Mary RussExecutive Director

White River Partnership

Strengthening the White River Watershed

Stories from the Ground

WHITE

State of Vermont

Middle Branch

First Branch

Upper White River

Middle White RiverLower White River

Third Branch

White River Partnership:

Hurricane Flats Farm Toe Wood Project

Mary Russ, Executive Director

Restoration

Data collection

Bringing people and communities together to improve the long-term health of the White River

Volunteer coordination

Education

Greenhouses

Floodwater path

5-home development

Floodwater path at Hurricane Flats Farm in South Royalton, VT

House & barn

Hurricane Flats Farm during Irene, looking east

Greenhouses

5-home development

Project area at Hurricane Flats Farm in South Royalton, VT

House & barn

Post-flood holes

Floodwater path

Debris piles

Photo: WRPUpstream hole, before and after fill

Post-flood debris pile

Toe Wood Project cross-section view

Scour log

“Deadman”Root-wad log

Toe Wood Project top-down view

River

Scour log

Root-wad logs

Cabled “deadman”

1. Removing fill from upstream hole 2. Placing scour log parallel to bank

3. Placing root-wad perpendicular to bank 4. Securing “deadman” to root-wads

VYCC installs willow fascines & ice fenders

VYCC pounds willow stakes to hold soil lift

Upstream site during November 2012 high water

Upstream site during January 2013 thaw

Planting riparian trees with Pomfret Elementary School students in 2013

Riparian “river-side” buffer = native trees and shrubs growing on top of bank provide multiple benefits

Minimum width = 35 feet

Upstream project site in July 2013

Upstream site in May 2013 Downstream site completed in August 2013

Downstream site in August 2014

Elements of a successful watershed restoration project

• Diverse partners• Grant funders• Individual donors• Technical assistance• Volunteers• Willing landowner

• Efficient use of resources• Donated design• Free/donated materials• Local contractor• Volunteer labor

• Multiple benefits• Flood resilience• Habitat• Water quality• Educational opportunity

EXAMPLE 2: Replacing 6 flood-damaged culverts in Rochester, VT

AFTER Irene

Nason Brook at Woodlawn Cemetery culvert

BEFORE Irene

Nason Brook at Moose Run: BEFORENason Brook at Woodlawn Cemetery: BEFORE

Nason Brook at Woodlawn Cemetery: AFTER Nason Brook at Moose Run: AFTER

EXAMPLE 3: Creating 10 buyout/river access parks in 8 watershed towns

205 N. Main St, Rochester - BEFORE

205 N. Main St, Rochester - AFTER

THANK YOU! Please visit www.whiteriverpartnership.org for more information

Buyout/public access project partners:

CDBG–Disaster Recovery

FEMA

NPS Rivers, Trails & Conservation Program

Town of Bethel

Town of Braintree

Town of Granville

Town of Pittsfield

Town of Rochester

Town of Royalton

Town of Sharon

Town of Stockbridge

Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Comm.

Vermont Community Development Program

Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Vermont River Conservancy

Vermont Watershed Grants Program

Hurricane Flats/culvert project partners:

Clean Water Future

Davis Conservation Foundation

Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture Program

FEMA

Greater Upper Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Hurricane Flats Farm

National Forest Foundation

Orvis/Trout Unlimited

Pomfret/Sharon Elementary Schools

State of Vermont

Town of Rochester

TR Fellows Engineering

US Fish & Wildlife Service

US Forest Service

Vermont Agency of Natural Resources

Vermont Youth Conservation Corps