River talk

The Delaware River ice show

By SCOTT RANDO

Posted 2/9/22

After a relatively mild first part of January, the month’s weather during the last two weeks or so turned more seasonable. Temperatures have been below zero in most of the region for at least a …

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River talk

The Delaware River ice show

RR photo by Scott Rando

This aerial photo looks downstream and shows the Shohola rapids—or Shohola rift as denoted on some maps—just below the Shohola-Barryville bridge. Halfway Brook is just past the bridge and the river on the left, on the New York side. Some sheet ice is evident on both shores; it looks solid, but several thin spots can be seen.

RR photo by Scott Rando

This seep along the river is probably just a trickle of water flowing out of the ledge during warmer weather. In cold weather, seeps form huge icicles that resemble stalactites in an underground cavern. They really start to form when the temperatures are in the teens or single digits. They can be found along many rock outcrops; also check streams that form waterfalls.

RR photo by Scott Rando

This is the view just below Shohola Rapids, showing some ice starting to pile up on the New York side; sheet ice and frazil ice floats downstream and gets caught by rocks or ice and buckles. The broken ice re-freezes and gives the effect of looking at a boulder field. Though it looks thick, these blocks of ice can be very unstable with water flowing underneath; it is not safe to walk on. The narrow channel of water seen disappears beyond the line of sight; there is the flatwater section just above Handsome Eddy, where the ice is smooth sheet-ice.

RR photo by Scott Rando

This is a view of some piled-up ice trying to form an ice jam at the Zane Grey boat launch. Just upstream, the Lackawaxen River flows into the Delaware; a lot of ice is piled up into ridges. In some areas, the ice can pile up and form blocks taller than a person if the weather stays cold long enough. The channel of water from the Lackawaxen River, creating a visible flow as it enters the Delaware, forms just a sliver of open water just above the center frame.

Posted Wednesday, February 9, 2022 2:02 pm

River talk

A winter turkey survey project for PA

By SCOTT RANDO

After a relatively mild first part of January, the month’s weather during the last two weeks or so turned more seasonable. Temperatures have been below zero in most of the region for at least a couple of nights, and many more nights have had temperatures in the single digits. A nearby lake had about 12 inches of ice, and ice fishing and skating are underway.

The river has also seen an increase in ice, and it’s really starting to accumulate in some areas. In the usual spots, such as the Lackawaxen confluence and upstream of the Pond Eddy bridge, some ice piles are starting to occur; ice in these places resembles small icebergs of the artic. This week’s images are of ice conditions between Shohola and Lackawaxen on the Delaware River, taken on January 27.