Specifications include, but are not limited to: This proposed Berm Removal Project is located at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) owned parcel near 182 Elmore Pond Road, Wolcott, VT 05680. The berm is located along the edge of the field west of the Access Area parking lot. Berm removal is focused on only the berm on river left. The berm extends 350ft along the top of the riverbank parallel to the Lamoille River, covering an area of 5,200 square feet. This area is susceptible to flooding and frequently experiences scouring and erosion near Bridge 8 on Elmore Pond Road. This river/road conflict area is a key location identified for streambank restoration in the 2020 Wolcott Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and 2018 Lamoille River Flood Modeling. This berm removal project will enhance floodplain access and allow floodwaters to dissipate naturally into the nearby vegetated field. Increasing access to the floodplain will reduce scouring and erosion near the Elmore Pond Road Bridge and along the streambank of the Lamoille River. This project expands upon previous hydraulic modeling efforts along the Lamoille River. The existing berm proposed for removal ranges from 1 to 3 feet tall containing 460 cubic yards of material. The berm acts as a barrier to floodplain access. This project will aid in reducing the flow of nutrients and sediment from stormwater to the Lamoille River by decreasing streambank erosion and improving floodplain function, allowing floodwaters to access the floodplain and sediment to drop out onto the field during flooding events. This project focuses on an area on the Lamoille Main Stem that has been identified by hydraulic modeling work as critical to floodplain function and management. During the 2019 Halloween storm,floodwaters overtopped Elmore Pond Road, the VFWD Access Area parking lot, and portions of the field along the Lamoille River. The hydraulic modeling for the proposed berm removal demonstrates the berm blocks flood flows from reaching the floodplain below the 25-year flood. The final design work will quantify nutrient and sediment reduction for the proposed berm removal at the VFWD Access Area.
