Planning for Hydrologic Resilience: an Environmental Policy Framework Evaluating Existing Dams in Vermont
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The Vermont Management Plan for Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department January 2018
The Vermont Management Plan for Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department January 2018 Prepared by: Rich Kirn, Fisheries Program Manager Reviewed by: Brian Chipman, Will Eldridge, Jud Kratzer, Bret Ladago, Chet MacKenzie, Adam Miller, Pete McHugh, Lee Simard, Monty Walker, Lael Will ACKNOWLEDGMENT: This project was made possible by fishing license sales and matching Dingell- Johnson/Wallop-Breaux funds available through the Federal Sportfish Restoration Act. Table of Contents I. Introduction ......................................................................................... 1 II. Life History and Ecology ................................................................... 2 III. Management History ......................................................................... 7 IV. Status of Existing Fisheries ............................................................. 13 V. Management of Trout Habitat .......................................................... 17 VI. Management of Wild Trout............................................................. 34 VII. Management of Cultured Trout ..................................................... 37 VIII. Management of Angler Harvest ................................................... 66 IX. Trout Management Plan Goals, Objectives and Strategies .............. 82 X. Summary of Laws and Regulations .................................................. 87 XI. Literature Cited ............................................................................... 92 I. Introduction -
DRAFT Flood Resilience
DRAFT Flood Resilience INTRODUCTION vulnerability, and is informed by future Tropical Storm Irene projections. The devastation caused by flooding The focus of this chapter is how flood during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 was a resilience, mitigation, and adaptation are massive disaster for the Rutland Region linked to land use, transportation, and many other areas of Vermont. It also education, economic development, as well was a turning point. Out of the recovery as many other aspects of regional and rebuilding efforts from Irene came a planning. This chapter is designed to be a new goal for the state: flood resilience. tool for town officials, non-profits, As the Vermont Climate Assessment puts developers, and individuals to help make all communities flood resilient and to it, the state has “begun to pursue public Courtesy: CBS6 Albany policy that builds resilience within all 256 guide coordination of these actions towns” (VCA, 2014). Examples of the new throughout the Region. priorities include Act 16, the flood resiliency planning statute (24 VSA §4302), as well as new rules for qualifying CURRENT CONDITIONS for state matches for Emergency Relief and Types of Flooding Assistance Fund. Flooding events are Vermont’s most The challenge for Vermont communities frequent and costly type of natural disaster. is “turning vulnerability to resiliency by There are two types of flooding that impact taking action through adaptation and communities in Vermont: inundation and mitigation,” says the Assessment. flash flooding. Inundation is when water Resilience being the ability of the Region to rises onto low lying land. Flash flooding is US Rt. -
Surface Waters of Vermont
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director Water-Supply Paper 424 SURFACE WATERS OF VERMONT BY C. H. PIERCE Prepared in cooperation with the STATE OF VERMONT WASHINGTON GOVEENMENT PBINTING OFFICE 1917 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BK PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 25 CENTS PER COPY CONTENTS. Introduction.............................................................. 5 Cooperation................................................................ 8 Division of work.......................................................... 8 Definition of terms......................................................... 9 Explanation of data........................................................ 9 Accuracy of field data and computed results................................ 11 Gaging stations maintained in Vermont..................................... 12 St. Lawrence River basin................................................. 13 Lake Champlain drainage basin......................................... 13 General features................................................... 13 Gaging-station records.............................................. 14 Lake Champlain at Burlington, Vt.............................. 14 Lake Champlain outlet (Richelieu River) at Chambly, Province of Quebec.1................................................. 20 Poultney Eiver near Fair Haven, Vt............................ 25 Otter Creek at Middlebury, -
WATERS THAT DRAIN VERMONT the Connecticut River Drains South
WATERS THAT DRAIN VERMONT The Connecticut River drains south. Flowing into it are: Deerfield River, Greenfield, Massachusetts o Green River, Greenfield, Massachusetts o Glastenbury River, Somerset Fall River, Greenfield, Massachusetts Whetstone Brook, Brattleboro, Vermont West River, Brattleboro o Rock River, Newfane o Wardsboro Brook, Jamaica o Winhall River, Londonderry o Utley Brook, Londonderry Saxtons River, Westminster Williams River, Rockingham o Middle Branch Williams River, Chester Black River, Springfield Mill Brook, Windsor Ottauquechee River, Hartland o Barnard Brook, Woodstock o Broad Brook, Bridgewater o North Branch Ottauquechee River, Bridgewater White River, White River Junction o First Branch White River, South Royalton o Second Branch White River, North Royalton o Third Branch White River, Bethel o Tweed River, Stockbridge o West Branch White River, Rochester Ompompanoosuc River, Norwich o West Branch Ompompanoosuc River, Thetford Waits River, Bradford o South Branch Waits River, Bradford Wells River, Wells River Stevens River, Barnet Passumpsic River, Barnet o Joes Brook, Barnet o Sleepers River, St. Johnsbury o Moose River, St. Johnsbury o Miller Run, Lyndonville o Sutton River, West Burke Paul Stream, Brunswick Nulhegan River, Bloomfield Leach Creek, Canaan Halls Stream, Beecher Falls 1 Lake Champlain Lake Champlain drains into the Richelieu River in Québec, thence into the Saint Lawrence River, and into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Pike River, Venise-en-Quebec, Québec Rock River, Highgate Missisquoi -
Franklin County NRCD Natural Resources Assessment
Franklin County NRCD Natural Resources Assessment Written by Jeannie Bartlett, District Manager Submitted March 15, 2017 Summary Every year each District in Vermont submits a Natural Resources Assessment to the Natural Resources Conservation Council. This report describes the natural features and resources of the District, how they have changed over time, and their current status. This year the District Manager has significantly updated and expanded the Franklin District’s Natural Resources Assessment. This Assessment includes information from the Tactical Basin Plans for the three major watersheds in Franklin County. Further research and interpersonal knowledge of the District will lead to updates and improvements in the coming years. This Assessment begins by laying out the legal and organizational definitions and context for the Franklin County NRCD. We then give the basic geospatial definition of the District, and a basic outline of the watersheds included. A couple of maps help illustrate the watersheds in the District. The next section tells the early history of the landbase, from the most recent glaciation up to European arrival. Future Assessments may add content covering European settlement and industrialization up through the present, as the history of land use provides important context for our use of it today. Next we give an assessment of the District’s natural resources in a few categories: soil, water, air, animals, wetlands, and hydrology. The next major section summarizes priority actions to improve the state of our natural resources identified through the 2015 Local Working Group and the District’s relevant Tactical Basin Plans. Finally, we give a brief overview of the District’s current projects and programs Mission The mission of the Franklin County NRCD is to assist farmers, landowners, and the community of Franklin County, VT with resource conservation projects and public education. -
Londonderry History
PROFILE OF LONDONDERRY Prehistoric Londonderry, 12,000 BC To 1700 A.D. As the climate warmed about 13,000 years ago, the last ice age ended and the topography of Vermont was formed. Great lakes and seas were developed to the west and east of the flattened mountains we now call the Piedmont Area of Vermont. With great water masses on each side of the mountains, sediments led to fertile valleys in the lowlands and rocky terrain in the highlands. About 12,000 years ago, as the tundra–like conditions became rich farmlands and virgin timberlands, Eastern Abenaki Indians (Paleo-Indian), akin to Algonquins and Mohicans, migrated westward from Maine. Villages were ultimately established in these valleys as the tribes became the Western Abenakis. The waterways of the Connecticut River valley to the east, and the Champlain valley to the west provided easy water transportation as well as fertile lowlands to grow maize and other crops. The tributaries, such as the West, Black and White Rivers, afforded access to the Piedmont for the hunting of abundant deer, moose, otter, beaver and bear, as well as fish in the rivers. Large birch was abundant in the forests, as well as oak, maple and evergreens from which the Indians built their boats and dugout canoes, and made household vessels and utensils. Clay of the mountain valley was also abundant for making pottery. Archeological sites are common in the western and eastern valleys but have not been found in the Piedmont perhaps because the climate was too inhospitable to grow crops. The mountain valley of Londonderry served as fertile hunting grounds for Abenaki braves. -
Lake Champlain Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan
Acknowledgements This project was paid for in part by fishing license sales and matching Dingell-Johnson/Wallop Breaux funds available through the Federal Sportfish Restoration Act. Additional funding was provided through the State Wildlife Grant Program. I’d like to thank the many people that made this plan possible. Special thanks to Angelo Incerpi, retired fisheries director for the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, who gave me an opportunity to work with this unique fish and Dave Ravelin, a private landowner along the Winooski River, who allowed us to use his property as a staging area, saving hundreds of hours of travel time to and from sampling sites. Thanks to Michel LaHaye, who travelled from Quebec to Vermont to share his knowledge on sturgeon spawning habitat and the techniques used to collect lake sturgeon eggs and Micah Kiefer from the Conte Anadromous Research Lab (USGS) for demonstrating the surgical techniques used to implant tags in sturgeon. Many people within the department, both permanent and temporary employees, should be acknowledged for their help on the project, including but not limited to John Claussen, Rich Kirn, Eric Palmer, Shawn Good, Dave Gibson, Joel Flewelling, Jill Oudman, Steve Doyle, Joe Burt, Andy Edmunds, Ryan Smith, Jon Piper, Jason Kain, Andy Edmunds, Jay Seals, and Stephanie Pierce. Special thanks to Madeleine Lyttle and Nick Staats of the USFWS for helping with the surveys in the Lamoille and Winooski rivers and in particular the sampling for adults and eggs in the Missisquoi River. Without the help of all the people listed above the project would not have been successful. -
Pulp Mill Bridge Haer Vt-31
PULP MILL BRIDGE HAER VT-31 (Paper Mill Bridge) VT-31 Seymour Street, Middlebury/Pulp Mill Bridge Road, Weybridge, spanning Otter Creek Middlebury Addison County Vermont WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240-0001 HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD PULP MILL BRIDGE (Paper Mill Bridge) HAERNo.VT-31 LOCATION: Seymour Street, Middlebury/Pulp Mill Bridge Road, Weybridge, spanning Otter Creek, between Middlebury and Weybridge, Addison County, Vermont UTM: 18.646026.4876231, Middlebury, Vermont Quad. STRUCTURAL TYPE: Burr through truss covered bridge DATE OF CONSTRUCTION: 1854 DESIGNER/ BUILDER: Unknown PRESENT OWNER: Towns of Middlebury and Weybridge, Vermont PREVIOUS/ PRESENT USE: Vehicular bridge SIGNIFICANCE: The Pulp Mill Bridge is one of six surviving double-barrel wood covered bridges in the country. It is an integral part of the local roadway network in west-central Vermont and continues to carry heavy vehicular traffic. HISTORIAN: Researched and written by Lola Bennett, August 2003 PROJECT INFORMATION: The National Covered Bridges Recording Project is part of the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), a long-range program to document historically significant engineering and industrial works in the United States. HAER is administered by the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record, a division of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The Federal Highway -
St. Lawrence – Champlain Valley Ecoregion Biodiversity Conservation Plan
St. Lawrence – Champlain Valley Ecoregion Biodiversity Conservation Plan FIRST ITERATION JULY 2002 FINAL DRAFT July 18, 2002 (minor revisions – 11/08/02) (minor edits – 5/20/03) The Nature Conservancy Authors: Elizabeth Thompson, Katherine Moss, David Hunt, Paul Novak, Eric Sorenson, Ana Ruesink, Mark Anderson, Arlene Olivero, Charles Ferree, and Shyama Khanna The Nature Conservancy gratefully acknowledges all Heritage Programs, their cooperating institutions, and other cooperators for the time and energy that has gone into collecting and maintaining the data contained in this report. This information was assembled for use by The Nature Conservancy and the Natural Heritage Network in conservation planning for the St. Lawrence – Champlain Valley Ecoregion. TABLE OF CONTENTS PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.................................................................................. 1 A CONSERVATION VISION FOR THE ST. LAWRENCE – CHAMPLAIN VALLEY ECOREGION ............................................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 4 ECOREGIONAL PLANNING........................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE ST. LAWRENCE – CHAMPLAIN VALLEY ECOREGION .............................................................................................................................................. -
2010 Master Angler Program Annual Report
Vermont Master Angler Program 2010 Annual Report 103 South Main St., 10 South Waterbury, VT 05671-0501 1-802-241-3700 www.vtfishandwildlife.com The Vermont Master Angler Program Vermont’s wealth of waters and abundant fish populations provide great opportunities to experience outstanding fishing. The new Vermont Master Angler Program recognizes the achievements of anglers who catch trophy-sized fish from Vermont waters and celebrates the fish’s accomplishment in surviving and growing to such an exceptional size. The Master Angler program is a length-based program that sets “trophy sized” benchmarks for 33 eligible fish species. While these trophy sized fish are a challenge to catch, they are attainable for anglers that develop the necessary knowledge and skills. The Master Angler program encourages anglers to target species that haven’t traditionally been considered sport fish. To do so, they need to grow as anglers and improve their knowledge of fish habitat, behavior, and feeding preferences and develop new skills required to target and catch these species. THE VERMONT MASTER ANGLER PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS THE DIVERSITY OF FISH SPECIES IN VERMONT WATERS THAT OFFER UNIQUE AND CHALLENGING ANGLING OPPORTUNITIES. Award Categories The program offers two award categories for adults and youths: Trophy Angler: Anglers catching a fish exceeding the minimum qualifying length in any of the 33 species categories will receive a certificate commemorating the catch. Their names and catches will also be included in the Vermont Master Angler Annual Report, posted annually on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife website. Master Angler: Anglers demonstrating the skill necessary to catch multiple species that all exceed the minimum qualifying lengths, in the same calendar year, will be recognized as “Vermont Master Anglers” and will receive a lapel pin at the end of the year. -
Mapping Impervious Surfaces in the Lake Champlain Basin
TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 76 Mapping Impervious Surfaces in the Lake Champlain Basin October 2013 Final Report Prepared by: Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory For: The Lake Champlain Basin Program and New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission This report was funded and prepared under the authority of the Lake Champlain Special Designati on Act of 1990, P.L. 101-596 and subsequent reauthorizati on in 2002 as the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lake Champlain Basin Program Act, H. R. 1070, through the U.S. Environmental Protecti on Agency (EPA grant # LC-96133701-0). Publicati on of this report does not signify that the contents necessarily refl ect the views of the states of New York and Vermont, the Lake Champ- lain Basin Program, or the U.S. Environmental Protecti on Agency. The Lake Champlain Basin Program has funded more than 60 technical reports and research studies since 1991. For complete list of LCBP Reports please visit: htt p://www.lcbp.org/media-center/publicati ons-library/publicati on-database/ NEIWPCC Job Code: 0983-003-013 Project Code: L-2012-035 LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN PROGRAM FINAL REPORT OCTOBER 22, 2013 Organization Name: University of Vermont Project Name: Mapping Impervious Surfaces in the Lake Champlain Basin NEIWPCC Job Code: 0983‐003‐013 Project Code: L‐2012‐035 Contact Information: Jarlath O'Neil‐Dunne University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory 81 Carrigan Drive, Aiken Room 205 Burlington, VT 05405 [email protected] Phone: 802‐656‐3324, Fax: 802‐656‐8683 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Impervious surfaces are important anthropogenic landscape factors affecting stormwater runoff volume and water quality. -
OTTER CREEK, VERMONT This Summary Was Produced by The
Hydropower Project License Summary OTTER CREEK, VERMONT OTTER CREEK HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT (P-2558) PICTURE: Coming! This summary was produced by the Hydropower Reform Coalition and River Management Society Presumpscot River, ME OTTER CREEK, VT OTTER CREEK HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT (P-2558) DESCRIPTION: Otter Creek is approximately 100 miles long and flows northeasterly from the headwaters of Emerald Lake to its confluence with Lake Champlain. The Otter Creek watershed drains an area of 1,106 square miles and is located in the Champlain Valley, which is a sub-unit of the larger Lake Champlain Basin. The three facilities at the Otter Creek of the Otter Creek hydroelectric project were developed in the early twentieth century to provide power to the marble mills in Proctor, Middlebury, and Weybridge, Vermont. While the previous license was held by Vermont Marble Power, Green Mountain Power acquired the project in September 2012. A. SUMMARY 1. License application filed: March 31, 2010 2. License Issued: October 23, 2014 3. License expiration: September 30, 2054 4. Capacity: 22.807 MW 5. Waterway: Otter Creek 6. Counties: Addison and Rutland Counties 7. Licensee: Green Mountain Power Corporation 8. Licensee Contact: Michael Scarzello Green Mountain Power 2152 Post Road, Rutland, VT 05701 Tel: 802.770.0130 Email: [email protected] 9. Project Facilities: The project consists of the following three developments: a) Proctor Development 128-foot-long, 13-foot-high masonry, concrete-capped dam with a 3-foot-high inflatable flashboard