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LAUREN EFFORTS TO REMOVE A
13-FOOT DAM ARE WELL UNDERWAY
IN NORTHFIELD. "THE
FRIENDS OF THE WINOOSKI RIVER
WATERSHED GROUP" TEAMED UP
WITH LAND OWNERS LISA AND
JONATHAN BURR TO RESTORE AN
AREA THAT RELIES ON THE DOG
RIVER.
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LOCAL 44'S JOLIE SHERMAN
WAS THERE TODAY.
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LL: CONSTRUCTION
WORKERS AND ENGINEERS REMOVED
WHAT'S CALLED A DEADBEAT
DAM...WHICH MEANS IT NO LONGER
SERVES A PURPOSE. NOW, THE
DAM WILL BE REMOVED AND ALLOW
26 MILES OF AQUATIC SPECIES TO
BE RECONNECTED. DERELICT
DAM CAUSED SEDIMENT AND GRAVEL
TO BUILD UP FOR OVER 100 YEARS.
BUT CREW MEMBERS ARE
CHIPPING AWAY AT THE WALL.
[JESSICA LOUISOS / MILONE AND
MCBROOM, PROJECT ENGINEER]
"WE GETTING RID OF ALL OF THAT
SEDIMENT THAT UNATURALLY GOT
STUCK BEHIND THE DAM TO
RECREATE THE RIVER CHANNEL
THROUGH THIS AREA." THAT
WAS PROJECT ENGINEER JESSICA
LOUISOS WHO TOLD ME THE DAM
CUT OFF THE RIVER'S NATURAL
COURSE, WHICH DISTRUPTED
ECOSYSTEMS AND CAUSED
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE FROM
FLOODS...ESPECIALLY AFTER
TROPICAL STORM IRENE 9 YEARS
AGO.[LISA BURR, WOODS LODGE,
OWNER] "WHERE WE ARE
STANDING IT WAS UNDER 8 FEET
OF WATER." LISA AND HER
HUSBAND OWN THE PROPERTY WHERE
THEY OPERATE THEIR CONFERENCE
CENTER AND LODGING FACILITY...
WOODS LODGE. IN ORDER TO
MAKE THE LAND USABLE...THE DAM
HAD TO GO. [LISA BURR /
WOODS LODGE, OWNER] "THERE
WAS SO MUCH SEDIMENT AND SO
MUCH SILT THAT HAD BEEN
DEPOSITED DOWN HERE THAT THE
RIVER HAD NO WHERE TO GO."
BUT THAT'S CHANGING...AND THE
HISTORICAL CHANNEL WILL
CONTINUE BEING A HOME FOR
NATIVE BROWN AND BROOK TROUT.
[KARINA DAILEY / ECOLOGICAL
COORDINATOR] " BOTH BROOK
TROUT AND BROWN TROUT SPAWN IN
THE FALL WHEN THE WATER LEVELS
ARE HIGHER. BELIEVE IT OR
NOT...FISH COULD COME UP THIS
LITTLE BEDROCK OUTCROP BUT
THEY COULDN'T COME UP THE 13-
FOOT DAM BEFORE." THE
GROUNDS CREW ALSO PLANS
RESTORE THE FLOOD PLAINS BY
PLANTING HUNDREDS OF TREES TO
CREATE A PARK-LIKE AREA FOR
VISITORS. [LISA BURR /
WOODS LODGE, OWNER] "I MEAN
IT DEFINITELY MAKES YOU FEEL
GOOD ABOUT GETTING THIS BACK
TO A NATURAL STATE AND JUST
BEING A PART OF KEEPING THINGS
GREEN." REPORTING IN
NORTHFIELD, JOLIE SHERMAN,
LOCAL 44 NEWS.
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LAUREN
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