Water Quality

The Friends water quality program includes monitoring and pollution abatement projects.

Early 2011 Results

You can catch up on the early 2011 results at this map. 

2010 Water Quality Monitoring Results

In 2010 we monitored two separate sections of the Winooski Watershed - the headwaters area including Cabot, Marshfield and Plainfield and the Montpelier-Barre-Worcester section that includes both the North Branch and the Stevens Branch.

Click here to view the 2010 Headwaters Report which includes both e.coli and nutrient monitoring data.

Click here to download the 2010 mid-Winooski report that includes data on the North Branch, Stevens Branch and main-stem of the Winooski that runs through Montpelier.

Stream Monitoring Overview

Volunteer water quality monitoring plays an important role in educating the public about water quality issues and promoting stewardship of water resources. Volunteer monitoring can go beyond education to identify specific problems, measure progress toward water quality improvements and shape public policy. Data collected by volunteers may be used by local and state government for decision-making and enforcement. Currently the Friends are working with volunteers in the Headwaters area (above the confluence with the Kingsbury Branch) and through the Four Rivers Partnership.

Since 2007, the Cabot Conservation Committee and the Marshfield and Plainfield Conservation Commissions have worked together with the Friends and other members of the Winooski Headwaters Community Partnership to monitor water quality in their towns. Commission members along with other volunteers have collected data for a number of water quality parameters including bacteria.

In 2008, the Friends and many other partners formed the Four Rivers Partnership. The goal of this partnership is to work together to protect and restore the Winooski watershed between the Kingsbury Branch and Dog River including the subwatersheds of the Stevens and North Branch. This group will be monitoring sites on the Winooski River, North Branch, Stevens Branch and Jail Branch in 2010. This community-based volunteer water quality monitoring program complements the work of the three high schools in the area (U32, Montpelier and Spaulding).

Stormwater Outfall Monitoring Overview

The stormwater drainage systems are designed to collect and convey only precipitation and snow melt. However, for various reasons, other water sources and associated contaminants may enter the system. These ‘illicit discharges’ may be the result of either direct or indirect connections. Examples of direct connections include:

  • wastewater piping either mistakenly or deliberately connected to the stormdrain system;
  • a shop floor drain that is connected to the stormdrain system; and a cross-connection between the sanitary sewer and stormdrain system.

Examples of indirect connections include:

  • infiltration into the stormdrain system from a leaking sanitary sewer line;
  • infiltration or surface discharge into the stormdrain system from a failed septic system;
  • a spill flowing to a catchbasin;
  • and materials (e.g., paint or used oil) dumped directly into a catchbasin.

The Friends have worked with the Public Works Departments in Montpelier, Barre, Northfield and Berlin in past years to locate and correct sources of pollutants in the storm water drainage system. You can access the reports online.

In 2010, the Friends are partnering with the Friends of the Mad River and Stone Environmental to work in the towns of Richmond, Waterbury, Moretown and Waitsfield.

Managing Stormwater Runoff

Storm water runoff negatively affects stream health and human infrastructure in a number of ways. Developed land including roads, lawns, parking lots and buildings create impermeable surfaces that shed precipitation rather than letting it soak into the ground. As the storm water flows over land to a catch basin or directly to a ditch or stream, it picks up a variety of pollutants. The volume of storm water entering the stream also creates more erosive flows that destabilize banks and add sediment to the stream. The Friends work on managing stormwater in a number of ways.

  • Riparian buffers and streambank stabilization projects slow down the flow of water to the stream and protect banks from erosion.
  • Our outfall monitoring work identifies and eliminates sources of pollutants to the river.
  • In addition, we work with residents and landowners in the watershed to manage storm water onsite through Low Impact Development techniques such as rain gardens (vegetated areas that absorb and cleanse storm water), rain barrels and changes in lawn care/management practices.

In 2010, we are working with the Barre location of ReSource and Spaulding High School to complete a rain barrel workshop for residents. We are also working with Cabot School and our other partners in the Headwaters to design and install a rain garden at the school.