On September
18th, Hurricane Isabel made her path across Chowan County leaving
residents with a lasting reminder of her fury. The damage to
personal homes and other buildings was substantial and immediate,
but the effects on the ecology of Bennett's Millpond are only
beginning. The Bennett's Millpond Team of teachers and students
realize the significance of studying an ecosystem as it rebounds
from a catastrophic stress, and accept the challenge of observing,
documenting and sharing the marvels of nature at work.
Below, you
will find a visual essay including pictures of Bennett‚s
Millpond immediately before Hurricane Isabel and views of the
Millpond after the storm. Many trees were taken down during
the hurricane leaving much of the Millpond inaccessible. Many
more trees have suffered permanent damage. The water quality
of the Millpond was seriously compromised as storm surge flushed
into the swamps and subsequent precipitation loaded detritus
into the Millpond.
Dissolved
oxygen levels dropped to 0.1 mg/L. Fish and other organisms
died. A progression of events typical of this kind of natural
disaster followed. The Millpond is on a new journey responding
the ever changing abiotic world as nature begins to rebalance
the system our teams will be watching this exciting recovery.
Bennett's
Millpond After Hurricane Isabel
