DO NOT SWIM! Vermont waters are currently unsafe.
Due to significant rain and flooding in most of Vermont on July 10th, with rains continuing on July 11th, currents are very strong. Also, most rivers are filled with debris, effluent, chemicals, fertilizers, etc. and are unsafe for swimming.
Events
Mountaineers 50/50 Raffle for VT River Conservancy
Wednesday July 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Montpelier Recreation Field
Head out to the ballgame and enter the 50/50 raffle, which will benefit Vermont River Conservancy! It's bound to be a fun night with friends, and all for a good cause.
Nulhegan Hut and Trails Volunteer Day
July 21, 22, and 23 | 10 am - 2 pm | Nulhegan Hut
Join us for a day, or two or three, at Nulhegan Hut and Trails to help improve trails with boardwalk and puncheon. This project will make the trails more accessible and enjoyable to all.
News
Youth Trail Crew Improves Huntington Gorge Swimming Hole
September 7, 2023
Following July floods, Vermont River Conservancy worked with Vermont Youth Conservation Corps to improve eroded trails and safety signs at Huntington Gorge, one of the state’s most visited and most dangerous swimming holes.
Meet this Mossy Canyonland
August 30, 2023
This summer we protected a 14.1-acre property at the headwaters of the Lamoille River – a place filled with pillowy mosses, spongy soils, and seeps. It's home to unique ecological communities and it helps communities by storing rainwater, especially important during during droughts and floods.
Volunteers Reopen Barre River Access Trail
August 17, 2023
Following July floods that destroyed the ½ mile trail from Rotary Park to the Stevens Branch River in Barre, volunteers gathered last weekend to rebuild the trail, restoring Barre’s public river access.
Explore Southern Vermont Swimming Holes
August 11, 2023
It’s a sunny August day in the mid-seventies and the outdoors is calling. Where do you go? In southern Vermont, public access riverlands managed by Vermont River Conservancy are the perfect place to explore the sights, sounds, and sensations of your living world.
Flood Relief Resources: Community Support, River Learning, and Swimming Safely After Floods
August 10, 2023
Vermonters have proven once again that in times of need, we show up for one another. Here are some of the resources that have come across our desks in the last month.
Post-flood Update: Our Rivers and Swimming Holes are NOT Safe for Swimming
July 19, 2023
Unfortunately, due to the recent flooding and ongoing rain it is NOT SAFE to swim in Vermont's rivers and swimming holes right now – and we’re not yet sure when it will be. Rivers are high and currents are swift. The water is filled with debris, sewage, e.coli, propane, fertilizer, and any number of things you don't want to swim in.
When the Waters Rise
July 12, 2023
Over the last 48 hours our rivers rose to unimaginable heights, and many of us were faced with a mix of awe and wonder, grief and fear, and a sense of powerlessness in the face of water’s torrent. We are so grateful for the many landowners we’ve worked with who, by deciding to protect their land, decided to help to keep the rest of us safer when the rivers rose.
Free Guided Bird Walks: Southern VT
June 8, 2023
Wednesday mornings in June, join a Vermont River Conservancy ecologist in the field to explore Vermont's rivers from a bird's eye view. No, not from a helicopter -- we're really talking about birds! Each week we'll explore a different site, identify special habitat features, and watch in real time as birds hunt, forage, breed, and nest.
Coming Soon: Big Trucks, Mossy Canyons, and a Covered Bridge
June 6, 2023
Here’s a sneak peek at a few of our projects “in the pipeline” – just a handful of the 23 places we're working to protect in 2023: big trucks restoring a floodplain and building a park in downtown Brattleboro, protecting shaded mossy canyons in central Vermont, and securing public access at a covered bridge in the Northeast Kingdom.
Water Wins: Conservation Projects Help Brook Trout
June 5, 2023
As spring turns to summer and the sun’s rays beat down, it’s tempting to relish afternoons splashing in warm waters – comfortable for an afternoon dip, but life threatening for wildlife. The eastern wild brook trout thrives in water up to 65° and can tolerate a few degrees more. 75° kills. This spring, we finished three projects to create a brighter future for brook trout – places where these speckled fish can count on cooler waters year-round.
Meet our 2023 River Steward: a new friendly face out in the field
June 2, 2023
Meet our 2023 River Steward! Summer is a busy season for us here at Vermont River Conservancy. Amanda will be a friendly face out in the field, helping us get all of the important work done on the ground.
Reflections: Spring Co-Director Update
May 25, 2023
Dream up your favorite sign of spring, and you dream of waters: wetlands welcoming back a kaleidoscope of songbirds, miniature frogs raising giant voices into the night, starbright petals balanced atop wet-footed greens, and furled ferns stretching towards light. Hear how our growing team is working to protect the special places these plants and wildlife love.
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