Lamoille River Watershed Plan

(May 2002)

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is developing watershed plans for all of the state’s 17 watersheds over the next 5 years in an effort to take a more holistic approach toward improving water quality across the state. A watershed is comprised of all the land area that drains to a specific point. The Lamoille River watershed planning effort is currently underway. The Lamoille River Watershed is 706 square miles in size and includes major tributary streams. In Franklin County, the Lamoille River Watershed includes land and streams in the Towns of Georgia, Fairfax, and Fletcher.

The State has set up a Watershed Council, comprised of representatives of landowners, municipalities, State and Federal officials, Regional Planning Commissions, and interested stakeholders, to guide the Plan’s development. Locally, Jane Sorenson of Riverberry Farm represents Fairfax and Ken Minck of the Georgia Conservation Commission represents Georgia. Currently, Fletcher does not have a representative appointed to the Council.

Five public forums and three working landscape forums geared to the farming and logging community were held from July through September. The forums identified three priority issues that need to be addressed in the watershed: stream instability, water quality, and development/sprawl. A series of panel discussions is underway that has brought in technical advisers to present information to the Council and watershed residents regarding the top water quality issues. These presentations, along with question and answer sessions, will lead to the development of strategies within the Plan that will direct watershed improvement projects and outreach opportunities. Some of the panel discussion presentations included stream dynamics and water quality, loss of the working landscape, rural road infrastructure and water quality, urban development and sprawl, stormwater management, and impaired water remediation. Water quality improvement projects are being implemented as the Plan is being developed and will continue after the Plan is adopted. For more information, contact Jim Ryan, VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation Water Quality Division, via phone at (802) 241-3679 or email at jimr@dec.anr.state.vt.us.