MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A Vermont environmental organization is planning to remove four dams in the Montpelier area to reduce flood risk and encourage river recreation.
The Pioneer Street Dam in Montpelier has been around since the 1870s and has largely remained the same since. But that could soon change.
“When we think about dams that are being removed in Vermont, we’re not talking about the hydrodams that are actively providing electricity to people, and we’re not talking about the really big flood control dams. We’re really talking about the historic structures,” said Remy Crettol of the Vermont River Conservancy.
The Vermont River Conservancy examined the history of the four dams and found that though there was some historical significance, it wasn’t enough to outweigh safety concerns.
“You can see behind us here, these wooden structures kind of coming out perpendicular, that’s the original structure that was built in about 1870, after that there was this sort of concrete over-structure that was poured over, but over time you can see the concrete has severely worn away, and the timber crib structure has continued to rot and isn’t as structurally sound,” Crettol said.
While the project is only in its design phase, the conservancy has plans to reconnect the Winooski River and get people into the water.
“There’s multiple structures that really disconnect people from recreating in the rivers. We’re looking into how to improve river access at this location and really create a stretch of river through Montpelier that’s more easily accessible,” Crettol said.
“We don’t have an ocean. We love to be able to kayak, float, canoe down the rivers, and reconnecting rivers; removing those barriers so we can do that safely is a really exciting thing,” said Karina Dailey of the Vermont Natural Resources Council.
The Vermont Natural Resources Council says encouraging the natural flow of the river could potentially bring tourists to Montpelier for the river, as well as mitigate flood risks.
“With reconnecting the river, we’re restoring river health, and when we restore river health, that’s for the whole community,” Dailey said.
This is the Vermont River Conservancy’s first dam removal project, with some of the dams being owned by the city. The group has not yet obtained appropriate permits and funding for the project, which is estimated at several million dollars.
“It takes time to plan these projects. You can’t just jump in the river and knock down the dam,” Dailey said.
While the funding is still up in the air, the ideas are still flowing.
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