In 2021, the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District PMNRCD received a grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Fund to complete stormwater project outreach and work in the St Catherine Court and Jones Rd area in Wells, VT. During the 2019 Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP) developed for Lake St Catherine, PMNRCD identified sediment and erosion issues occurring on the ditch running along north street. Nearby neighborhoods generate and or carry additional water and contribute to the sediment heavy stormwater that outlets directly to Mill Brook. During the fieldwork portion of the SWMP process, areas of incidental ponding and infiltration on lawns were observed to be occurring throughout the neighborhood. These observations helped illustrate the potential for success of a coordinated and purposely designed set of infiltration projects on multiple properties to decrease the stormwater flowing offsite to Mill Brook via North Street.
Stormwater is water generated from rain or snow events, that flows over land or impervious surfaces such as roads and driveways, parking lots, and rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. In Vermont, stormwater is increasingly being identified as a source of unintended pollutants entering waterbodies. As water flows across the landscape, it picks up and carries with it pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides, oils, road salt, sediment, and excess nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. These contaminants decrease water quality and contribute to problems like algae blooms.
PMNRCD worked with two landowners on the Fall of 2021, to implement rain gardens on their properties to help slow, filter, and settle out stormwater runoff that may be flowing through the neighborhood. The gardens featured native and native friendly plants grown at the Champlain Valley Native Plant Restoration Nursery in Poultney, VT. These plants included shrubs like ninebark as well as perennial flowers such as cardinal flower, blue flag iris, common primrose, purple cone flower, and nodding onion. PMNRCD worked with the landowners to determine the best placement for these gardens during a property visit. Both gardens capture runoff coming from the southern end of the neighborhood
The District has additional funding to, and is looking to, install similar practices in the neighborhood. If you are interested in a site visit to discuss how your property fits into this work, please reach out. PMNRCD will be completing project work through October 2022. All project cost is covered through grant funding and is at no cost to the landowner.
Funding for this project is provided by the Lake Champlain Basin Program through the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission.