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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. In an ideal world each waterfall
would always look the same, never losing any of its attractiveness or
appeal. This just is not the case; seasonality is a factor to be
considered before embarking on any trip described in this guide.
Our advice is simple: To reduce the likelihood of visiting a dried-up
waterfall, visit it before the middle of June. 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 other waterfalls we found to be extremely seasonal. Beyond the
middle of June, however, each waterfall’s character begins to change.
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 remain powerful 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 a 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
discovering a dried-up falls.
- If a wide stream with little
running water is narrowed significantly enough, a waterfall can
still become quite powerful and scenic. We have been pleasantly
surprised many times over.
- You can expect a normally seasonal
waterfall to be roaring with power for up to one week after a day of
heavy rain (greater than 0.5 inches). You are essentially guaranteed
a fine display if you visit within two or three days of a storm’s
passing.
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 a thundering torrent of whitewater. You could
witness the power of natural change and uncover beautiful rock
formations behind the waterfall.
- A dangerous
swimming hole at the base
of a waterfall in May could be safe to visit for all by July.
- Less water can lead to
more artistic photographs when using proper technique.
- Each trip you make to the
same waterfall will likely result in photographs with significant
differences. It is quite rare to frame identical photographs taken
on separate days.
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