VDC asks Scott admin: Dam removal program contributing to statewide flooding?
By Guy Page
Extreme rainfall in areas of Caledonia and Essex counties this morning has created dangerous situations with floodwaters and washed-out roads, Mark Bosma of Vermont Emergency Management reported today. Flash Flood Warnings continue in areas of those two counties until later this morning and afternoon.
Avoid areas of flooding; if floodwaters approach your location, leave immediately over high ground. Respect all road detours and never walk or drive through floodwaters.
Ten swiftwater rescue teams were dispatched to the area overnight and have conducted approximately two dozen rescues from flooded areas. Those teams are still in the area to respond to potential additional calls for assistance, Bosma said.
The Passumpsic River also experienced severe flooding and road washouts during flooding last month. Last night’s flooding was at least the third major flood in Vermont in 2024, even as many communities and property owners are still trying to cope with the devastation of the July 2023 flood.
At noon Wednesday Gov. Phil Scott will hold a flood response and recovery media briefing. VDC has already notified Scott’s press secretary that Vermonters are wondering if a well-intended dam removal program sponsored by the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) is contributing to statewide flooding.
The VNRC – one of the state’s well-established environmental groups – is a member of FreeVTRivers, an organization committed to “facilitate dam removals across the state,” according to the VNRC website. The site states:
“Vermont has more than 800 known dams, and we estimate that hundreds of them may serve no useful purpose. Instead, they degrade water quality and aquatic habitat, restrict the movement of fish and other wildlife, drive up costs in maintenance and liability, and pose significant risks to public safety.
“Since 1996, upwards of 30 unused dams have been removed from Vermont’s rivers and streams to improve public safety and benefit the environment. Many of these dams were privately owned.
“VNRC is a founding member of FreeVTRivers, a group of river and fish biologists, anglers, community members, freshwater advocates and conservation organizations who would like to see our rivers restored and reconnected to support thriving fish populations, improved recreational access, and a river’s natural capacity to handle flooding. To get there, we facilitate dam removals across the state.”
The website notes that these unused dams promote local flooding, spreading water out of the river into surrounding lowlands. “They result in exorbitant flood recovery costs and higher liability insurance premiums for owners,” the VRNC says (see graphic).
That statement addresses local flooding caused by dams. Beaver dams have the same effect, as the Town of Middlesex reported the day after the flooding last month.
But floodwater uninhibited by a local dam will surge downstream. Finding ways to slow down severe downstream flooding by directing floodwaters into adjacent lowlands is among the Scott administration’s proposed future flood reduction strategies.
Meanwhile, Vermont Emergency Management offers these flood information resources.
Road closures: Visit https://newengland511.org/ for state road closures
Local road closures are not reported to the state; please respect all local detours
Register for Vermont Alert: www.vtalert.gov
Flood safety and preparedness (multi-language):
Vermont Emergency Management Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vermontemergencymanagement
NWS Burlington social media: https://www.facebook.com/NWSBurlington or https://twitter.com/NWSBurlington
Some content for this news story was republished verbatim from a Vermont Emergency Management office press statement.