It’s been a while…

[caption id="attachment_385" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Was this your streambank?"][/caption]...but here I am again. After nearly two months of amazing efforts on the part of so many BRAT volunteers, our watershed is moving out of 'flood relief' mode and into 'flood recovery and rebuilding' mode. As we do this, it is vital that we look at the bigger picture: the streams and rivers in our area flooded their banks and showed everyone just how much they need access to their flood plains. A stream or river also needs material to move; while a river is a balanced system, it is the most fluidly-moving balance I can think of. The water is constantly flowing, constantly adjusting to the changing conditions it creates for itself, and the energy inputs and levels are forever in motion. The rivers don't just move water -- they also move sediment, gravel, and boulders. In the stream-bed, these items are of incredible importance! They line the bed and banks, giving the water a rough surface to run against, helping to slow flood waters. Faster water can move larger items, and as it carries more, its mass increases and it effectively slows down again. The flood plains allow the rushing water to spread out, dissipating the energy it was using to scour gravel and fine particles from the earth. When we hem the streams and rivers into their beds, we change the equation and the increase the potential for much greater flood damage. I urge anyone considering making changes to their stream or river bank or bed to contact the Agency of Natural Resources first to get help: Todd Menees is a Stream Alteration Engineer with the ANR and he can offer guidance and information about how your particular situation might be best resolved for your family and for the stream -- you want to minimize the devastation of a future flood, so understanding what a river needs will help you keep your home and family safe when next the river rises. todd.menees@state.vt.us is one way to reach him; you could also call him at (802) 345-3510. Another venue is to reach Bill Van Fossen with the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Watershed Protection Program at (802) 295-7942, ext. 22.