Brattleboro Floodplain

When Tropical Storm Irene blasted through Brattleboro in 2011, these 12-acres should have helped absorb the torrent. But they didn’t.

Used as industrial sawmill and lumber storage site for 120-years, the site was filled with imported gravel, elevating the land well above the river. Instead of overflowing onto this land, Whestone Brook was pushed across the opposite bank into people’s homes and across the road, then whipped around the curve and undercut businesses downstream.

In Irene’s aftermath, local and state entities put their heads together to identify places where restored floodplains could help protect homes and businesses from the next big flood. And what was a top priority? This 12-acre parcel along Whetstone Brook at 250 Birge St. in downtown Brattleboro.

Vermont River Conservancy bought the 12-acre parcel in 2017 then jumped through the hurdles to restore the site to a working floodplain and community park. Working closely with the Town of Brattleboro, we completed archeology studies, soil testing, and permitting. Fall 2023, big red dump trucks hauled away 50,000 cubic yards of gravel, then regraded the soil and restored a small wetland. In the spring, we planted trees and shrubs along the river.

Thanks to this, now Whetstone Brook can naturally spill across the land, slow, and drop debris during the next big flood.

The project keeps nearly 4 feet of water out of adjacent homes, and several feet out of downtown Brattleboro. For nearby families, that’s the difference between seeing the river rise in the backyard, versus the headache and heartache of floodwater in the living room.

As a final step, we built an all abilities walking path, parking, and access to the river. The new park will provide recreation access for scores of families in the adjacent neighborhoods for fishing, wading, and the simple enjoyment of a peaceful walk, increasing quality of life and helping Brattleboro to attract and retain top talent. In addition, per Brattleboro zoning ordinances, presence of a park will allow for new higher-density housing within ¼-mile of the park, helping to augment housing stock and mitigate Brattleboro’s housing crisis, providing even more community benefit.