Draw Down

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The river by the house is, in fact, a canal.  It's level is dropped in the winter in preparation for springtime snow melt and the rise of Seneca Lake.  Our section is between 2 sets of locks - the set downstream of us is at the level of Cayuga Lake, while the lock upstream is at the level of Seneca Lake.

I went to the dock and looked out onto the river.  The dock is now fully out of the water.

The ice by the bank had slumped along the shoreline.  It was cracked.  Out in the river it was also cracked.

By the shore the ice was 6 inches.

Out by the bridge the ice has been thrust up.  There are dark patches out in the ice where water is seeping upwards.  I watch one patch every day to see what will happen.

As I see the drop in the river (nearly 6 feet), I realized why I have not seen any muskrat or beaver dens in this section - there is no way such animals could build a safe den,  Such dens would be directly exposed.  Just 4 miles upstream I have seen such dens - but these dens are above the last lock and are at lake level.

The river will be up in the spring.  I look forward to seeing it come back to life.