Three Things: This week, we’re sharing updates on the Wainwright Dam removal, Small Grants for Smart Growth Competitive Grant Round, and our Green Drinks event on August 20th. 

Stay informed, connected, and engaged—three things.

Wainwright Dam Removal Update

It’s about dam time! Removal of the derelict Wainwright Mill Dam (also known as Halnon Pond Dam) on Tributary 10 in Salisbury, VT (south side of Lake Dunmore Road) will begin next week.  

The dam is in poor condition and no longer functional for its original purposes of powering a sawmill (constructed in 1805) and later as an ice pond.  The concrete structure is approximately 56 feet long, 7 feet tall, and 2 feet wide. The project work includes construction of site access and staging, implementation of flow bypass and erosion control measures, removal of the concrete dam, removal of impounded sediment behind the dam, restoration of the stream channel and floodplain, and habitat features (wood additions) throughout approximately 770 linear ft of stream channel, and over 1.6 acres of floodplain.

Following restoration work, application of native seed and re-vegetation for erosion control and stability of soils over the long term is planned. 
The project is designed to reconnect the headwaters of Tributary #10 with the Otter Creek and ultimately Lake Champlain.  

The goals of the dam removal are threefold: 

1) to restore aquatic organism passage at the dam location and through adjacent stream reaches for native brook trout and other cold-water stream species 
2) to restore natural stream process and function including sediment transport for overall improved water quality 
3) reduce water surface elevations during storm events by reconnecting the river to its floodplain and restoring the wetland features allowing these areas to attenuate water during flood events.

2024 Competitive Grant Round: Building Back Smarter 

Communities across Vermont are facing the complex question of how – and where – to rebuild following this summer’s extreme flooding. Investing in our historic town and village centers is how we ensure accessible, affordable, and sustainable communities…but how do we ensure that smart growth is also safe and resilient?

To help build momentum toward flood resilient community development, VNRC’s Small Grants for Smart Growth program, in collaboration with Preservation Trust of Vermont, is launching a special competitive grant round to offer one award of up to $5,000 for a community-driven project involving:

• Community conversations or visioning;
• Climate-smart planning or zoning; or 
• Technical support for flood recovery or mitigation in community centers.
• Projects must meet several smart growth principles.

Preference will be given to:

• Flood impacted communities;
• Projects that address the needs of frontline communities and historically – marginalized Vermonters; and,
• Projects that will catalyze future efforts.

Applications are due Friday, August 23, 2024.

Zero Gravity Green Drinks

We’re hosting a Green Drinks Happy Hour at Zero Gravity on Tuesday, August 20th from 5-7pm! Join us at the South End Brewpub for an evening of brews and fun. Anyone working on or interested in conservation issues is welcome to join for this public event. Plus, we are this month’s recipient of Zero Gravity’s Green State for Good campaign, with $1 of every Green State Lager sale out of the taproom going to support VNRC. Swing by for some crisp pints, bar snacks, and shuffleboard!