This Town of Arlington project was the replacement of a pipe culvert that was too long and too steep for easy fish passage, and too small for flood waters. High water in Benedict Brook resulted in washouts and near washouts of River Road, creating a chronic repair burden for the Town, and causing excess sedimentation in the Brook and the nearby Batten Kill. The new culvert is a larger open-bottom arch on concrete footings. The Brook is free to create a natural bed for the first time in 50 years, and there is no barrier to fish passage. This project was financed with Town of Arlington funds combined with funds from the Vermont Bridge & Culvert Program, the Federal Nonpoint Source Program, the Federal Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, the Vermont Better Backroads Program, the FishAmerica Foundation, and the Trout & Salmon Foundation. The Alliance supported the project by donating plants for erosion control, and the Executive Director and the River Stewards did planting, along with a crew from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.

 - Cynthia Browning

The pipe culvert on Benedict Brook at River Road in West Arlington has been replaced with a larger, open bottom arch culvert by the Town of Arlington. The new culvert will be large enough to contain flood waters without washing out the road, and it will allow unimpeded fish passage for spawning, feeding and cold water refuge.

Akthough this was a town project financed with a combination of state, federal , private, and local funds, it originated in the Roads & rivers Inventory conducted by the Alliance several years ago for the Town.

The project is at #1752 River Road, which paralles Rte 313W in West Arlington if you wish to take a look.

Photos of the project site are available in the Photo Gallery.