Physical Landscape: Hydrology

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Case Study

Hydrology includes all of the water features of a landscape including lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, as well as underground water and precipitation. Water distribution both above and below the earth's surface is critical to the survival of plants and animals. Hydrology is such an important factor in determining the distribution of plants and animals that ecosystems and natural communities and landforms are often shaped by their hydrological regime. Vermont's floodplain forests, deltas and bogs are all sustained by specific hydrological regimes. Hydrology has a huge impact on soil structure and composition, but soil structure can also have an effect on the hydrology of an area as well.

Because humans, plants and wildlife depend so much on the availability of fresh water, many landscape analysts break up the landscape into functional hydrological units called watersheds. A single major hydrological feature such as Lake Champlain or the Connecticut River can define a regional watershed, while smaller features such as ponds and streams can define sub-watersheds. Topographical features like mountain chains affect surface hydrology and so also play a role in defining watersheds.

You might start your exploration of hydrologic features by starting with your own faucet. Find out the source of your town's drinking water, and put the source into the context of your local watershed. Use a surface water map or aerial photograph to identify small streams and drainages and then explore these areas. Be sure to notice the land use strategies along the banks and watch for signs of wildlife both in and out of the water.

The Hydrology of Shelburne

The hydrology of Shelburne is dominated by its proximity to Lake Champlain. Not only does the town contain about eighteen miles of the lake's shoreline (including most of Shelburne Bay), but most of the other surface waters in town drain directly into the lake or bay (LaPlatte River, McCabes Brook, and Monroe Brook). The exception to this is the 450-acre Shelburne Pond, which drains north through Muddy Brook into the Winooski River. In terms of groundwater, Shelburne has some excellent aquifers which provide a source of drinking water for many residents. When gravel deposits dominate the surficial geology (especially in the areas near the LaPlatte River), well yields are often excpetionally productive (10 to 100 gallons per minute).