trip to a dried-up falls can still be
rewarding, especially if you have previously visited the waterfall
when it was flowing with thundering power. You could witness the
power of natural change.
- A swimming pool at the base of a falls may
be too dangerous for swimming in May because of dangerous
currents, but quite safe in July.
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Seasonality can also change major characteristics of a waterfall;
for example, a 20-foot-wide mix of cascades during spring runoff
can transform into an elusive 4-foot-wide plunge in July.
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