Everyone here at Riverbend Park has seen some form of the water rising at one point or another. Some of us have seen the raging overflow of whitewater pouring from the trails, others have seen the picnic areas flooded out and have chased picnic tables down the river. Others still have seen only small increases that close the boat ramp. This time, we’re not quite to raging whitewater, but this one is still pretty exciting.

We keep track of the rising waters through a couple of means. Our first one is just by looking. The longer you’re at the park, the more you recognize the different rocks and islands out there. What starts as this…

Riverbend Park in August 2012

…and turns into this…

Riverbend Park on May 10, 2013

…tends to be pretty easy to spot. Another way is to look at the caution levels painted on our boat ramp. When the boat ramp closes, you know it’s getting high.

The boat ramp closes when water levels get too high to safely launch.

Finally, we also look online. We use information collected from our friends at NOAA to follow the changing water levels. You can do so as well here.

Nature doesn’t have the chance to look online or collect data. The animals at Riverbend Park deal with floods the best way they know how, which is to move! Snakes, geese, spiders, and dragonflies are just some of the animals heading for higher ground as the water rises and speeds up. Check out some of the neat ways these guys are keeping safe near home:

This Northern Water Snake hangs out on the bottom railing of the walkway as water levels rise.

This Northern Water Snake looks for a safe place away from curious school children and rising waters.

Tracks of snakes in the mud show evidence of those that evacuated early.

This Queen Snake has found an artistic way to avoid the rising waters.

A Dark Fishing Spider spins a safety harness out of silk on a fence post.

The Canada Geese hardly seem to mind the rising water in the picnic area near the kayak racks.

Dragonflies are emerging from the water and leaving behind their exoskeletons on fence posts.

Be sure to check out the river this Mother’s Day weekend…though you might want to save the Potomac Heritage Trail for another weekend.

The water takes over the Potomac Heritage Trail.

By Michelle Brannon, naturalist, Riverbend Park