IS THE BIG SNOW GOOD FOR TROUT

[salmonoid]

Snow melt in Pennsylvania does not recharge groundwater nearly as much as you might think. Out west, where there are dozens of feet of snowpack, it definitely helps. But our storm's snow is no more than 2-3 inches of liquid and most of it will run off. The primary benefit if it does not all melt in one event is to provide a steady source of melt water for streams; sort of like a spring almost.

So positively, probably not much. From a possible negative side, the salt will pretty much be diluted to the point that it does not majorly harm fish populations.

Probably more of an issue is that the stream I was on yesterday was surprisingly (to me anyway) frozen over, with some anchor ice forming. I read one study last year that one of the benefits of ice is it does provide some protection from predators and that fish metabolism is lower under ice than when there is no ice, but that melt events that resulted in breakup of large chunks of ice could be potentially detrimental to fish, as well as scouring the previous year's redds and destroying the fish eggs.

 

[lowkey]

Ultimately it will seem to be positive as I say the negatives eventually get outweighed by the positives. With events outside of our control, we may as well be positive but definitely accepting of the outcome. Resisting the inevitable seems futile.

I say the snow is a positive in most cases while flooding from the snow melt could cause problems.

I like to think the snowfall will help to recharge water tables if we have a "natural" transition to spring in 2 or 3 months.

On a general note, I like the way big snows disrupt commerce and get neighbors working together....

 

[Chaz]

NWS has not predicted flooding due to snow melt. So as far as stream flows the streams should be fine. However there is a new system forming and it remains to be seen what that will bring.

 

[Maurice]

Had this storm been all rain (4"+ in 30 hours) The results would have been catastrophic. So there is that.

 

[bigjohn58]

sandfly wrote:
why a disappointment

Oh I didn't want 2 feet of snow but a little snow I wouldn't mind! Plus I am in the auto repair business and its really slow this winter due to the weather here in central PA. A little snow would have helped business!

 

[JackM]

Ice is better for business, no?

 

[bigjohn58]

JackM wrote:
Ice is better for business, no?

Ice is nice! We just aren't getting any kind of bad weather here in central/north central PA. This is the time of year we make the most money (fall with the deer hits and winter with the snow/ice). Spring around the times the fawns start dropping we'll get busy with the deer again until beginning of summer. In the summer we get the vacation accidents and a lot of minor stuff.

 

[JackM]

Well, you can look forward to potholes soon.

 

[melvinp]

Snow melt and flooding have been as long as time,Road salt has not.