VermontBiz Friends of the Winooski River is kicking off construction this week to remove a crumbling dam from the Stevens Branch in Barre, part of a project to remove three dams on the Stevens Branch that will open four miles of high-quality stream habitat for wild trout.
The Brooklyn Street dam was built in the 1800s to power machinery at factory buildings still operated by Trow & Holden, a 135-year-old family business that sells hand tools for the stone-cutting industry. The factory switched to electric power in the 1920s.
Company leaders say removing the dam will help create a more stable floodplain and enable greater use of their land and historic timber-frame buildings, which are located on the riverbank and have become increasingly vulnerable to floodwaters. Devastating flooding damaged Trow & Holden — and many other Barre homes and businesses — in 2023.
“Engineering reports say removing the dam reduces the risk to a portion of the buildings,” said Jordan Keyes, Trow & Holden’s Vice President.
Friends of the Winooski is removing dams in the watershed with the goal of restoring the waterway’s natural ability to handle flooding, reconnect aquatic habitats for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, and protect infrastructure.
When the Trow & Holden dam is removed, sediment will be distributed more naturally throughout the river, creating better habitat for insects and fish, said Michele Braun, executive director of Friends of the Winooski River.
“The stream will once again have a stony bed with a variety of nooks and crannies and better oxygenation for the aquatic organisms that live in the Stevens Branch,” she said.
The nonprofit worked with Trow & Holden to identify the best way to remove the dam and restore the riverbank in a way that helps the company maintain its historic property.
“We appreciate Trow & Holden for trusting us to work with them on their property,” said Braun. “Through this partnership, they’re helping us to improve river quality and mitigate the impact of future flooding.”
The dam removal project design has been completed by SLR International Corporation of Waterbury, Vermont, a firm that has completed dozens of dam removals in the region. SLR will oversee the excavation, to be completed by Hilltop Construction of Randolph, Vermont. The design and implementation work was funded by grants from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Lake Champlain Basin Program of NEIWPCC.
Friends of the Winooski River is a non-profit working with communities toward a clean, healthy, resilient Winooski watershed. To learn more about our work visit https://winooskiriver.org.
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