Plainfield Stormwater Mitigation

For Immediate Release – March 30, 2020

The Health Center, Plainfield Stormwater Mitigation

The Central Vermont Stormwater Master Plan for Barre Town, Barre City, and Plainfield was completed in 2018 and identified The Health Center in Plainfield as a priority. Before The Health Center was constructed, there was evidence of a gully which has since gotten deeper, wider, and longer. It sits between the existing stormwater pond and the Winooski River floodplain. The gully developed from a combination of stormwater runoff from Routes 214, Route 2 and other impervious surfaces in the neighborhood.  Despite the installation of a stormwater pond at the Health Center to treat impervious surfaces on that property, stormwater from the roads could still enter the gully area exacerbating the problem.  The Health Center received a conceptual design as part of the stormwater master planning process, and in February 2020, Milone and MacBroom, Inc. completed a final design for the site through an Ecosystem Restoration Program grant from the Department of Environmental Conservation.

The final design proposed by Milone and MacBroom, Inc. includes re-grading a stormwater settling area below the existing detention pond, and adding a stone rip-rap filtering berm. Due to site constraints, Milone and MacBroom, Inc. decided to prioritize detention using the existing stormwater pond and use the settling area to slow the volume of stormwater entering the gully.  A stone rip-rap filtering berm will prevent the existing stormwater pipes from becoming backwatered. Gully stabilization has also been proposed and would utilize placement of on-site wood and other bio-engineering features to stabilize areas that are currently unstable, while maintaining those that have already stabilized. Native plantings are included in the design and would replace the invasive species already present in the gully.

Site constraints were important to consider for the final design creation, but also were important to consider for construction and operation and maintenance of the treatment. The landowner has granted access to the gully for construction and future maintenance. This access is located off of Route 2 and will minimize any disruption to the operations of The Health Center, avoid further landscaping costs, and prevent the removal of any trees for the purpose of access. It is important to recognize the collaboration and commitment between the Town, the Health Center, and the adjacent landowner, as their teamwork will result in the best outcome for water quality in the region.

The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission assists its member municipalities to provide effective local government and work cooperatively to address regional issues.  The Commission also works with area non-profits, other regional organizations, State and Federal agencies, and the public to implement projects and programs tailored to Central Vermont and statewide needs.

For more information on the project, please visit centralvtplanning.org or contact:

Pam DeAndrea, Senior GIS Planner

Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission

deandrea@cvregion.com

Phone: (802) 229-0389

Archives