Basin Planning in the Upper Otter Creek Watershed

Click on the link below to view map of the Upper Otter Creek Watershed:

Otter Creek Watershed Mainstem w Tribs Map

Basin planning is an ongoing process. It is designed to be compatible with the Vermont Water Quality Standards and other applicable state and federal laws. The term "basin" refers to the 17 major river basins that cover the State of Vermont.

The Basin Planning Process empowers people with information and tools and provides focus for activities to protect and restore water quality. A Basin Plan may, for example, give special attention to protecting particularly high quality waters or restoring habitat or other important impaired water resources. A Basin Plan is prepared every five years. It summarizes current and past assessment, planning, and implementation activities. It integrates topics of special local importance with topics of special state importance, and makes management recommendations on these topics. It updates previous water quality plans.

Ethan Swift, Watershed Coordinator with the Vermont ANR Department of Environmental Conservation, began working with the Upper Otter Creek Watershed Council (UOCWC) in 2003 to help develop the Otter Creek basin plan. (Details about basin planning and the process are available on the DEC website).  http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/planning.htm

The goal of this planning process is to take advantage of the assessment work being done in the Otter Creek watershed, and by using extensive methods for public input and interaction, develop a plan that looks at these assessments and helps make management recommendations based on the needs, issues and concerns of the watershed and its residents.

The Rutland Natural Resources Conservation District has:

#1.  Taken on the responsibility for seeing that agricultural issues and concerns are represented in the Basin Plans through contracting with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to write the Agricultural section of these plans.

#2.  Been instrumental in coordinating a watershed council for the Otter Creek in Rutland County (Upper Otter Creek Watershed Council). See updates/activities for the UOCWC below.

Upper Otter Creek Watershed Council Update and Activities for 2006 - 2008

This summer marks the sixth year for members of the Upper Otter Creek Watershed Council (UOCWC) volunteering to collect water quality samples on the Otter Creek as well as some major and minor tributaries to the Otter Creek.  Again this year waters are being sampled bi-monthly for phosphorus, nitrogen, turbidity, total suspended solids, and E. coli, as an indicator of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria.

Members of UOCWC feel that monitoring of the surface waters in the region should continue, both to provide educational opportunities and awareness for the public who may use these rivers and streams for recreation, and also to establish a long-term database of water quality measures for comparative purposes over time.

The UOCWC received this year’s monitoring grant through the state (Vermont DEC) Analytical Services Grant Program (also known as the LaRosa Laboratory Service Grant Program).

Funding for the Water Quality Monitoring Programs has been provided by Lake Champlain Basin Program, ANR, DEC VT Watershed Grant, Natural Resources Conservation Council and the Waterwheel Foundation..   

Click on the links below to view the reports from 2006 and 2007 Upper Otter Creek Watershed Volunteer Water Qulaity Monitoring Programs:

UOCWC WQ Monitoring Report 2006 FINAL FINAL

UOCWC WQ Monitoring Report 2007 FINAL FINAL

In addition to the Water Quality Monitoring Program volunteers attend monthly meetings and will continue to identify immediate projects, prioritize issues and develop strategies to be included in a draft of the Basin Plan for the Upper Otter Creek with guidance from the VT Department of Environmental Conservation as well as technical assistance from other federal, state and local agencies.

Projects completed with funding by Clean & Clear, River Corridor grants are:

• Phase 1 Geomorphic Assessment on the 56-mile Rutland County section of the main stem of the Otter Creek as well as the East Creek.
• Phase II Geomorphic and Habitat Assessment on several sections of the Otter Creek which includes an 8-mile stretch of the Otter Creek between Walker Mountain Road and Alfrechia Road in Clarendon. These Assessments were completed by following protocols specified in the VT Agency of Natural Resources Stream Geomorphic Assessment Phase II Handbooks.
• Restoration project design and Alternatives Analysis of the Mussey Brook in Rutland which runs through the Vermont State Fairgrounds. The purpose of this project is to seek to re-establish  stable flow conditions to this section of the Mussey Brook.
• Phase 1 Geomorphic Assessment on the Clarendon River, Mill Brook and Ira Brook. 

Projects completed with funding by Clean Water Act, Section 319 are:

• A Riparian Buffer Assessment on the Rutland County Reaches of the Otter Creek (approximately 55 miles total).

A copy of this Assessment is available by clicking on this link BufferReport_final.

Projects funded by Clean & Clear, River Corridor grants but not yet completed are:

• A River Corridor Managment Plan for the Moon & Mussey Brooks in Rutland City and Rutland Town.

The UOCWC goal is to continue working in collaboration with the Rutland Regional Planning Commission to complete Stream Geomporphic Assessments on tributaries to the Otter Creek in Rutland County.

For questions regarding the UOCWC volunteer opportunities and projects please contact Nanci McGuire at 802-775-8034 ext. 17.

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Rutland County Conservation District
Nanci McGuire, District Manager
170 South Main Street
Rutland, VT 05701
phone: 802-775-7192 ext. 17
fax: 802-773-4177
email: nanci-mcguire@vt.nacdnet.org