Removal of Old, Unused Dam Opens 26 Miles of Trout Habitat

The removal of an old, unused dam from a tributary of Vermont’s Dog River in Northfield has opened up 26 miles of stream habitat, creating better conditions for trout and other fish species.

By Associated Press / Wire Service Content / September 8, 2020

NORTHFIELD, Vermont (AP) — The removal of an old, unused dam from a tributary of Vermont’s Dog River in Northfield has opened up 26 miles of stream habitat, creating better conditions for trout and other fish species, officials say.

The crumbling 100-foot concrete structure was recently removed from the Bull Run

The dam posed safety hazards and caused property damage on a former summer camp – now The Woods Lodge, a local inn and retreat center.

The Friends of the Winooski River began the project in 2018. Fundraising and permitting continued throughout 2019.

Rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss]. Visit award winning water-colorist artist Thom Glace’s website.

More than 24,000 cubic yards of sediment that had built up behind the dam is being removed

“Removing derelict dams improves our rivers and fish’s health.”

— Michele Braun, executive director of Friends of the Winooski.