About the White River Watershed

Size and Significance

The White River watershed encompasses 710 square miles, draining portions of Addison, Orange, Rutland, Washington and Windsor Counties, including 50,000 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest. The White River originates in the Town of Ripton on the slopes of Battell Mountain, then flows southerly and easterly before merging with the Connecticut River in the Town of Hartford. The 56-mile main stem of the White River has 5 major tributaries: the First Branch, the Second Branch, the Third Branch, the West Branch, and the Tweed River.

The White River is significant for being one of the last free-flowing rivers in the State of Vermont. As the longest un-dammed tributary to the Connecticut River, which is an American Heritage River, the White River is very important to the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program – a federal program aimed at revitalizing Atlantic salmon populations. The White River watershed is also a designated Special Focus Area of the US Fish & Wildlife Service Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge because the watershed provides nursery and rearing habitat for juvenile Atlantic salmon and potential spawning habitat for adults.

Land Use

A combination of forest, agricultural fields, farms, and historic towns make the watershed one of the most picturesque in New England. The landscape in the basin is hilly and predominantly forested with the developed and agricultural lands situated in the valleys. Forested land covers 84% of the basin and agricultural land occupies about 7%. Developed land, including residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, and utilities, covers about 5% of the basin. The remaining 4% of the landscape is water. The predominance of forest cover and the small amount of developed land are the primary reasons for the good water quality in most of the basin.

Agriculture is an important component of the environmental, cultural and economic make-up of the White River watershed. Land devoted to agriculture makes up 7% of the watershed’s entirety covering an area of over 34,000 acres. Agricultural land is used for raising everything from horses and dairy cows, to pumpkins, vegetables, hay and cut flowers. Of all the land in the watershed owned by farmers, less than half is in crop production. Woodlands expand the diversity of production from farm owned land to include forest products, maple syrup, and firewood. The current 356 farms in the basin can be estimated to be producing goods worth $29 million in market value (as of 2002).

Forestland covers 84% of the White River watershed. Uses of the forest include, but are not limited to, recreation, wildlife habitat and timber harvesting. Outside of areas in the Green Mountain National Forest or in state ownership, forestland is owned for the most part by individuals with diverse goals allowing for a variation in management in terms of uses, strategies, time-frames and intensity.

Over the last 200 years, land has been developed adjacent to rivers to take advantage of the benefits the river provides such as travel routes, fertile flood plain soils, hydropower and water supply. In addition, due to the hilly nature of the White River watershed, the desirable land for development is within the flatter valley floors where the river corridors are situated. The roads, houses and parking lots that make up the developed areas cover approximately 5% of the watershed. The developed area has generally led to reduced water quality when building resulted in the removal of vegetation along the stream corridor, the filling of flood plains and the disposal of untreated runoff from these areas into the river.

Water-based Resources

The White River, its tributaries, and associated lakes, ponds and wetlands support aquatic life and habitat and provide recreational opportunities through its fishery, swimming holes, boating runs and aesthetics. In addition, the surface waters provide drinking water and irrigation supplies.

The free-flowing White River is used heavily for canoeing, kayaking and tubing. The White River is known nationally as one of the longest uninterrupted kayak runs on a major river in New England. From Stockbridge to Bethel, the river is considered a classic Vermont whitewater run. From Bethel to the Connecticut River, the river is mostly quickwater, but there are a variety of short drops and narrows and Class II rapids. Several tributaries may be paddled, including the First Branch below Chelsea (Class II, III), the Third Branch from Roxbury to Randolph, and the Hancock Branch (smallest whitewater run in Vermont).

People take advantage of an abundance of swimming holes in the basin. Large swimming holes along the mainstem with jumping ledges include Big Parker Swimming Hole in Bethel, Twin Bridge Swimming Hole in Gaysville, Little Parker in Stockbridge, plus many other unnamed holes. Swimming holes are also located on the Tweed River, the Third Branch in Braintree, and on Locust Creek in Bethel. Most swimming holes are not maintained for that use and access is often on private property. Areas that are maintained for public access, including swimming are Hancock Overlook, Lions Club Park in Rochester, US Forest Service Peavine Park in Stockbridge, Peavine Park in Bethel, Clifford Park and Lyman Point in Hartford, and the swimmer’s beach at Silver Lake State Park in Barnard.

The White River watershed is home to a diversity of fish species, many of which support popular recreational fisheries. Three species of trout are found in the White River watershed: brook trout, which is native to Vermont, and brown and rainbow trout, which were introduced throughout the state in the late 1800’s. Smallmouth bass and an occasional walleye are most likely to be found in the larger, deeper waters of the main river downstream of Bethel. The White River historically supported Atlantic salmon, until the species was extirpated in the early 1800’s due to the construction of dams on the Connecticut River as well as overfishing and pollution. Since 1967, a cooperative program has focused on the restoration of this species. Although few in number, some adult Atlantic salmon have successfully returned to the White River.

Lake and pond habitat in the White River watershed are limited. A few small natural and artificial ponds with public access provide additional recreational fishing opportunities. Most notable are Ansel Pond (Bethel), Colton Pond (Killington), McIntosh Pond (Royalton), Rood Pond (Williamstown/Brookfield), Silver Lake (Barnard), and Sunset Lake (Brookfield). Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, northern pike, yellow perch, sunfish and bullhead are among the fish species found in one or more of the waters. The Department of Fish and Wildlife also manages some of these ponds with annual stockings of hatchery-reared trout.

Irrigation and animal watering draws an estimated 230,000 gallons of water per day from surface waters in the White River watershed. Lake John in Royalton and Farnsworth Brook in Braintree are surface waters that are used in public drinking water supplies.

Challenges

The White River and its associated waters exhibit exceptionally good water quality based on the water’s ability to support aquatic biota and habitat. As determined by a 1997 assessment by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, almost 70% of the river and stream miles fully support aquatic biota and habitat, about 23% of the miles are threatened by some pollutant, condition or activity, and just over 7% of the miles do not fully support aquatic biota and habitat. The miles described as not fully supporting uses are degraded by sedimentation, thermal modification, turbidity, nutrients, or pathogens or a combination. The sources of these problems include – in alphabetical order – agricultural land use, channelization, developed land runoff, dredging, land development, natural sources, road maintenance, and streambank de-stabilization.

Of the five most prevalent water quality problems in the White River watershed, sedimentation, turbidity and thermal modification cause the most significant impacts to water quality, resulting in adverse effects on aquatic biota (fish and aquatic insects). Sedimentation is the accumulation of fine particles or soils on the bottom of a water body and turbidity is the measure of suspended fine particles in the water column. Thermal modification refers to an increased surface water temperature due to human disturbance. In the watershed, these water quality problems are largely the result of streams that are unstable or lack a sufficient cover of trees and shrubs along its banks (riparian buffer).

Stream channel instability and lack of riparian buffers result for the most part from cumulative human disturbances, including flood plain encroachments, alteration of riparian vegetation, channelization, wetland drainage, urbanization and in-stream gravel mining. The associated impacts from new development, due to expanded growth in the area, have the potential to result in further disturbances on stream corridors.

Excess amounts of plant nutrients also degrade water quality in the White River watershed. High levels of nutrients cause aquatic plants, especially algae, to grow in much greater densities than the aquatic system can normally support. The increased growth may reduce swimming and boating opportunities, create a foul taste and odor in drinking water, and kill fish. Agricultural sources of nutrients include fertilizers, manure and crop residues. Lawn runoff, pet waste, erosion, atmospheric deposition, sludge, and septic systems are urban sources of nutrients that are carried to surface waters in stormwater runoff.

Pathogens are any disease-causing organism, including bacteria, viruses, and protozoans. The pathogens of concern in Vermont’s surface waters are those that are associated with fecal matter of humans and other warm-blooded animals. These pathogens cause gastrointestinal problems and become a more serious health risk to people who have weakened immune systems. In surface waters, the most likely source of human waste or sewage is from a malfunctioning wastewater treatment plant or septic system. Sources of animal waste are highest in urban and agricultural areas. Wildlife that resides in the water, such as beaver and ducks, can also contribute pathogens.

Solutions

To address both local concerns and general water quality problems, the White River Partnership and others have been working to reduce stream channel instability and streambank erosion, improve public access to waters, improve water quality awareness, and reduce impacts to fisheries. Follow these links to learn more about Our Programs and how to Get Involved!