Beaver ponds and wetlands along a headwater tributary

landscape showing recently drained beaver pond in the foreground and full pond in the background
Date: 
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Place name or River name: 
Herman Covey Wildlife Management Area
Watershed: 
Swift River
Latitude: 
42°15'3.77" N
Longitude: 
72°20'48.01" W
Description/Comments: 

On July 17, intense rains after several wet weeks overwhelmed a 70-year-old beaver dam in Herman Covey Wildlife Management Area in Belchertown (foreground). Floodwaters rushed into a second beaver pond (upper right), where the flood wave was largely captured and attenuated.