For a stream scientist Tropical Storm Irene, which dumped loads of rain on Northeast, provided what one researcher calls a “grand experiment” — the opportunity to investigate what happens when a stream system faces a major disturbance.
In Vermont, where Dartmouth College scientists are studying the aftermath, the storm knocked out hundreds of roads and bridges in the state, damaged or destroyed more than 700 homes and left some towns stranded. Flooding moved whole sections of rivers and streams, gouging out roads and farm fields. In some cases, huge piles of gravel were deposited in other locations.
“Irene was a wakeup call,” said Dartmouth geography professor Frank Magiligan. Magiligan and others are assessing streams in order to pinpoint potential trouble spots that can aid scientifically-informed planning decisions. But recovery and repair efforts are concerning to some scientists, who say efforts to “repair and restore” streams with bulldozers and other heavy equipment actually “did more damage that the storm.”
