Small-Scale Dam Removal and Pond Decommissioning: Three Different Case Studies from Vermont
Evan Fitzgerald, CPESC, CFM
Fitzgerald Environmental Associates
Colchester, Vermont
Authors: Evan Fitzgerald, CPESC, CFM, Rodrigue Spinette, PhD, and Jordan Duffy, PE, CPESC
Dam removal is a stream restoration practice this is gaining momentum in Vermont, following a broader trend across the Northeastern US, where hundreds of dams no longer server their original purpose. In addition to State and Federal partners, conservation organizations are increasingly investing resources into small dam removal and pond decommissioning projects on headwaters streams to restore floodplain and longitudinal connectivity. Small dam removal projects are often “low-hanging fruit” in watershed restoration efforts because they are cost-effective, result in measurable ecological lift in the headwaters, and tend to have fewer historical and cultural concerns than larger dam removal projects.
We present three case studies of pond decommissioning and dam removal across Vermont. The cases span a spectrum of settings and concerns, with the restoration design outcome varying accordingly. In one case, a series of ponds in the headwaters of a productive trout stream were decommissioned and restored adjacent to a residence. In another, an agricultural pond was decommissioned, and a Stage 0 stream and wetland restoration design was implemented on conserved lands. In the third case, an agricultural pond on lands owned by a State University is slated for removal in summer 2023, with a more traditional single-thread channel design advancing through the design and permitting process in early 2023. We will review lessons learned from the design and construction phases working with different settings and owners.
About Evan Fitzgerald, CPESC, CFM
ounder of Fitzgerald Environmental Associates, LLC., a Vermont-based company offering consulting services in the applied water and geospatial sciences to a diverse clientele of governmental, non-profit, and private sector entities. The company was founded in 2006 to provide a multidisciplinary approach to environmental assessment and problem solving; drawing on knowledge from the fields of ecology, geology, hydrology, botany and ecological economics.
We strive to provide our clients with sound solutions to environmental assessment, design, and permitting needs in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Specialties: Fitzgerald Environmental's specialized services include applied fluvial geomorphology, stormwater runoff analysis and permitting, urban watershed assessment and planning, river channel and floodplain modeling, wetland delineation and permitting, and surveying and mapping using GPS and GIS, and expert witness services.
