Photos: Rain relieves the drought and fills Broad Branch Stream

by Marlene Berlin

February has brought welcome rain to a thirsty Broad Branch Stream.

The ponds between Linnean Avenue and its intersection with the Linnean Stream have been bereft of water, so during a rainy walk last week I was delighted to find them filling up (and less delighted to find my new rain gear ineffective). We had a fully functioning stream.

A drier than normal January left this region in a severe drought. The rainfall we’ve had this month has greatly eased the drought conditions. We’ve had more than four inches so far – almost twice the normal precipitation for February.

These ponds, as you may recall, were built during the 2014 Broad Branch Stream daylighting project. Steve Saari managed the project for the DC Department of Energy and the Environment, and he told me the ponds, when filled by rainwater, would first feed the water table. And when the water table rose enough, water would flow through the ponds even during dry spells.

Let’s see what happens. It looks like we are due more rain over the next week. I’d better get some new gear.