Category Archives: Science
Watershed Management Division asks Vermonters to report when lakes lose their ice cover
The Watershed Management Division (WSMD) is asking Vermonters to report when lakes and ponds lose their ice cover, also known as the “ice-out date.” Once a lake or pond is completely free of ice from shore to shore, WSMD scientists can begin their spring water quality sampling efforts. The ice-out data also helps scientists track … Continue reading
Testing the Waters
Kedron Brook in Woodstock, VT, has been the subject of years of water quality testing as seasonal water quality has exceeded state standards for six years. The state of Vermont has Kedron Brook listed as being stressed. This fall, ONRCD teamed up with Vermont Institute of Natural Science VINS and Woodstock Elementary School 5th grade … Continue reading
A Good Fit: Better Roads and Grants in Aid
The Town of Clarendon has known for several years that it had major problems with erosion on one of its steepest byways, Quarterline Road. With slopes as high as 17% and five contiguous segments that didn’t meet Municipal General Roads Permit standards, the town knew it had to do something. But it was at a … Continue reading
Grants in Aid for our smallest towns
With just 260 residents and fewer than 3 miles of hydrologically connected roads, Mt. Tabor wasn’t sure it could benefit from the Grants in Aid Program. However, after a recent road erosion inventory, it was clear that that the town had several problem culverts. One of them, on Brooklyn Road, was failing. It was clogged … Continue reading
ACRWC Rallies to Monitor E.coli
Due to COVID-19 and related factors, Addison County River Watch Collaborative (ACRWC) almost put the lid on all monitoring activities this year. Once Governor Scott “opened the spigot” a bit in June, however, the organization decided to do at least minimal monitoring of E.coli in Lewis Creek, Middlebury River, and the New Haven River. Funding … Continue reading
Brandon Adopts River Corridor Protections
When it comes to flooding, Brandon has seen its share. Tropical Storm Irene was disastrous for the town and the Neshobe River has a long history of overflowing its banks. The most recent flood was July 1, 2017 after a severe summer rainstorm. These kinds of downpours that lead to flooding are becoming more commonplace … Continue reading
Pittsford Stormwater Runoff Improvements
On July 8, 2020, “ground was broken” on a Design Implementation Block Grant (DIBG) project in Pittsford. This project is for a 100% design of a stormwater bioretention system to capture excess runoff coming from a school ballfield, a paved street, the parcel housing the town garage and town fire department, and the yard of … Continue reading
iNaturalist Project for Ground Truthing of Wetland Locations
YOU can take part in this effort and keep a safe 6 ft social distance. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is embarking on increasing the amount of wetland mapping within the Otter, Little Otter, and Lewis Creek watersheds. Recent availability of high-resolution air photos and LIDAR elevation data make it possible to map wetlands … Continue reading
Getting the Most Out of Local Water Quality Monitoring
Finding regional hot spots and concentrating local water quality monitoring in tributaries were some of the suggestions made at a recent Clean Water Advisory Committee meeting at the Rutland Regional Planning Commission. According to Addison River Watch Collaborative Director, Matt Witten, data from streams are proving be more useful than that from the mainstem of … Continue reading
