List of dam removals in Vermont

This is a list of dams in Vermont that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

The 2017 removal of the East Burke Dam from the East Branch Passumpsic River in East Burke.

Completed removals

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Dam[1] Height Year removed Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Lawrence Dam (Guilford Dam) 6 ft (1.8 m) 2021 Guilford
42°47′06″N 72°35′53″W / 42.7851°N 72.598°W / 42.7851; -72.598 (Lawrence Dam (Guilford Dam))
Broad Brook Connecticut River Pond dam.
Norwich Reservoir Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 2018 Norwich
43°43′48″N 72°19′56″W / 43.7299°N 72.3323°W / 43.7299; -72.3323 (Norwich Reservoir Dam)
Charles Brown Brook Owned by Norwich Fire District No. 1.
Wyoming Paper Co. Dam Remnant 3 ft (0.91 m) 2022 Guildhall
44°33′50″N 71°33′35″W / 44.5638°N 71.5597°W / 44.5638; -71.5597 (Wyoming Paper Co. Remnant Removal)
Connecticut River Mill dam.
Johnson Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2019 Dummerston
42°55′01″N 72°33′19″W / 42.917°N 72.5553°W / 42.917; -72.5553 (Johnson Dam)
Tributary to Connecticut River
Upper Hurricane Reservoir Dam 2010 White River Junction
43°38′35″N 72°22′22″W / 43.6431°N 72.3727°W / 43.6431; -72.3727 (Upper Hurricane Reservoir)
Tributary to Kilburn Brook
Lower Hurricane Reservoir Dam 2012 White River Junction
43°38′48″N 72°22′09″W / 43.6468°N 72.3691°W / 43.6468; -72.3691 (Lower Hurricane Reservoir)
Tributary to Kilburn Brook
Harrington Road Dam 2017 West Windsor
43°27′46″N 72°28′43″W / 43.4628°N 72.4785°W / 43.4628; -72.4785 (Harrington Road Dam)
Mill Brook Project resulted in only partial removal of the dam.[2]
Ascutney Snowmaking Diversion Dam 3 ft (0.91 m) 2017 West Windsor
43°28′00″N 72°28′15″W / 43.4668°N 72.4709°W / 43.4668; -72.4709 (Ascutney Snowmaking Diversion Dam)
Dam formerly used for snowmaking at Ascutney Mountain Resort. Owned by the Town of West Windsor.[3]
Henne Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2020 Weathersfield
43°25′13″N 72°27′10″W / 43.4202°N 72.4529°W / 43.4202; -72.4529 (Henne Dam)
Tributary to Mill Brook
Zebedee Wetland Dam 4 ft (1.2 m) 2010 Thetford
43°49′23″N 72°13′25″W / 43.8231°N 72.2236°W / 43.8231; -72.2236 (Zebedee Wetland Dam)
Zebedee Brook Water supply dam owned by the Upper Valley Land Trust.
Cold Brook Dam 3 ft (0.91 m) 2018 Wilmington
42°53′57″N 72°51′35″W / 42.8993°N 72.8597°W / 42.8993; -72.8597 (Cold Brook Dam)
Cold Brook Deerfield River [4]
Red Mill Dam 1974 Arlington
43°06′20″N 73°15′30″W / 43.1056°N 73.2584°W / 43.1056; -73.2584 (Red Mill Dam)
Batten Kill Hudson River
Dufresne Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2013 Manchester
43°10′45″N 73°01′49″W / 43.1793°N 73.0303°W / 43.1793; -73.0303 (Dufresne Dam)
Mill dam later used for recreation. Owned by the State of Vermont.
Henry Bridge Dam 2013 North Bennington
42°54′44″N 73°15′16″W / 42.9123°N 73.2544°W / 42.9123; -73.2544 (Henry Bridge Dam)
Walloomsac River Paper mill dam.
Crooked Creek Button Farm Dam (Colchester Dam) 11 ft (3.4 m) 2022 Colchester
44°32′09″N 73°10′06″W / 44.5358°N 73.1683°W / 44.5358; -73.1683 (Crooked Creek Button Farm Dam (Colchester Dam))
Crooked Creek Lake Champlain Farm pond dam owned by the Vermont Land Trust.
Mill Pond Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2019 Colchester
44°32′30″N 73°09′10″W / 44.5418°N 73.1527°W / 44.5418; -73.1527 (Mill Pond Dam)
Indian Brook
Johnson State Dam 30 ft (9.1 m) 2003 Johnson
44°38′39″N 72°40′28″W / 44.6442°N 72.6744°W / 44.6442; -72.6744 (Johnson State Dam)
Tributary to Lamoille River Lamoille River Dam built for aesthetic purposes on the campus of Johnson State College.
Stevensville Brook Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2008 Underhill
44°30′24″N 72°52′01″W / 44.5066°N 72.8669°W / 44.5066; -72.8669 (Stevensville Brook Dam)
Stevensville Brook Dam built for swimming. Privately owned.
Pelletier Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 2022 Castleton
43°37′19″N 73°09′44″W / 43.622°N 73.1623°W / 43.622; -73.1623 (Pelletier Dam)
Breton Brook Mettawee River Marble mill dam owned by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. VT00349.
Reynolds Dam 2022 Dorset
43°15′39″N 73°05′18″W / 43.2607°N 73.0883°W / 43.2607; -73.0883 (Reynolds Dam)
Mettawee River Dam built for recreation.
East Highgate Dam 2017 Highgate
44°56′N 72°59′W / 44.93°N 72.99°W / 44.93; -72.99 (East Highgate Dam)
Missisquoi River Missisquoi River Former mill and manufacturing dam. Mostly destroyed during the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. Remnants removed in 2017 to improve safety on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.[5][6]
Johnson Mill Dam 17 ft (5.2 m) 2021 Bakersfield
44°49′54″N 72°45′20″W / 44.8316°N 72.7556°W / 44.8316; -72.7556 (Johnson Mill Dam)
Bogue Branch Mill dam.
Montague Dam 13 ft (4.0 m) 2022 Post Mills
43°52′57″N 72°15′42″W / 43.8825°N 72.2617°W / 43.8825; -72.2617 (Montague Dam)
Ompompanoosuc River Ompompanoosuc River Mill dam.
Geer Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2017 West Fairlee
43°54′48″N 72°15′44″W / 43.9134°N 72.2621°W / 43.9134; -72.2621 (Geer Dam)
Hydropower dam.
Hillside Farm Dam 18 ft (5.5 m) 2003 Norwich
43°47′05″N 72°16′14″W / 43.7846°N 72.2705°W / 43.7846; -72.2705 (Hillside Farm Dam)
Tributary to Ompompanoosuc River
Pinney Hollow Brook Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2007 Plymouth
43°33′13″N 72°42′27″W / 43.5535°N 72.7076°W / 43.5535; -72.7076 (Pinney Hollow Brook Dam)
Pinney Hollow Brook Ottauquechee River Dam built for swimming at Coolidge State Park.
East Pittsford Dam Pittsford
43°40′39″N 72°56′54″W / 43.6774°N 72.9482°W / 43.6774; -72.9482 (East Pittsford Dam)
East Creek Otter Creek
Beaver Pond Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2013 Mendon
43°40′04″N 72°51′17″W / 43.6677°N 72.8548°W / 43.6677; -72.8548 (Beaver Pond Dam)
Tributary to Mendon Brook Dam built for recreation, owned by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Lower Eddy Pond Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 1981 Rutland
43°35′31″N 72°57′45″W / 43.5919°N 72.9626°W / 43.5919; -72.9626 (Lower Eddy Pond Dam)
Mussey Brook
Kendrick Pond Dam 13 ft (4.0 m) 2014 Pittsford
43°43′23″N 73°01′16″W / 43.723°N 73.021°W / 43.723; -73.021 (Kendrick Pond Dam)
Sugar Hollow Brook Ice pond dam owned by the Town of Pittsford.
Dunklee Pond Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2021 Rutland
43°37′17″N 72°58′27″W / 43.6214°N 72.9741°W / 43.6214; -72.9741 (Dunklee Pond Dam)
Tenney Brook Mill dam. National Inventory of Dams ID VT00376.
Youngs Brook Dam 46 ft (14 m) 1995 West Rutland
43°34′20″N 73°03′06″W / 43.5722°N 73.0517°W / 43.5722; -73.0517 (Youngs Brook Dam)
Youngs Brook National Inventory of Dams ID VT00165.
East Burke Dam 13 ft (4.0 m) 2017 East Burke
44°35′19″N 71°56′48″W / 44.5885°N 71.9466°W / 44.5885; -71.9466 (East Burke Dam)
East Branch Passumpsic River Passumpsic River Mill dam owned by the Passumpsic Valley Land Trust.
Lyndon State College Lower Dam Lyndon
44°32′12″N 72°01′26″W / 44.5368°N 72.0238°W / 44.5368; -72.0238 (Lyndon State College Lower Dam)
Tributary to Passumpsic River
Browns Mill Dam 2021 West Burke
44°38′31″N 71°58′46″W / 44.6419°N 71.9794°W / 44.6419; -71.9794 (Browns Mill Dam)
Sutton River
Newport No. 11 Dam 19 ft (5.8 m) 1996 Newport
44°56′10″N 72°11′00″W / 44.9362°N 72.1832°W / 44.9362; -72.1832 (Newport No. 11 Dam)
Clyde River St. Francois River
Newport Remnant Dam 2006 Newport
44°56′14″N 72°10′47″W / 44.9373°N 72.1797°W / 44.9373; -72.1797 (Newport Remnant Dam)
Groton Dam (Sanville Dam) 5 ft (1.5 m) 1998 Groton
44°12′36″N 72°11′52″W / 44.2101°N 72.1979°W / 44.2101; -72.1979 (Groton Dam (Sanville Dam))
Wells River Wells River
Franconia Paper Co. Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2014 Groton
44°13′12″N 72°13′02″W / 44.2201°N 72.2173°W / 44.2201; -72.2173 (Franconia Paper Co. Dam)
Owned by the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
Groton #9 Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2015 Groton
44°12′30″N 72°11′29″W / 44.2082°N 72.1913°W / 44.2082; -72.1913 (Groton #9 Dam)
Mill dam owned by Green Mountain Power.
Kidder Hill Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2019 Grafton
43°10′07″N 72°36′23″W / 43.1687°N 72.6063°W / 43.1687; -72.6063 (Kidder Hill Dam)
Saxtons River West River Owned by the Connecticut River Conservancy.
Dalewood Dam 2006 Jamaica
43°06′32″N 72°51′17″W / 43.1088°N 72.8548°W / 43.1088; -72.8548 (Dalewood Dam)
Tributary to North Branch Ball Mountain Brook
Weston Lower Dam 2019 Weston
43°17′30″N 72°47′45″W / 43.2918°N 72.7958°W / 43.2918; -72.7958 (Weston Lower Dam)
Tributary to West River
Bagatelle Dam 7 ft (2.1 m) 2017 Dummerston
42°56′00″N 72°35′56″W / 42.9334°N 72.599°W / 42.9334; -72.599 (Bagatelle Dam)
Tributary to West River Ice pond dam.[4]
Magic Mountain Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2020 Londonderry
43°12′29″N 72°46′36″W / 43.2081°N 72.7767°W / 43.2081; -72.7767 (Magic Mountain Dam)
Thompsonburg Brook Dam used for snowmaking at Magic Mountain Ski Area.
Montagna Dams 1 & 2 2021 Windham
43°09′N 72°44′W / 43.15°N 72.73°W / 43.15; -72.73 (Montagna Dams 1 & 2)
Turkey Mountain Brook Pond dam.
Lower Eaton Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2019 Royalton
43°49′56″N 72°30′54″W / 43.8322°N 72.515°W / 43.8322; -72.515 (Lower Eaton Dam)
First Branch White River White River Saw mill and grist mill dam.
Upper Eaton Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2019 South Royalton
43°49′56″N 72°30′49″W / 43.8322°N 72.5137°W / 43.8322; -72.5137 (Upper Eaton Dam)
Hydropower dam.
Camp Killooleet Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2018 Hancock
43°55′36″N 72°50′46″W / 43.9268°N 72.8461°W / 43.9268; -72.8461 (Camp Killooleet Dam)
Hancock Branch Diversion dam to feed a trout fishing pond.
Hyde Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2021 Bethel
43°52′20″N 72°35′11″W / 43.8721°N 72.5863°W / 43.8721; -72.5863 (Hyde Dam)
Second Branch White River Saw mill and grist mill dam owned by the Vermont River Conservancy.
Randolph Dam (Sargent, Osgood, and Roundy Dam) 4 ft (1.2 m) 2016 Randolph
43°55′36″N 72°39′57″W / 43.9267°N 72.6659°W / 43.9267; -72.6659 (Randolph Dam (Sargent, Osgood, and Roundy Dam))
Third Branch White River Dam built to protect bridge abutments from scour. Owned by the Town of Randolph.
Camp Wihakowi Dam 13 ft (4.0 m) 2020 Northfield
44°06′23″N 72°40′31″W / 44.1064°N 72.6754°W / 44.1064; -72.6754 (Camp Wihakowi Dam)
Bull Run Winooski River Summer camp recreation dam.
Cox Brook Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2008 Northfield Falls
44°10′26″N 72°39′17″W / 44.1738°N 72.6546°W / 44.1738; -72.6546 (Cox Brook Dam)
Cox Brook Built to provide students at Norwich University with practical experience in engineering and hydraulics.
Shashoua Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 2018 Warren
44°05′34″N 72°50′41″W / 44.0927°N 72.8447°W / 44.0927; -72.8447 (Shashoua Dam)
Tributary to Mad River
Union Brook Dam 18 ft (5.5 m) 2010 Northfield
44°09′41″N 72°40′49″W / 44.1614°N 72.6803°W / 44.1614; -72.6803 (Union Brook Dam)
Union Brook
Marshfield-8 Dam 11 ft (3.4 m) 2012 Marshfield
44°21′01″N 72°21′06″W / 44.3503°N 72.3517°W / 44.3503; -72.3517 (Marshfield-8 Dam)
Winooski River Hydropower dam.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rivers, American (13 February 2023). "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.5234068.v10. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. ^ "AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT STREAM ALTERATION ACTIVITIES: SA-116-2016 West Windsor Brettell Dam Removal" (PDF). Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Ascutney Dam To Be Removed". Valley News. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b Audette, Robert (12 August 2016). "Dams in Dummerston, Wilmington to be demolished". Brattleboro Reformer. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Help us remove Missisquoi River dam remains". Northern Forest Canoe Trail. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Workers remove East Highgate Dam on canoe trail". The County. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
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