Pomfret, Vermont – The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) today announced that the 30% engineering design report for the Harvey’s Lake dam has been completed and submitted to the State of Vermont and Town of Barnet for their consideration. The report and 30% engineering design plans were paid for largely by the State of Vermont’s Ecosystem Restoration Grant.
“The State and Town have discussed the possibility of removing the old dam in West Barnet in order to improve water quality, fish passage, and flow from South Peacham Brook down into the Stevens River,” said Ron Rhodes, River Steward for CRC. “We used this grant from the State of Vermont to help move the process forward, including several public meetings and input from all interested parties in Barnet.”
According to Danielle Owczarski, Watershed Planner for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, “This project is unique in its complexity given the number of resources involved and the varying needs of the watershed stakeholders. There is an opportunity here to benefit the Town as well as meet water quality goals. We are appreciative of CRC’s role and donation of time and resources to help the Town investigate options to meet those goals.”
The Barnet Selectboard created a “dam committee” to help CRC select an engineering firm via a Request for Proposal, to give input on and review the design plans, and to make a recommendation to the Selectboard on how to proceed. The final report and design plans as developed by Inter-Fluve (the firm hired by CRC) have been submitted, and will be reviewed by the Barnet Selectboard in the near future. At this time, it is unclear if the dam removal project will move forward to 100% engineering design or if the Town will seek additional information and input on the topic.
“The goal of the Barnet Dam Committee throughout this process has been the improved health and future of Harvey’s Lake. We are grateful to the CRC’s investment in this endeavor. It has aided our effort to further understand our options to this end,” said Dylan Ford of the Barnet Selectboard.
Since 1952, the Connecticut River Conservancy has been the voice for the Connecticut River watershed, from source to sea. We collaborate with partners across four states to protect and advocate for your rivers and educate and engage communities. We bring people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of your river and its tributary streams. Healthy rivers support healthy economies. To learn more about CRC, visit ctriver.org.
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