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Officials outline Act 121 river-corridor rules and warn fluvial erosion gaps in flood program
Summary
Presenters from Lake Champlain Sea Grant, Nature Conservancy and Vermont DEC briefed the PAC on Act 121 implementation, explaining that river-straightening and dredging can increase erosion and noting that the National Flood Insurance Program does not address fluvial erosion hazards; DEC invited planner feedback on forthcoming statewide river-corridor rules and maps.
At the July 9 meeting, Alison Spasyk (Lake Champlain Sea Grant), Shayne Jaquith (The Nature Conservancy), and Vermont DEC Rivers Program staff Ned Swanberg and Tessa Yip presented on implementing Act 121, the Flood Safety Act. Presenters said the statute gives DEC authority to limit new development in river corridors, strengthen oversight, remove derelict dams and pursue a net gain in wetland acreage to reduce flood damage.
Alison Spasyk said flooding is Vermont’s most frequent and costly recurring hazard and that risk assessments need to include fluvial (riverbank and channel) erosion in addition to inundation. She noted that the National Flood Insurance Program does not address fluvial erosion hazards. Shayne Jaquith explained that historic river-straightening and dredging can deepen channels and increase erosive energy, converting a flooding problem into a longer-term erosion problem.
PAC members asked practical questions about interim river corridor protection and mapping. Ned Swanberg said some communities have already adopted bylaws and that DEC recommends towns consider riparian buffers and protections for small streams (drainage areas under two square miles) even where statewide jurisdiction may not apply. Swanberg and Jaquith said regional and municipal planners will have opportunities to review maps before they are finalized and that DEC welcomes feedback during the engagement process.
The presentation emphasized outreach and the need for coordination between Act 121 mapping and municipal/regional future land use work. No regulatory adoption occurred at the meeting; DEC staff described the current stage as education and rule development.
