Droughts and Springs

Clarke Green

Clarke Green

— 2 min read
Droughts and Springs
Chambers' "spring beneath the beeches" February 2025.

Precipitation levels have risen since the 2024 drought but wells and streams remain on the dry side of normal. According to this week's U.S. Drought Monitor for Kennett Square drought was declared on February 03.

Drought declarations are driven by weather station data, groundwater levels in wells, flow levels and volumes in creeks and rivers, and soil moisture readings. The combined picture is reported by the National Integrated Drought Information System. You can get updates via email by signing up here.

I know of two springs in Nixon Park;

The first was described by John T. Chambers in the early 1900's; “We come to the spring beneath the beeches… The water of this spring is noted for its purity, and no matter how warm you may be you can drink your fill…” Bloomfield Memories and Records

The picture of the spring from last February (see above) shows it supports green growth in the middle of winter indicating the groundwater feeding it is warmer than the air temperature.

I think the spring Chambers described lies to the east of some very big beech logs that came down in a storm a few years ago on the loop trail near the Route 1 bypass. The old waterworks spring location here is explained below.

The second spring is noted on this insurance map dated 1914.

1914 diagram of the waterworks indicating location of a spring near the pump building, note the overflow channel.

The building footprint in this diagram is the footprint of the old mill that was replaced in the 1920's with the buildings we see today. Don't be confused by the waterway designated "creek", it is actually the head race of the old mill and the inlet from the old waterworks dam (a story for another time).

I traced the likely path of the old overflow channel which was rerouted underground at some point to an outlet located as indicated. I've observed green growth here (like the beeches spring) in the middle of winter. This indicates that the old waterworks spring still flows

I observed both of these areas prior to the big snowstorm, and saw no green growth this year, iso it's likely the groundwater level has not yet been fully recharged. We aren't in the midst of a crisis but reduced spring flow is entirely consistent with what monitoring suggests. When and if the springs return to former strength depends on how much groundwater storage rebuilds over time.

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