Montpelier, Vermont – VNRC is excited to announce that the removal of Youngs Brook dam in West Rutland is complete after a two-month construction process that kicked off in early August, 2025.  Dam removal and subsequent stream channel restoration wrapped up in mid-October, and Youngs Brook is now flowing freely.

Youngs Brook Dam, located on Youngs Brook off of Dewey Avenue, obstructed approximately 4.1 miles of cold-water streams flowing down from the Taconic Mountains. The dam was constructed circa 1925 as a water supply reservoir for the town of West Rutland. It was abandoned in 1985 and suffered a major breach ten years later due to a storm event, which caused infrastructure damage downstream. The dam continued to pose a major safety risk during storm events up until its removal. “Now that the dam is removed and half an acre of floodplain has been restored, the flood resiliency of the river has significantly improved,” said Karina Dailey, Science and Restoration Director at Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC).  

The dam removal, completed by Fabien Earth Moving, Inc., began with the mobilization of heavy equipment and construction of a site access route. The construction team implemented bypass flow and erosion control and began the removal of the once 50-foot-high and 250-foot-long structure. Fabien Earth Moving strategically drained the former impoundment and excavated approximately 11,000 cubic yards of sediment from behind the dam. They then created an 850-foot-long pilot channel, informed by the historic path of Young’s Brook. Trees that were removed for this project were strategically placed along the stream, adjacent floodplain and hillside to create habitat structure and assist with erosion control and channel formation. The floodplain and hillside were then seeded and mulched with native plant mix to help stabilize soils and revegetate the project site.

Now that the dam has been removed, it’s up to the stream to do the rest of the restoration work. Youngs Brook will find a new equilibrium as it resumes its natural flow and sediment regime. VNRC will return next year for a native tree and shrub planting to further assist with the revegetation of the site. On top of the planned tree planting, the forested setting of the dam will allow for natural vegetation regeneration as the trees and shrubs around the now restored stream will begin to seed in. The site will be monitored as the river begins to adjust to flowing freely after nearly 100 years of obstruction.

We thank the engineering firm, SLR Consulting of Waterbury, and the construction firm Fabian Earth Moving, Inc. of West Rutland who were responsible for the removal, the Town of West Rutland for supporting this project, and the landowners Russ and Ellen Green. 

Funding for the project was provided by congressionally delegated funds from retired Sen. Patrick Leahy and administered by FEMA and VT Emergency Management, supporting match funds were received from the Addison County Regional Planning Commission in its capacity as Clean Water Service Provider for the Otter Creek Basin, and Watersheds United Vermont in partnership with Vermont DEC. Should you have any questions, concerns or comments, please contact Karina Dailey, Science and Restoration Director at VNRC (kdailey@vnrc.org) or learn more about dam removals at FreeVermontRivers.org.