The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC) is seeking surface water monitoring project proposals for the 2020 field season. Up to $76,000 in laboratory analysis fees is available for volunteer-based water quality monitoring through the LaRosa Partnership Program and the Vermont Agriculture and Environmental Laboratory. VTDEC recognizes that such fees are one of the most … Continue reading
If you were planning a clean water project, would you know who to contact to ensure the project would not harm natural resources, such as lakes, wetlands, and rivers? If your answer is no, we’ve developed a new tool that will provide you with that information. The only data you need to supply is a … Continue reading
There is a saying “Tell me and I’ll forget, but show me and I’ll remember”. This saying has been a common theme heard from folks attending our Vermont Rivers and Roads Tier II Training Program in the first five years of the training workshops held throughout the state from 2012 to 2016. Vermont mandated the … Continue reading
On September 19th, a sunny, early fall Saturday, six people put in their canoes at an access point along the Missisquoi River in East Berkshire, VT. As soon as their canoes hit the water, the six of them began collecting a motley assortment of “goods” from the river—corroded cans, pieces of steel pipe, and bits … Continue reading
Historically, our rivers and lakes have been used for fishing, water power for mills making lumber and woolens, and moving commercial goods, etc. Today, our rivers and lakes are used and valued for aquatic ecosystems, swimming, fishing, boating, water supplies, hydropower, and fire protection by means of dry hydrants installed for town fire departments. The … Continue reading
Over the past twelve months the Rivers Program has guided the adoption of a Stream Alteration Rule (12-23-13) and a Flood Hazard Area and River Corridor Rule (10-24-14). These coupled with the recent publication of a Statewide River Corridor Base Map (11-25-14) and a set of Flood Hazard Area and River Corridor Protection Procedures (12-05-14) … Continue reading
State law mandates that Vermont towns update their town plan and zoning and hazard mitigation documents every 5 years and represents an opportunity for communities to organize for flood resiliency. We are not necessarily stuck with the damage caused by flooding, but have choices in how we occupy the landscape and can learn from our … Continue reading
The EPA and the Watershed Management Division (WSMD) are trying to find out. In 2013 and 2014, they teamed up to sample a subset of Vermont’s large rivers to answer this question. How do they do this? They wrestle rafts with large outboard motors down steep embankments, pile in gear and staff, and head down river. … Continue reading
Control of water and sediment discharge is required for stream alteration projects in Vermont. Here is a good example of water bypass during a culvert installation for control of water and sediment discharge in Vondell Brook on Cox District Road in Woodstock. The first picture was taken upstream and shows a bypass pipe diverting the … Continue reading
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