Little Otter Creek Watershed: Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment

Little Otter Creek Watershed:
Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment

Addison County, Vermont

July 2011

Little Otter Creek including South Slang and East Slang above confluence with Lake Champlain,
view to the northwest, 25 March 2010

Prepared under contract to Prepared by

Lewis Creek Association
442 Lewis Creek Road
Charlotte, VT 05445
Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)
July 2011 Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................................................. ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................. iii
1.0 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................................1
2.0 BACKGROUND..................................................................................................................................................2
2.1 Geographic Setting......................................................................................................................................2
2.2 Regional Geologic Setting ..........................................................................................................................4
2.2.1 Bedrock Geology..................................................................................................................................5
2.2.2 Surficial Geology..................................................................................................................................6
2.3 Geomorphic Setting.....................................................................................................................................7
2.4 Hydrology ...................................................................................................................................................10
2.5 Flood History..............................................................................................................................................12
2.6 Ecological Setting ......................................................................................................................................14
2.7 Land Use.....................................................................................................................................................15
2.8 Water Quality.............................................................................................................................................17
3.0 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................................21
3.1 Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment..............................................................................................21
3.2 Phase 1 Assessment Updates..................................................................................................................22
3.3 Quality Assurance / Quality Control........................................................................................................23
4.0 PHASE 2 ASSESSMENT RESULTS................................................................................................................24
4.1 Little Otter Creek main stem - New Haven, Monkton, Bristol............................................................24
4.2 Mud Creek tributary - Ferrisburgh.........................................................................................................32
5.0 DEPARTURE ANALYSIS, STRESSOR IDENTIFICATION & SENSITIVITY................................................35
5.1 Departure Analysis ....................................................................................................................................35
5.1.1 Watershed Scale Hydrologic and Sediment Regime Stressors................................................36
5.1.2 Sediment Regime Stressors (Watershed and Reach Scale) ....................................................51
5.1.3 Reach Scale Modifiers .......................................................................................................................52
5.1.4 Constraints to Sediment Transport & Attenuation........................................................................54
5.1.5 Sediment Regime Departure............................................................................................................55
5.2 Sensitivity Analysis ....................................................................................................................................60
6.0 PRELIMINARY PROJECT IDENTIFICATION ...............................................................................................62
6.1 Protecting River Corridors ........................................................................................................................63
6.2 Planting Stream Buffers............................................................................................................................65
6.3 Stabilizing Stream Banks ..........................................................................................................................66
6.4 Arresting Head Cuts and Nick Points......................................................................................................66
6.5 Removing Berms / Other Constraints to Flood & Sediment Load Attenuation.................................66
6.6 Removing / Replacing Structures............................................................................................................67
6.6.1 Bridge and Culvert Crossings...........................................................................................................67
6.6.2 Old Abutments ...................................................................................................................................69
6.7 Restoring Incised Reaches.......................................................................................................................69
6.8 Restoring Aggraded Reaches...................................................................................................................70
6.9 Mitigating Sources of Stormwater and Nutrient / Sediment Loading ................................................70
6.10 Restoring Riparian Wetland Hydrology ..............................................................................................72
7.0 ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES................................................................................................73
7.1 Continued Strategic Planning by Watershed Stakeholders .................................................................73
7.2 Coordinated Support to Farmers.............................................................................................................73
7.3 Enhanced Protections for Vulnerable Geologic / Hydrologic Settings................................................73
7.4 Workshops..................................................................................................................................................74
7.5 Outreach to Towns....................................................................................................................................74
8.0 REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................................76

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APPENDICES

A. Updated Phase 1 Stream Geomorphic Assessment Reach Summary Reports
B. Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment Segment Summary Reports
C. Bridge & Culvert Assessment Summary Reports
D. Valley Wall Documentation
E. Quality Assurance Documentation
F. Reach Segmentation
G. Reach Narratives
H. Stressor Table, Reach-Scale
I. Departure Analysis Table, Reach-Scale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study was made possible through grant funding received from the State of Vermont Department of
Environmental Conservation, Division of Water Quality. The grant was administered by the Lewis Creek
Association on behalf of the Addison County River Watch Collaborative. Technical assistance was
provided by the VT Department of Environmental Conservation, River Management Program. Hap
Eliason, pilot, provided flight services for aerial assessment of the watershed in the Spring of 2010. John
McNerney, pilot, provided flight services for the Spring 2011 flyover. The project was guided by a
Steering Committee of watershed stakeholders:

Project Steering Committee

Marty Illick Lewis Creek Association, Addison County River Watch Collaborative
Ethan Swift VTDEC Mapping, Assessment & Planning Program
Shannon Pytlik VTDEC River Management Program
Brian Jerose WASTE NOT Resource Solutions
Kevin Behm Addison County Regional Planning Commission
Craig Miner USDA Farm Service Agency (Middlebury)
Keith Hartline USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (Middlebury)
John Thurgood USDA NRCS District Conservationist
Jeff Carter UVM Agricultural Extension Service (Middlebury)
Rico Balzano UVM Agricultural Extension Service (Middlebury)
Pam Stefanek Addison County Natural Resources Conservation District
April Moulaert Waterscapes, LLC (representing Ducks Unlimited)
Allen Karnatz Vermont Land Trust
Kristen Underwood South Mountain Research & Consulting


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A stream geomorphic assessment and preliminary river corridor planning effort were completed in 2010-
2011 for the Little Otter Creek watershed focusing on 11 reaches (12.7 river miles) of the Little Otter
Creek main stem and Mud Creek tributary. This study was made possible through grant funding received
from the State of Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC), Water Quality Division
(WQD). The grant was administered by the Lewis Creek Association on behalf of the Addison County
River Watch Collaborative (ACRWC). This project involved a variety of data collection approaches
including: Phase 2 stream geomorphic assessments; remote-sensing and windshield surveys; evaluation
of existing flow data; and evaluation of existing water quality monitoring data. Additionally, guidance
was offered by a Steering Committee convened for this specific project, comprised of representatives
from the VTDEC WQD Monitoring, Assessment & Planning Program and River Management Program;
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Section; Addison County Natural Resources Conservation District,
UVM Agricultural Extension Service, Ducks Unlimited (represented by Waterscapes, LLC); Vermont Land
Trust and WASTE NOT Resource Solutions. Project data were compiled and evaluated to inform the
committee and to identify and prioritize restoration and conservation projects for implementation.

Assessments in the Little Otter Creek watershed were undertaken to identify projects which will reduce
nutrient and sediment loading from the watershed and to provide a geologic, geomorphic and
hydrologic context for documented erosion and water quality issues. Long term water quality monitoring
by the VTDEC and ACRWC has identified elevated levels of phosphorus and turbidity. Nine miles of the
Little Otter Creek channel have been listed as impaired for aquatic life support and contact recreation
uses due to E.coli and other undefined pollutants resulting from agricultural runoff (2010 303d List of
Impaired Waters). Four miles of the Mud Creek tributary are also identified for further assessment due to
E. coli impacts to contact recreation uses associated with agricultural runoff (2010 Part C List of Priority
Surface Waters in need of Further Assessment). These documents identify the Little Otter Creek as a
High priority for development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan to address water quality
impacts.

The susceptibility of Little Otter Creek to water quality impacts is directly related to the underlying
geology, topography and hydrology of this watershed. Watershed sediments are dominantly comprised
of silt and silty-clays derived from a fresh-water lake and the Champlain Sea which inundated the area
from approximately 13,500 to 10,000 years ago. Soils have low to very low infiltration rates and are
hydric in nature. Stream-connected wetlands are wide-spread (where they have not been previously
converted to agricultural use by drain tile and field ditches). Along the river network, there are
occasional valley pinch points where the channel crosses regional fault features in the underlying bedrock
- such as, a short segment between Lime Kiln Road and Monkton Road at the Monkton / Ferrisburgh
town line; the bedrock gorge (Walkers Falls) off Wing Road in Ferrisburgh, or Birketts Falls at the
Satterly Road crossing in Ferrisburgh.

Given the low valley gradients and prevalence of hydric soils and contiguous wetlands, the channel and
floodplain above these valley pinch points are frequently inundated following storm events. These areas
are inundated during flows that occur on an annual and more frequent basis. Flood waters are stored for
several days above the valley pinch points, and are slowly released to downstream reaches. Thus, flood
peaks recorded at a US Geological Survey stream flow gage on Route 7 gage have a very broad and low-
magnitude crest.

Given the topography and geology of the Little Otter Creek watershed, the river is well connected to its
floodplain and attenuates flows much more effectively than neighboring more flashy rivers prone of flood-
related erosion hazards. However, the fine soils and broad valleys make these areas prone to
development and agricultural uses, where sources of nutrients and sediment can intersect surface

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waters. Land use in the watershed overall is 51% agricultural, and 3% developed, with only 25% in
forest cover. The silt and clay particles dominating floodplain soils have a high affinity for phosphorus.
The Little Otter Creek is a washload-dominated river, where fine sediments (and associated nutrients)
tend to stay in suspension and travel for great lengths downstream (ultimately to Lake Champlain).

This study focused on 10 reaches of the Little Otter Creek main stem from Plank Road in New Haven
downstream nearly to the Satterly Road crossing in Ferrisburgh and one reach of the Mud Creek from the
Middlebrook Road crossing downstream to the confluence with Little Otter Creek. Geomorphic
assessments, windshield and aerial surveys, and limited historical reviews have identified various
watershed and channel stressors that have impacted the assessed reaches, including:

Watershed-scale Stressors:

Historic conversion of wetlands for agricultural and residential land uses through ditching of
tributaries, and installation of field-ditch and tile-drain networks; these drainage networks
have increased the magnitude and velocity of flows to the Little Otter Creek and are
associated with increased frequency and duration of inundation of the floodplain in actively
farmed areas.
Installation of 138 miles of roads which intersect the Little Otter Creek stream network in
more than 270 locations; road ditches associated with this transportation network have
increased the stream network density and provide for direct runoff of stormwater, nutrients
and sediments from unbuffered farm fields and developed lands to the Little Otter Creek.
Historic deforestation and subsequent reforestation of the watershed from the mid-1800s
through the early 1900s;
Significant flood events in 1931, 1927, 1936, 1938, 1973 and 1976; more recently, a 10- to
25-year event occurred in January of 1996, and an August 2004 flood event impacted the
headwaters; and
Documented increases in annual precipitation and the frequency and number of intense
precipitation events over the last century in the Northeastern United States (UNH Climate
Change Research Center, 2005).

Reach-scale Stressors:

Historic channelization, berming, and armoring (rip-rap) limited to road crossing sites;
Stormwater runoff from agricultural fields via ditches and tile-drains;
Stormwater runoff from roads/driveways and road ditches;
Undersized public and private bridges and in-stream culverts, serving as flow constrictors at
bankfull flow or higher-magnitude flood events;

With a couple of exceptions, the main channels of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek (at least in the
assessed reaches) are stable. This river is not exhibiting the kinds of extreme lateral and vertical channel
adjustments that characterize higher-relief, gravel-bed streams impacted by similar types of stressors
(such as the nearby New Haven River). Channel segments of the Little Otter Creek are well connected to
the surrounding floodplain and operate effectively to attenuate flows. The overall channel is
demonstrating an expected (natural) level of change or adjustment in response to stressors, maintaining
average dimensions, planform, and profile, over time. At present, enhanced erosive energies that may
have resulted from watershed and channel stressors, appear to be balanced by the resisting forces of the
channel margins (e.g., forested buffers, cohesive sediments; bedrock exposures in some reaches), and
are moderated by low gradients, bedrock grade controls, and channel-connected wetlands.


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Three relatively short sections of the assessed main stem have become partially disconnected from their
surrounding floodplain, following historic channel manipulations associated with road crossings. Modified
segments are located near the North Street and Plank Road culvert crossings of the upper main stem in
New Haven; and at the Monkton Road bridge crossing in Ferrisburgh.

While assessed main-stem reaches of the Little Otter and Mud Creek are generally stable, the stream
network contributing to these reaches has been extensively modified. First, second and third-order
tributaries have been straightened and channelized, and periodically dredged and bermed in support of
agricultural operations and to accommodate roads and residential / commercial uses. To improve
drainage on wet soils, fields have historically been ditched and drainage tiles have been installed. These
drainage networks and channelized tributaries have increased the magnitude and velocity of flows to the
Little Otter Creek. Over the last two centuries, 138 miles of roads have been installed on the landscape
and intersect the Little Otter Creek stream network in more than 270 locations. Road ditches associated
with this transportation network have effectively increased the stream network density and provide for
direct runoff of stormwater, nutrients and sediments from unbuffered farm fields and developed lands to
the Little Otter Creek.

Because of the high clay content of Addison County soils, fields are typically plowed in the fall and remain
exposed during the most vulnerable runoff conditions. Based on review of the 20-year hydrologic record
for the Route 7 USGS gage, 80% of the high flows occur in the late Fall, Winter or early Spring when
fields are bare.

Anecdotally, the frequency and duration of inundation within the low-lying floodplains upstream of valley
pinch points has increased in recent decades (e.g., upstream of Lime Kiln Road in Monkton, spanning the
Plank Road crossing of a tributary to the Little Otter in New Haven, and upstream of Satterly Road and
downstream of Middlebrook Road in Ferrisburgh). This may be due in part to climate changes which
have resulted in documented increases in annual precipitation and the frequency and number of intense
precipitation events over the last century (UNH Climate Change Research Center, 2005). Modifications to
the Little Otter Creek stream network and impacts from field-ditch, tile-drain, and road-ditch networks
have undoubtedly also contributed.

While several areas of the Little Otter Creek/ Mud Creek floodplain are well connected to the channel and
are frequently inundated, the natural wetland functions and values of these inundated areas have been
compromised by conversion to agricultural uses and impacts from field-ditch and road-ditch networks.
Flood retention and filtering functions of these wetlands have been significantly reduced through historic
clear-cutting of native floodplain tree species, compaction and leveling of soils through repeated tillage
(loss of micro-topography), and dredging of linear ditch networks to improve field drainage. Sediment
and nutrients are impacting these prior-converted wetland areas (both within and along the edges of
frequently inundated areas).

Significant mobilization of fine sediments, phosphorus and nitrogen is occurring within the Little Otter
Creek watershed, related to: (1) a legacy of nutrient additions in excess of agronomic needs; (2) fall-
tilling, manure applications, and cropping practices in close proximity to unbuffered swales, road ditches
and other locations of concentrated runoff to surface waters; (3) frequent inundation of fields well
beyond minimum buffer widths required by Accepted Agricultural Practices and Large Farm Operation /
Medium Farm Operation rules; (4) maintenance of tile networks and drainage ditches in agricultural
fields; and (5) stormwater and sediment runoff from road networks.

Opportunities for river restoration and conservation and improved farm and road management have been
identified based on results of this stream geomorphic assessment and a limited river corridor planning
effort. A preliminary project listing forms the basis for follow-on project development and planning
activities which can be carried out by watershed stakeholders. A subset of the identified projects has
progressed through development phases.

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

This report presents the results of Phase 2 stream geomorphic assessments and preliminary river corridor
planning efforts completed in 2010. Assessment focused on eleven reaches (12.7 river miles) of the Little
Otter Creek and Mud Creek located in the towns of New Haven, Monkton, and Ferrisburgh. Geomorphic
assessments were completed to:

a) determine the geomorphic condition of targeted reaches, and identify active vertical and lateral
adjustment processes;
b) identify current and historic channel and watershed disturbances that may lead to vertical and
lateral adjustments; and
c) evaluate the sensitivity of reaches to future channel and watershed stressors given their current
geomorphic condition and inherent vulnerability (e.g., valley setting, slope, streambed and
streambank sediments, vegetative buffer conditions).

In addition, windshield and aerial surveys were conducted during high water conditions, and remote-
sensing data were reviewed to:

d) identify locations of direct stormwater and agricultural runoff to the Little Otter Creek network;
and

e) identify areas of saturation excess overland flow that overlap nutrient and sediment source areas
(Critical Source Areas);

Based on assessment data, and guided by a Steering Committee of watershed stakeholders, projects and
strategies have been identified for implementation at the site-level, reach-level and community scale.
The current status of project development is summarized on the Project CD. Overall objectives of this
ongoing planning process are to:

mitigate for the effects of hydrologic and sediment regime modifications;

decrease nutrient and sediment loading; and

improve water quality, restore habitats, and reduce erosion hazards by managing toward the
equilibrium channel.

This summary report has been prepared by South Mountain Research & Consulting (SMRC) based in
Bristol, Vermont for the Addison County River Watch Collaborative, under contract to its fiscal agent, the
Lewis Creek Association. This project has been funded in part by a grant from the VT Department of
Environmental Conservation. Project tasks have been carried out by the Lewis Creek Association (LCA)
and South Mountain Research & Consulting (SMRC) of Bristol, VT, with technical support from the VTDEC
Mapping, Assessment & Planning Program and the River Management Program. Members of the project
Steering Committee are identified in the Acknowledgements section (page ii).


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2.0 BACKGROUND

Assessments in the Little Otter Creek watershed were undertaken to provide a geologic, geomorphic and
hydrologic context for the erosion and water quality issues documented in this river network over the
past several years.

2.1 Geographic Setting

The Little Otter Creek watershed is a 72.5-square-mile basin located in Addison County, Vermont,
draining portions of six towns (Table 1, Figure 1):

Table 1. Area of Addison County towns contained
within Little Otter Creek watershed.
Town Area (sq mi) Area (% watershed)
Ferrisburgh 28.0 38.6%
New Haven 21.4 29.5%
Monkton 13.5 18.6%
Bristol 6.5 8.9%
Waltham 3.0 4.2%
Vergennes 0.1 0.2%
Total: 72.5

Figure 1. Location of
Little Otter Creek watershed
within Addison County towns.


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The Little Otter Creek drains directly into Lake Champlain at Hawkins Bay south of Gardner Island. This
location is within the Otter Creek lake segment defined within the Vermont Water Quality Standards
(Vermont Natural Resources Board, 2008) and by the Lake Champlain Phosphorus Management Task
Force (1993). Under the VTDEC basin planning process, the Little Otter Creek watershed is considered a
part of the Otter Creek Basin, although these river systems drain separately to Lake Champlain; the
mouth of the Otter Creek is located 2.5 miles to the southwest of the mouth of Little Otter Creek.

This report focuses on portions of the Little Otter Creek main stem and Mud Creek tributary (Figure 2):

11.6 continuous miles (10 reaches/ 16 segments) of the Little Otter Creek main stem, from New
Haven downstream through Monkton into Ferrisburgh; and

1.1 miles (1 reach / 3 segments) of the Mud Creek tributary, from the Middlebrook Road crossing
downstream to the confluence with the Little Otter Creek main stem.

Figure 2. Location of Mud Creek subwatershed in the Little Otter Creek watershed.

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2.2 Regional Geologic Setting

The Little Otter Creek watershed is contained wholly within the Champlain Valley geologic province
(Stewart, 1973; Capen, 1998). The Champlain Valley is underlain primarily by limestones and dolostones
which have undergone low-angle thrusting and folding, to create locally elevated slabs of crystalline cap
rock. Champlain Valley rocks are less-intensely deformed than the phyllites, schist, and gneiss of the
neighboring Northern Green Mountain province to the east, yet create local relief (Stewart, 1973). The
northeast-trending Monkton Ridge extends into the northern central portion of the watershed (see Figure
2), creating relief in the area of The Watershed Center (former Vergennes water supply). In the western
portion of the watershed, a major thrust fault zone called the Champlain Thrust has resulted in the
erosional remnants of Shellhouse Mountain and Buck Mountain.

In recent geologic time (from 24,000+ to 13,500 years before present; Ridge, 2003) this landscape was
occupied by advancing and retreating glaciers, with ice up to a mile or more in thickness above the
present land surface. Glacial tills now blanket much of the upper bedrock-controlled slopes in the
headwaters of the eastern and northeastern part of the Little Otter Creek watershed. As glaciers melted
and receded, deposits of water-washed boulders, cobbles, gravel and sand (kame moraines, kame
terraces) built up along the ice margins near the contact between the Champlain Valley and the Northern
Green Mountains (Stewart, 1973; Stewart & MacClintock, 1969) along the western sides of Hogback and
South Mountains to the east of Little Otter Creek.

As the global climate warmed and the glaciers receded, a large fresh-water lake inundated the Hudson
Valley Lowland (Lake Albany) and later extended northward into the Champlain Valley (Lake Vermont)
(Connally & Sirkin, 1969; Chapman, 1937; Stewart & MacClintock, 1969; DeSimone & LaFleur, 1985).
Since flow was blocked to the north by the retreating Laurentide ice lobe, freshwater entering Lake
Albany / Lake Vermont drained to the south via the Hudson River valley to Long Island, NY. At its
highest stage, the Lake Vermont shoreline extended to the foot of the Green Mountains near the present
location of Starksboro Village, Bristol village, and East Middlebury. Glacial meltwater flowing west from
the Green Mountains built large deltas of sands, gravels, cobbles, and boulders which extended out into
Lake Vermont. Further to the west, the isolated bedrock knobs and ridges such as Shellhouse Mountain
and Buck Mountain, were islands emerging above the surface of Lake Vermont.

Lake Albany / Lake Vermont waters receded in stages as natural dams in southern Vermont and New
York gave way. The Laurentide ice lobe retreated further to the north and east, until the St. Lawrence
valley was no longer blocked by ice. From approximately 13,100 to 12,700 years before present (Ridge,
2003), marine waters filled the valley from the St. Lawrence Seaway as the rate of rise in ocean water
levels temporarily exceeded the rate of rise [isostatic rebound], of the land surface now relieved of its
glacial burden (Stewart and MacClintock, 1969; Cronin, 1977; Wagner, 1972; Connally and Calkin, 1972).
The maximum elevation of these brackish waters is believed to have extended into the present-day Little
Otter Creek watershed, perhaps not much farther east than the villages of Ferrisburgh and Vergennes
(Wagner, 1972). Champlain Sea waters receded from the greater Champlain Valley, as the rate of land
rise began to outpace the rate of sea-level rise. A lower stage of fresh water (analogous to present-day
Lake Champlain) then filled the Champlain Lowland. Surface waters from the Lake Champlain basin now
drain to the north, while the Hudson River basin continues to drain to the south.

The landscape of Vermont was dissected by river systems following glacial retreat, driven in part by
dropping base levels in the Hudson River valley and Lake Champlain. Significant channel incision may
also have been driven by isostatic rebound of the land surface in the late Pleistocene and early Holocene
(Brakenridge et al, 1988). The Little Otter Creek river network eroded downward through glacial-fluvial
kame terrace deposits (at the southeastern extent of the watershed) and silt- and clay-rich lake deposits.
Downward incision was apparently arrested at exposures of channel-spanning bedrock along the river
network, including Walkers Falls off Wing Road in Ferrisburgh and Frasers Falls off Little Chicago Road in

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Ferrisburgh. Today, these bedrock nick points serve as fixed base levels for upstream reaches of the
Little Otter Creek and its tributaries.

Absence of vegetation on the recently-deglaciated hillslopes probably contributed to floodplain
aggradation in the late Pleistocene. Sedimentation rates would have declined as the landscape became
revegetated and forests matured; floodplain incision may have begun to dominate again. Rates of
sedimentation on alluvial fan surfaces and in ponds were relatively high during the early Holocene based
on research from Northwestern Vermont (Bierman et al, 1997). Bierman et al (1997) theorize that
early Holocene hillslope erosion may have been driven by episodic large storms in a drier [but stormier]
climate than today. Late Holocene erosion and aggradation were also event driven, but greater ambient
levels of soil saturation [in a cooler, moister climate] may have allowed smaller storms to trigger similar
landscape responses. In colonial times, hillslope erosion and floodplain aggradation increased
substantially as a result of wide-spread deforestation by the early- to mid-1800s (Brakenridge et al, 1988;
Severson, 1991; Thomas, 1985). These trends may have again reversed themselves when most
hillslopes became reforested in the late 1880s and early 1900s.

2.2.1 Bedrock Geology

In general, bedrock geology of the Little Otter Creek watershed can be grouped into two main categories:

Cambrian and Ordovician limestones, dolostones and marbles of the Champlain Valley lowland
(Stewart, 1973; Doll, 1961); and

Cambrian quartzites forming the ridges within the Champlain Valley province (Stewart, 1973;
Doll, 1961).

The Little Otter Creek river network is influenced by the underlying bedrock geology in many ways. The
quartzite cap rocks forming the mid-watershed ridgelines of Monkton Ridge, Shellhouse Mountain, and
Buck Mountain are relatively resistant to chemical and physical weathering, while the limestones and
other calcitic rocks of the surrounding Champlain Lowland are less resistant to erosion. In this way, the
bedrock geology of the basin controls the regional topography.

Regional, structural features of the bedrock control local topographic and govern drainage patterns. The
Little Otter Creek headwaters at the far eastern extent of the watershed drain steep slopes on
glaciofluvial deposits at the base of Hogback Mountain and South Mountain which are formed by the
Hogback Anticline (Stewart, 1973). The channel then meanders through a very large wetland complex
known as the Cedar Swamp, before crossing the southern end of Monkton Ridge in northern New Haven
(Figure 2). The Monkton Ridge is formed by quartzite cap rocks exposed in a northeast-trending band by
the Monkton Thrust. The Little Otter Creek then flows through a broad, low-gradient dolomite valley
between Monkton Ridge to the east and the Vergennes Thrust which forms Shellhouse Mountain and
Buck Mountain to the west. The Mud Creek tributary drains a narrow dolomite valley between these two
mid-watershed quartzite ridge-lines, flowing north from Waltham to join the main stem in southeastern
Ferrisburgh. These channels cut to the north and west across the regional thrust faults and northeast-
trending bands of moderately-resistant quartzite to drain ultimately to Lake Champlain.

Bedrock exposures influence the Little Otter Creek valley confinement, channel position, and profile at a
reach scale. Locations of channel-spanning bedrock offer vertical grade control, preventing possible
downward erosion of the channel in response to regional or local stressors (at least for the 10- to 100-
year time spans of this study). Occasional bedrock exposures along the valley walls control the lateral
position of the channel. Where the river has cut across regional bedrock structures at points of
weakness, bedrock-controlled steep valley walls form valley pinch points along the planform of the river.

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2.2.2 Surficial Geology

The nature of the surficial sediments and soils present in the Little Otter Creek watershed reflects the
glacial and post-glacial lake history of the region. Upland slopes are dominated by shallow- to moderate-
thickness glacial till deposits overlying bedrock. These till deposits are typically a dense mixture of
sediment sizes from silts to cobbles and boulders; the till sediments are typically cohesive and of low
permeability (Stewart, 1973; Stewart & MacClintock, 1969; Calkin, 1965).

At the foot of the Hogback Mountain and South Mountain in the far southeastern extent of the watershed
(vicinity of Bristol village) are kame terrace deposits of sands, gravels and cobbles which formerly
developed at the marginal contact between the glaciers and the mountains. These kame terrace deposits
are interlayered with delta deposits from the post-glacial New Haven River (Mack, 1995).

Out in the broader Champlain Valley, in the central and western portions of the watershed, the landscape
is dominated by clay and silt deposits generated during former occupation by Lake Vermont (and
Champlain Sea, west of Ferrisburgh and Vergennes). These locations would have been in deeper
sections of the lake, far from the eastern shorelines which were actively receiving runoff from the Green
Mountains. Layer upon layer of fine-grained silts and clays were deposited in the quiet lake waters in
alternating sequences resulting from annual cycles of spring and summer storm activity followed by
winter quiet. Exposures of these varved clays, or rhythmites, were noted in the Little Otter Creek and
Mud Creek channels east and west of Middlebrook Road. The clay and silt deposits of the Champlain
Valley contain frequent large boulders. It is hypothesized that these boulders were contained within or
on rafts of ice which broke off in large blocks from the edge of the receding ice sheet and floated out
into Lake Vermont. As the ice blocks melted, their cargo was released, dropping out to settle in the clay
and silt deposits at the bottom of the lake. The higher elevations such as Monkton Ridge, Shellhouse
Mountain and Buck Mountain which remained isolated above lake-level, today are veneered with
relatively thin to negligible deposits of glacial till (Stewart & MacClintock, 1969; Calkin, 1965).

Soil survey mapping for the watershed (USDA, 2006: USDA, 2007) indicates soil type distributions
consistent with mapped surficial geology. Figure 3 depicts the generalized soil types in the watershed,
grouped by geologic parent material. Land areas in the eastern extent of the watershed are dominated
by soils derived from glacial till, as well as a small area of glacio-fluvial sediments in the southeast
(vicinity of Bristol village). The central and western portions of the watershed are dominated by silt
loams. These silt loams have their origin in silty-clay deposits of marine and freshwater lake
environments.

Sediments of the Little Otter Creek watershed are dominated by soils of low to very low infiltration rate.
Nearly 85% of the soil types are classified as C and D Hydrologic Soil Group. The remainder of the soils
are of greater permeability (Hydrologic Soil Groups A and B), tend to be associated with localized
deposits glaciofluvial and alluvial origin, and are concentrated along the eastern side of the watershed
and in isolated pockets along the river network.

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7

Figure 3. Generalized map of
soil parent material in the
Little Otter Creek watershed.
NRCS parent material
classification of lacustrine
does not differentiate
between lake silts/clays of
glacial versus marine origin.

2.3 Geomorphic Setting

Surface waters of the Little Otter Creek watershed were delineated into a total of 23 reaches in a Phase 1
Stream Geomorphic Assessment previously completed by the Addison County Regional Planning
Commission (ACRPC, 2006; see Figure 4). Geomorphic reaches were defined based on variation in valley
confinement, gradient, and sinuosity, as well as tributary influence (see protocols for further
background).

Each reach was assigned a unique alphanumeric identification. The 16 reaches along the main stem of
the Little Otter Creek were prefixed with a capital M. The seven reaches of the Mud Creek tributary
were denoted with a capital T and a 2 indicating that Mud Creek is the second major tributary to join
the main stem. Eleven reaches (12.7 miles) were selected for Phase 2 assessment (Figure 4, Table 2).
LEGEND

South Mountain R&CS
8

Figure 4. Reaches Delineated
in the Little Otter Creek
Watershed. Reaches selected
for Phase 2 assessment are
highlighted in red.

Reach Town
Channel
Length (mi)
Drainage
Area
(sq mi)
M13 New Haven 0.8 11.9
M10 Monkton 1.3 35.4
M09 Ferrisburg 0.5 35.8
T2.01 Ferrisburg 1.1 9.1
Little Otter Creek main stem
Mud Creek Tributary
Table 2. Reaches of the Little Otter Creek
and Mud Creek selected for Phase 2
Stream Geomorphic Assessment.

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9
There are several bedrock-controlled nick points along the longitudinal profile of the Little Otter Creek
(Figure 5). High bedrock falls are exposed at a few of these locations, including: Walkers Falls off Wing
Road in Ferrisburgh (reach M07); Birketts Falls on Satterly Road in Ferrisburgh (M03); and Frasers Falls
off Little Chicago Road in Ferrisburgh (at the M02/M01 reach break). Historic names for the bedrock falls
are from a History of the Town of Ferrisburgh (Smith, 1886).

These bedrock-controlled nick points correspond with valley pinch points, where the river channel is more
closely confined by the valley walls. The valley pinch points are separated by channel lengths that flow
through very wide, unconfined, low-gradient valley settings. Given the underlying hydric soils of
glaciolacustrine origin, the unconfined channel segments are often characterized by wetland conditions
just upstream of the next bedrock-controlled valley pinch point.

0
200
400
600
800
0 5 10 15 20 25
Distance Upstream from the Mouth (miles)
E
l
e
v
a
t
i
o
n

a
b
o
v
e

m
e
a
n

s
e
a

l
e
v
e
l

(
f
e
e
t
)
Little Otter Creek
Mud Creek
Birkett's Falls
Frasers Falls
Walkers Falls

Figure 5. Longitudinal profile of Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek Tributary.

For a majority of the assessed reaches of the Little Otter Creek, streambank sediments are dominated by
the lacustrine boulder clay and silt deposits of former Lake Vermont (and Champlain Sea in the lower
watershed). Clays and silts are more dense and more cohesive than unconsolidated sand and gravel
deposits; therefore, they are generally more resistant to downward erosion by the Little Otter Creek.
However, these cohesive soils can be susceptible to lateral erosion in the form of meander migration
through progressive stream bank collapse, particularly in reaches absent of woody and mixed vegetative
buffers. Streambeds are characterized by silts and fine sands with the occasional coarse sand and fine-
grained gravels.

Where the Little Otter Creek channel crosses regional thrust fault features in the bedrock at valley pinch
points, beds are dominated by cobbles and gravels, with occasional boulders. The larger clasts are
generally subangular, suggesting limited fluvial transport. It is likely that these boulders have been
derived from nearby bedrock sources and have been revealed in the bed of the stream, as finer-grained
sediments have been winnowed out over time.

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10

Unconsolidated sediments of glaciofluvial and alluvial origin are found in isolated pockets along the Little
Otter Creek network (for example, in reach M13 upstream of the North Street crossing). These coarser-
grained materials in the channel banks are very susceptible to erosion (if unchecked by stabilizing
vegetation). Shear by flowing water at the toe of channel banks can create oversteepened slopes which
then collapse under forces of gravity.

2.4 Hydrology

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) maintains records for three streamflow gaging stations on
the Little Otter Creek (see Figure 6). Only one of the three (Station #04282650) is currently active, with
real-time data available on the Internet (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/vt/nwis/). Station #04282650 is
located near the Route 7 crossing (reach M02), and measures flow from an approximate drainage area of
57.1 square miles (or 78.8% of the watershed). This station has daily flow records dating back to 1990,
or approximately 20 years.

Peak flows in the Little Otter Creek watershed tend to be well moderated, due to the low overall
gradients and extensive wetland areas which provide for flood storage and attenuation. In contrast,
other area watersheds tend to be much more flashy. For example, Figure 6 illustrates instantaneous
flows (normalized to drainage area) for the Little Otter Creek, New Haven River, Lewis Creek and LaPlatte
River in response to a September 30 / October 1 (2010) storm. Based on regional weather station data,
rainfall was fairly uniform and widespread during this event. Prior to the storm, area rivers had been
near baseflow conditions. The hydrograph for New Haven River is much higher and sharply peaked. The
hydrograph for Little Otter Creek illustrates a broader, curved peak of much lower amplitude,
characteristic of lower-gradient channels with more flow attenuation. While New Haven River flows
peaked within 24 hours of the end of this storm and had receeded to near baseflow conditions within 48
hours, the Little Otter Creek took a couple of days to peak followed by more than two days to recede to a
pre-storm discharge.

Figure 6. Hydrograph of
Storm Flow in Little Otter
Creek Compared to Other
Regional Watersheds.
Instantaneous Flows (USGS
Provisional) Normalized to
Drainage Area.


South Mountain R&CS
11

A separate flow study by ACRWC has established temporary flow gaging stations at additional sites in the
watershed. Stream flows in the eastern mountainous portion of the Little Otter Creek watershed
(upstream of reach M13) can be somewhat flashy, given the moderately high relief and the
predominance of shallow bedrock and low-permeability glacial till (Figure 3). Snowmelt events in the late
winter and early spring months can contribute to relatively high discharges.

Periodic ice jams in the Little Otter Creek may locally enhance flood stages and lead to sudden erosion in
break-out events. Ice jam events have been recorded near the Route 7 crossing at the lower end of the
Little Otter Creek (CRREL Ice Jam database, 2010). Occasional blow outs of beaver dams or debris jams
at culvert crossings can also increase flood stages locally.

The lowest reach (3.7 miles) of Little Otter Creek (below Frasers Falls at the Little Chicago Road crossing
in Ferrisburgh) is influenced by backwater effects from Lake Champlain. Historically, water levels in Lake
Champlain have ranged from a low of 92.6 to 101.9 feet (USGS, 2009). A record-breaking high lake level
of 103.27 feet occurred on 6 May 2011 after record high rainfall in the month of April and the third-
snowiest winter on record (USGS, 2011). The average annual water level is 95.5 feet (LCBP, 2006).
Approximately 13.9 square miles of land area (or 19% of the total watershed area) drains directly to this
lower 3.7 miles of river / backwater fed by the Goose Creek and South Slang which drain from the
southwest and the East Slang which drains from the northeast.

The Phase 2 stream geomorphic assessments in 2010 were carried out during low-flow to base-flow
conditions (Table 3). Daily mean flows recorded at the USGS gaging station (#04282650) located at the
Route 7 crossing in Ferrisburgh ranged from 5.4 to 101 cfs on the assessment dates (Figure 7).
Provisional data indicate that the peak flow recorded for water year 2010 the year of the Phase 2
geomorphic assessment was 1,400 cfs on 26 January 2010. (A water year extends from 1 October of
the previous year through 30 September). Two reaches for this project were assessed in late October
2010, in the early weeks of water year 2011. A fall storm had occurred in the first couple of days of the
water year leading to a maximum flow of 1,000 cfs on 2 October 2010 (daily mean flow of 878 cfs).

Table 3. Weather / Flow Conditions on Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment Dates

USGS Gage
#04282650
Daily Mean
Date Reach Weather Rain previous 7 days? Flow (cfs)
5/14/2010 M13 overcast, 60s, breezy, occ.sprinkle 0.2 in on 5/13 (NHR); 0.25 on 5/8 (BTV) 41
6/18/2010 M13 (addtnl xs's) 80s, breezy, mstly clear 0.36 in on 6/17 (BTV) 20
6/25/2010 M09 70s, breezy, partly cloudy 0.97 in on 6/24 (BTV) 29
8/12/2010 M12, M11 70s, breezy, partly cloudy >1 in 8/8 to 8/10 (BTV) 40
8/13/2010 M10 80s, windy, partly cloudy >1 in 8/8 to 8/10 (BTV) 19
8/19/2010 M07, T2.01 mstly clear, breezy, 80s, humid 0.13 on 8/16 (BTV) 6.9
9/10/2010 M08 60s, windy, overcast 0.46 in, 9/7; 0.3 in, 9/9 (BTV) 5.4
9/23/2010 M06, M05 u/s mstly clear, 60s No 7.3
10/28/2010 M05 d/s, M04 low 60s, windy, mstly cloudy 0.20 in, 10/27; 0.24 in, 10/24 (BTV) 101
Abbreviations: BTV = weather station at Burlington International Airport, South Burlington, VT
NHR = precipitation gage at USGS gaging station #04282525 on New Haven River at Brooksville, VT


South Mountain R&CS
12

Figure 7. Daily Mean Flow recorded at Little Otter Creek at Ferrisburg, VT (USGS Stn #04282650)
during Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessments, Water Year 2010 and part of 2011.

2.5 Flood History

Flood events, particularly higher magnitude flows, can serve as a stressor to the river network leading to
localized or systemic channel adjustments. Available historic data and USGS flow data were reviewed to
identify flood events of significance in the Little Otter Creek watershed. The Addison County region was
affected by major flood events of 1913, 1927, 1936, and 1938 (USGS, 1990). The 1927 flood was the
highest flood on record in the State of Vermont. Local residents recall flood events in 1973 (June 30/
July 1) and 1976 (August) that were documented in the Otter Creek basin (VTDEC WQD, 1999). A flash
flood occurring on 28 August 2004 impacted the headwaters of Little Otter Creek in Bristol and New
Haven (NCDC, 2011).

USGS (Olson, 2002) has estimated the approximate magnitude of peak flows for the gaging station at
Route 7 (Table 4, next page). From the available record, it is evident that the Little Otter Creek has not
experienced a substantial flood event in the previous 20 years (see Figure 8, next page). The maximum
peak flow recorded at the Route 7 gage during this period was 2,210 cfs on 20 January 1996; which
corresponds to an approximate 10-year to 25-year flood magnitude, or Q10 to Q25 (Olson, 2002; see
Table 4).

It should be noted that the estimate for a 2-year frequency storm by Olson (2002), based on available
records for that specific gage, (1,120 cfs) is lesser in size than the estimated bankfull flow (Q1.5 = 1,340
cfs) for a watershed of that size (57.1 square miles at the gage) based on the VTDEC Hydraulic Geometry
Curves (2006). The VTDEC curves are based on channels of C and B stream type which tend to be of
higher gradient with less opportunity for flood storage and attenuation than a watershed such as the
Little Otter Creek, which is dominated by channels of E stream type.


South Mountain R&CS
13

Table 4. Estimated flood magnitudes for Little Otter Creek watershed

USGS Stn # 04282650
USGS Description
Little Otter Creek at
Ferrisburg, VT
USGS Period of Record (flow)
1990 - present (real-
time station)
Upstream Dr. Area (sq mi) 57.1
Geomorphic Reach M02
Magnitude Data Source Discharge (cfs)
Q
1.5
(VTDEC, 2001) 1,340
Q
2
1,120
Q
5
1,640
Q
10
(Olson, 2002) 1,990
Q
25
2,440
Q
50
2,790
Q
100
3,130
Q
500
3,950

0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
1
9
9
0
1
9
9
1
1
9
9
2
1
9
9
3
1
9
9
4
1
9
9
5
1
9
9
6
1
9
9
7
1
9
9
8
1
9
9
9
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
2
2
0
0
3
2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
8
2
0
0
9
Water Year
D
i
s
c
h
a
r
g
e

(
c
f
s
)
2,210 cfs
1/20/1996
Q2 = 1,120 cfs
Q5 = 1,640 cfs
Q10 = 1,990 cfs
Q25 = 2,440 cfs

Figure 8. Recorded Peak Flows for Little Otter Creek at Ferrisburg, VT gage, USGS Stn #04282650
57.1 square miles, reach M02 (compared to estimated flood peaks after Olson, 2002)

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14

2.6 Ecological Setting

The Little Otter Creek watershed is located wholly within the Champlain Valley bio-geophysical province
(Stewart, 1973; Capen, 1998). Broadly speaking, the natural community assemblages in the watershed
consist of Northern Hardwood Forests and Oak-Pine-Northern Hardwood Forests on the uplands
(especially in the northeastern third of the watershed) and Forested Wetlands and Open or Shrub
Wetlands present in the lowlands (Thompson & Sorenson, 2000).

Fragments of intact and modified clayplain forest communities are found in the watershed. Documented
roosting habitat for the federally-endangered Indiana Bat is located in the highlands north of Plank Road
and east of North Street (Liz Thompson, personal communication). Roosting and likely foraging habitats
are also documented between Lime Kiln Road and North Street in New Haven and Monkton (Native
Geographic, 2011). The lowest reaches of the Little Otter Creek near the mouth are characterized as a
freshwater marsh ecosystem. Approximately 1,000 acres of marsh and upland hardwood forest are
managed by the VT Fish & Wildlife Department at the Little Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area. This
area contains several threatened and endangered bird species, including Osprey, Least Bittern and
American Bittern.

The Little Otter Creek is identified as a cold-water stream in the Vermont Water Quality Standards
(Vermont Natural Resources Board, 2008). The Biomonitoring & Aquatic Studies Section (BASS) of the
VTDEC Water Quality Division maintains several fish and macroinvertebrate monitoring stations on the
Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek. Table 5 identifies six BASS stations that are located on the reaches
assessed as part of this geomorphic study. Each BASS monitoring station happens to be nearly co-
located with an existing water quality station maintained by the Addison County River Watch
Collaborative (see Section 2.8). These stations are provisionally identified as Warm-Water-Medium-
Gradient wadeable stream ecotype ecotypes (Fiske, 2011, personal communication) following the
Proposed Nutrient Criteria for Vermonts Lakes and Wadeable Streams (VTDEC, 2009).

Table 5. Location of Biomonitoring Stations on Assessed Reaches of the Little Otter Creek/ Mud Creek.

Stream Reach
Nearest Road
Crossing Town
Corresponding
Water Quality
Station
(ACRWC)
BASS
Station
Community
Type(s) BASS Site ID
Little Otter Creek M13-A North St New Haven LOC14.4 12.7 MF 540000000127
Little Otter Creek M12-B Plank Rd New Haven LOC14.4 12.6 MF 540000000126
Little Otter Creek M09-C Lime Kiln Rd Monkton LOC11 9.6 F 540000000096
Little Otter Creek M09-A Monkton Rd Ferrisburgh LOC10 9.0 MF 540000000090
Little Otter Creek M07-A Wing Rd Ferrisburgh LOC8 7 MF 540000000070
Mud Creek T2.01-B Middlebrook Rd Ferrisburgh MDC1.2 0.7 F 540500000007
ACRWC = Addison County River Watch Collaborative
BASS = Biomonitoring & Aquatic Studies Section of VTDEC Water Quality Division
MF = Macroinvertebrates & Fish
F = Fish

Measurements of various metrics describing the health of fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages are
used by the State of Vermont to determine aquatic life support use of wadeable stream reaches. Of the
BASS stations listed above in Table 5, macroinvertebrate and fish data are available for stations 7, 9 and
12.7, only. Station 7 (near site LOC8) was tested for fish and macroinvertebrates in 2006. Station 9
(near LOC10) was tested for macroinvertebrates in 1990 and for fish in 1993. Station 12.7 (near
LOC14.4) was tested for fish in 1993 and for macroinvertebrates in 1996, 2001, and 2006. It appears
that this Station 12.7 (and Station 4.1 near the Route 7 bridge and LOC4.3 outside of the reaches

South Mountain R&CS
15
assessed for this gemorphic study) are sampled for macroinvertebrates on an approximate 5-year cycle.
Based on these limited sampling dates, macroinvertebrate communities were classified as ranging from
Fair (or substantially degraded) to Excellent/ Very Good (near reference). For the sites where
macroinvertebrate data is available for multiple dates, trends can be inferred. Biological integrity has
decreased (from Excellent/ Very Good in 1996 to Good in 2006) at the upper watershed BASS station
12.7 (near LOC14.4). An inconclusive trend is evident at BASS station 4.1 near the Route 7 crossing in
the lower main stem (from Fair in 1993, to Good in 2001 and 2006, back to Good/Fair in 2008).
Individual metrics comprising the overall macroinvertebrate community assessments indicate that
degraded conditions are due to nutrient enrichment and silt/sediment. Fish communities sampled at
these sites during discrete events in 1993 and 2006 indicate that moderately degraded, or good
biological integrity exists at these BASS stations. (Fiske, 2011, personal communication).

2.7 Land Use

Current (1993) land use / land cover is summarized for the Little Otter Creek watershed in Table 6 and
Figure 9. Land use is estimated as 51% agricultural, 25% forested, and 3% developed, with the
remainder comprised of lakes, ponds, wetlands, and scrub/shrub (VCGI, 2003; Millette, 1997 source
imagery dated 1991 to 1993).

Forest cover is somewhat more abundant in the northeastern extremes of the watershed but overall is
much lower than in other nearby watersheds (e.g., Lewis Creek, 61% forested). Agricultural land cover
/ land use dominates the watershed, particularly in the tributary of Mud Creek. Higher densities of
agricultural activities tend to be coincident with the silt and clay-rich soils of glaciolacustrine origin found
in the central and western portions of the watershed.

In previous centuries, industrial and manufacturing activities were located along the Little Otter Creek
main stem (Smith, 1886; Beers, 1871). Saw mills, a grist mill, a potashery, a woolen factory and other
industries were located in vicinity of Frasers Falls (reach M02 / M01) near Ferrisburgh village. Similar
enterprises operated in the later 1700s and early 1800s at Birketts Falls, Walkers Falls and above the
Monkton Road crossing (Smith, 1886). Two sawmills, an iron ore furnace and casting house, and a
distillery were operating upstream of the Plank Road / North Street intersection in New Haven during the
early to mid 1800s (Farnsworth, 1984). Dams were present on the channel to impound water and
provide power to these manufacturing interests. Most of these dams are no longer present, having been
breached or destroyed in past floods. Dam remnants are present at Frasers Falls just above the Little
Chicago Road crossing in Ferrisburgh village.

In the last few centuries, 138 miles of roads have been installed within the Little Otter Creek watershed.
A majority of the roads have drainage ditches associated with them. These roads and road ditches
intersect the stream network in more than 270 locations (Middlebury College Environmental Studies
Senior Seminar, 2011).

The Vermont Railway line crosses Little Otter Creek near the Little Chicago Road crossing. This line was
installed by 1850 (Farnsworth, 1984). Tributaries to the Little Otter including Mud Creek are crossed in
several locations by this railroad line, as well as a former spur (constructed in 1891, now abandoned)
leading from New Haven junction east to the village of Bristol. In some locations the tributaries have
been channelized and floodplains reduced in width due to encroachment of the railroads.

Widespread deforestation of Vermonts landscape occurred by the early- to mid-1880s to support
subsistence farming, sheep farming and various lumber trades. Forest cover in the highlands began to
regenerate in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during the industrial age when upland farms and sawmills
were commonly abandoned (Thompson & Sorenson, 2000).


South Mountain R&CS
16
Table 6. Land cover/ land use in Little Otter Creek watershed and Mud Creek tributary.

Watershed
Drainage Area
(sq mi)
C
o
m
m
e
r
c
i
a
l

/

I
n
d
u
s
t
r
i
a
l
R
e
s
i
d
e
n
t
i
a
l
A
g
r
i
c
u
l
t
u
r
a
l
F
o
r
e
s
t
W
a
t
e
r

/

W
e
t
l
a
n
d
Little Otter Ck (upstream of M01)
(including Mud Creek) 72.5 0.03 3.2 55.2 25.4 13.5
Little Otter Ck (upstream of M02)
(including Mud Creek) 58.6 0.03 3.3 52.3 28.2 13.5
Little Otter Ck (upstream of M05) 45.0 0.02 3.3 47.9 32.2 13.6
Mud Creek (upstream of T2.01) 9.1 0.04 3.0 67.9 16.4 10.6
Mud Creek (upstream of T2.03) 8.0 0.04 3.0 66.3 17.9 10.6

Figure 9. Land cover / land use in the Little Otter Creek watershed.

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2.8 Water Quality

Long term water quality monitoring near the mouth of the Little Otter Creek has identified elevated
phosphorus levels and turbidity (VTDEC WQD and NYSDEC, 2009). Phosphorus loading targets have
been established for tributaries draining to Lake Champlain as part of the strategy to achieve in-lake
target concentrations of phosphorus for various segments of Lake Champlain. Phosphorus loading from
the Little Otter Creek to Lake Champlain for monitoring years 1990 to 2006 has exceeded target levels
(Medalie & Smeltzer, 2004; LCBP, 2008). No significant trend (neither improving nor deteriorating) is
apparent for phosphorus loading from the Little Otter Creek (LCBP, 2008). Little Otter Creek drains to
the Otter Creek segment of Lake Champlain, which has an established target concentration of
14 micrograms per liter (VTANR & NYSDEC, 2002). Concentrations of phosphorus in the Otter Creek
segment of Lake Champlain are sometimes higher than this target, and sometimes lower; overall, there is
no statistically significant trend in phosphorus levels in this lake segment (LCBP, 2008).

Addison County River Watch Collaborative (ACRWC) has monitored water quality at the sub-watershed
level since 1997. Sampling has been conducted during Summer-season, low- to moderate-flow
conditions and more recently during Spring flow conditions. Monitoring has identified phosphorus and
E. coli impacts in Little Otter Creek, as well as sedimentation from unstable stream reaches, agricultural
runoff, and road / culvert maintenance practices (ACRWC, 2009; ACRWC/ SMRC, 2011).

Six stations are currently monitored by the ACRWC during Spring and Summer. Analyses are conducted
for E.coli , turbidity, total suspended solids, dissolved phosphorus, particulate phosphorus, and nitrates
(Table 7). These ACRWC stations complement the long-term monitoring station maintained by VTDEC
Water Quality Division near the Route 7 bridge (vicinity of traditional ACRWC Site LOC4.3 Reach M02).

Table 7. Water Quality stations monitored by the Addison County River Watch
Collaborative (ACRWC) in Little Otter Creek watershed, 2010-2011.

Stream Reach
ACRWC
Site No. Site Name
M02 LOC4.3 Route 7 bridge
Little Otter Creek M05 LOC7.8 Middlebrook Road bridge
M07 LOC8 Wing Road bridge
M09 LOC10 Monkton Road bridge
M12 LOC14.4 Plank Rd west of North Street
Mud Creek T2.01 MDC1.2
Middlebrook Road bridge upstream from
confluence with Little Otter Creek

E. coli is frequently above the State water quality standard (77 organisms per 100 mL) at regularly
monitored sampling stations located from approximate river mile 4.3 to river mile 14.4 on the main stem
and in the downstream end of Mud Creek (ACRWC, 2009; SMRC/ACRWC, 2011). Results for Summer of
2010 sampling events are presented in Figure 10.


South Mountain R&CS
18
2010 - Little Otter Creek
Summer E.coli Results (MPN/100 mL)
1
10
100
1000
10000
MDC1.2
LOC14.4
LOC10
LOC8
LOC7.8
LOC4.3
VT State Standard =
77 MPN/100 mL
Sampling
Stations
Date:
DMF (cfs):
Percentile:
June 2
18
61%
July 7
12
71%
August 4
71
22%
September 1
7
84%
>2419.6

Turbidity levels (suspended sediments) at the Little Otter Creek sampling stations LOC11, LOC7.8 and
LOC4.3 and at the Mud Creek sampling station (ACRWC, 2009; SMRC/ACRWC, 2011) often exceed the
state standard of 10 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs) for this Class B cold-water stream (Vermont
Natural Resources Board, 2008) (see Figure 11).

Spring/Summer Turbidity Results (NTUs)
0.1
1
10
100
1000
10000
MDC1.2
LOC14.4
LOC10
LOC8
LOC7.8
LOC4.3
VT State Standard =
10 NTUs
Sampling
Stations
Date:
DMF (cfs):
Percentile:
Apr 7
86
19%
July 7
12
71%
Aug 4
71
22%
Sept 1
7
84%
June 2
18
61%
May 4/5
67 / 107
23%/ 16%

Figure 11. Spring / Summer 2010 Turbidity Monitoring Results, Little Otter Creek watershed.

Figure 10. Summer 2010
E.coli monitoring results, Little
Otter Creek watershed.
DMF = Daily Mean Flow.
Dates in blue indicate
moderate flows.

South Mountain R&CS
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Total Phosphorus concentrations have often been above levels which would suggest nutrient enrichment
at the regularly-monitored sampling sites on the Little Otter main stem and Mud Creek (monitored 1997-
2008, 2010). Long-term monitoring data collected by VTDEC Water Quality Division near the Route 7
bridge (0.65 mile downstream of LOC4.3, monitored 1990-2009) suggest that phosphorus is more
dominantly found in the dissolved phase rather than the particulate phase, sorbed to fine sediments
(VTDEC WQD and NYSDEC, 2009; ACRWC, 2009).

Total Phosphorus results for the Spring / Summer 2010 sampling events are summarized in Figure 12
(SMRC/ACRWC, 2011). The mean concentration of Total Phosphorus for four Summer sample dates
exceeded the proposed criteria of 44 ug-P/L for the warm-water medium gradient (WWMG) wadeable
stream ecotype in Class B waters (VTDEC, 2009). Exceedance of these proposed criteria may indicate
impacts to aquatic life support and aesthetics uses.

2010 - Little Otter Creek watershed
Summer (low-flow) Total Phosphorus Results (ug/L)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
MDC1.2 LOC14.4 LOC10 LOC8 LOC7.8 LOC4.3
M
u
d

C
r
e
e
k
Mean
Min
Max
Proposed In-stream Phosphorus Criteria = 44 ug/L (WWMG, Class B)
Mud Creek tributary
joins Little Otter Creek
between sites LOC7.8
and LOC4.3

Figure 12. Spring / Summer 2010 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Results, Little Otter Creek watershed.

There are no significant point sources of phosphorus (such as wastewater treatment plant discharge)
within the Little Otter Creek watershed (VTANR and NYSDEC, 2002); nonpoint sources account for
essentially the total contribution of phosphorus in the watershed. Eroding streambanks have been
identified as a contributing nonpoint source of phosphorus in rivers and streams of Vermont (VTANR,
2001; DeWolfe et al., 2004) and elsewhere in the nation (Kalma & Ulmer, 2003; Nelson & Booth, 2002).
A study in nearby Lewis Creek watershed found that streambank erosion accounted for between 22 and
35% of the total phosphorus load of that watershed (DeWolfe et al., 2004).

Total Nitrogen concentrations at ACRWC stations in the Little Otter Creek are historically low and below
the state standard for nitrogen as nitrate (5 mg/L). In 2010, the mean concentration of Total Nitrogen
for the four Summer sample dates exceeded the proposed criteria of 0.75 mg-N/L for the warm-water
medium gradient (WWMG) wadeable stream ecotype in Class B waters suggesting possible impacts to
aquatic life support and aesthetics uses.


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Temperature was monitored at two stations on the Little Otter Creek (LOC14.4 and LOC10) during 2010
as part of a separately-published flow study. Data loggers installed at these sites recorded temperature at
15-minute intervals. Temperatures at both sites exceeded 20 degrees Celsius for several days during the
mid-Summer months. Temperature at downstream site LOC10 was consistently higher than upstream
site LOC14.4 during July, August, and September. The Little Otter Creek channel between these sites is
characterized by minimal forested buffers and extensive open-canopy wetlands.
Temperature Monitoring (Celsius)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360
Ordinal Date
LOC10
LOC14.4
6/9/2010 12/26/2010

Figure 13. Temperature Monitoring Results for Two Stations
on the Little Otter Creek, Summer/Fall 2010.

Based in part on VTDEC and ACRWC water quality monitoring results, the State of Vermont has listed the
following Little Otter Creek sections as impaired (VTDEC WQD, 2010a):

Little Otter Creek main stem, 7.8 river miles upstream of the mouth, for aquatic life support due
to E. coli and other undefined pollutants resulting from agricultural runoff (reaches M01 through
M05);

Little Otter Creek main stem, from river mile 15.4 to 16.4, for aquatic life support and contact
recreation uses due to E.coli and other undefined pollutants resulting from agricultural runoff
(reaches M12 and M13).

In addition, the following river section is listed on Part C (List of Priority Surface Waters in need of
Further Assessment) for E. coli impacts (to contact recreation uses) likely from agricultural runoff (VTDEC
WQD, 2010b):

Mud Creek from the confluence with Little Otter Creek upstream approximately 4 miles (reaches
T2.01 through T2.03).

The Little Otter Creek is listed as a High priority for development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
plan to address these water quality impacts (VTDEC WQD, 2010a).


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3.0 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

Eleven reaches (12.7 river miles) of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek were evaluated to identify
watershed- and reach-scale stressors that have led to sediment and nutrient impacts in the watershed as
a result of modifications to the hydrologic and sediment regimes. This study utilized the VTANR guidance
document, River Corridor Protection and Restoration Planning: A Guide for Project Identification and
Development (2010), as a framework for data evaluation and identification of mitigation projects.

Assessments included:

Windshield surveys of the watershed to visually observe channel / floodplain conditions during
high-water stages and identify points of concentrated stormwater runoff to the Little Otter Creek
stream network (see Project CD for photographs);
Aerial surveys of the watershed (25 March 2010, 7 April 2011);
Remote-sensing (see Appendix G, Flow Accumulation Grid Maps);
Phase 2 stream geomorphic assessments per VTANR protocols;
A review of existing water quality data (VTDEC and ACRWC); and
A review of existing flow data (USGS, ACRWC)
A review of road and right-of-way impacts by Middlebury College students.

Three Steering Committee meetings with project sponsors (VTDEC MAPP and RMP) and various
stakeholders were convened during this study to share data and identify projects for implementation.
A list of Steering Committee members is provided on page ii of this report. Meeting summaries are
provided on the Project CD.

3.1 Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment

Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessments and Bridge and Culvert Assessments conducted on the Little
Otter Creek and Mud Creek reaches utilized protocols published by the Vermont Agency of Natural
Resources (2009) and available at: http://www.vtwaterquality.org/rivers/htm/rv_geoassesspro.htm.
Reference is made to these protocols for a description of specific methods.

Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment protocols are field procedures for geomorphic and habitat
assessment. Reach-specific and cross-section data gathered during Phase 2 characterize the present
geomorphic condition of the river reach and the dominant process(es) of adjustment (i.e., degradation,
widening, aggradation and/or planform adjustment). Phase 2 results, along with Phase 1 assessment
results, define the natural and human disturbances to the watershed and channel over time and the
composite response or adjustment of the channel to these stressors (i.e., the degree of departure).

The eleven Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek reaches were assessed from 14 May through 28 October 2010.
Specific features and channel positions were located using a Garmin
TM
76CSx model global positioning
system (GPS) unit. Pictures were recorded with a digital camera.

In accordance with protocols, select features were digitized in ArcView
3.x and referenced to the

Vermont Hydrography Dataset (VHD), using the Feature Indexing Tool, a component of the Stream
Geomorphic Assessment Tool (SGAT, v. 4.59). Certain parameters documented during the original
Phase 1 Stream Geomorphic Assessment were updated based on field observations in Phase 2 (see
Section 3.2). Phase 2 assessment data were entered into the online Data Management System (DMS,
v.4.56) maintained by the VTANR. Phase 2 reach summary reports are compiled in Appendix A.


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Five road crossing structures, two footbridges, and two instream culverts were encountered during Phase
2 assessments. Spans, clearance and width measurements were conducted at each structure. The span
of each crossing was compared to measured or predicted bankfull widths (VTDEC WQD, 2006) to
determine if the structure was a constrictor of flows at the bankfull stage or the flood-prone-width
elevation (10-year to 50-year flood). Appendix B of this report provides a summary of the bridge and
culvert assessments completed for the bridge and culvert crossings in accordance with Appendix G of the
VTANR protocols (April 2009). Bridge and culvert data were entered into the Structures portion of the
DMS (under the Little Otter Creek database).

A reference stream type (Phase 1) and an existing stream type (Phase 2) were classified for each reach.
Stream type designations are based on Rosgen (1996) and Montgomery & Buffington (1997). A
sensitivity classification was also assigned to each reach based on the Phase 2 stream geomorphic
assessment data. According to VTANR protocols, the sensitivity classification is intended to identify the
degree or likelihood that vertical and lateral adjustments (erosion) will occur, as driven by natural and/or
human-induced fluvial processes (VTANR, 2007b). Inherent in the stream sensitivity rating are:

the natural sensitivity of the reach given the topographic setting (confinement, gradient) and
geologic boundary conditions (sediment sizes) as reflected in the reference stream type
classification; and

the enhanced sensitivity of the reach given by the degree of departure from reference (or
dynamic equilibrium) condition as reflected in the existing stream type classification and the
condition (Reference, Good, Fair to Poor) rating of the Rapid Geomorphic Assessment).

Abbreviations used in the sections below include the following (see protocols for further description):

Left Bank, facing downstream (abbreviated, LB)
Right Bank, facing downstream (RB).
Incision Ratio (IR) = Low Bank Height / Bankfull Max Depth
o IR
RAF
= Recently Abandoned Floodplain Incision Ratio
o IR
HEF
= Human-Elevated Floodplain Incision Ratio

Entrenchment Ratio (ER) = Flood Prone Width / Bankfull Width
Width / Depth Ratio (W/D) = Bankfull Width / Mean Depth
Flood Prone Width (FPW) estimated as the 10- to 50-year flood event
Stream Type Departure (STD)
Large Woody Debris (LWD)
Debris Jams (DJs)
Rapid Geomorphic Assessment (RGA)
Rapid Habitat Assessment (RHA)
Vermont Hydrography Dataset (VHD)
National Wetlands Inventory (NWI)
Vermont Significant Wetlands Inventory (VSWI)

3.2 Phase 1 Assessment Updates

Original Phase 1 assessment data (ACRPC, 2006) for the eleven tributary reaches were reviewed and
verified during field work as per VTANR protocols. Necessary corrections or updates were documented
on Phase 1 summary sheets for each reach. As appropriate, GIS shape files were corrected or updated
(using the Feature Indexing Tool). Phase 1 data in the DMS was updated, and the metadata for each
Phase 1 step in the database were reviewed and updated (where necessary) to reflect that data were
supported by field observations. Phase 1 reach summary reports are presented in Appendix A. Phase 1
steps that were updated included:

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reach break elevations (Step 2.1)
valley confinement (Step 2.9)
reference stream type (Step 2.11)
presence of alluvial fans (Step 3.1);
presence and location of bedrock or other grade controls (Step 3.2)
steepness of valley side slopes (Step 3.4);
width of riparian buffers (Step 4.3);
groundwater inputs (Step 4.4);
revetment lengths and locations (Step 5.3);
channel straightening (Step 5.4);
location and lengths of berms and roads (Step 6.1);
location and lengths of development (Step 6.2);
occurrence of depositional bars and bedforms (Step 6.3);
occurrence of channel avulsions, neck cut-offs, flood chutes (Step 6.4);
erosion lengths and heights (Step 7.2);
occurrence of, or potential for, ice/debris jams (Step 7.3)

The elevation data for the downstream and upstream ends of the overall reach were originally developed
in the Phase 1 assessment (Step 2.1) of the Little Otter Creek watershed (ACRPC, 2006). During this
Phase 2, nearly all the reach break elevations were updated as a result of field-based observations, and
to correct apparent interpolation errors. Accordingly, channel and valley gradient calculations were
updated. In no case did these updates result in a change in stream type slope category for the overall
reach.

The position of the reference (Phase 1) valley walls was updated, based on field observations and
following clarifications to valley wall delineation procedures articulated in protocol updates between 2004
and 2009. Also, a shape file of the modified (Phase 2) valley wall was generated; details of the valley
wall delineation method are provided in Appendix C. Updated valley wall shape files are contained on the
Project CD.

3.3 Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Phase 1 and Phase 2 stream geomorphic data were reviewed against standard DMS Phase 2 quality
control checks (X.1 through X.4), and then submitted to the River Management Section for a quality
assurance review. Quality assurance documentation is contained in Appendix D.

The following considerations and limitations apply to the Phase 2 data for the Little Otter Creek / Mud
Creek reaches:

Where applicable, reaches were segmented using the Segmentation Tool contained in SGAT
(v. 4.59). Segmentation was necessary to:

o Capture subreaches of a stream type (after Montgomery & Buffington, 1997; and Rosgen, 1996)
that was different than the reference stream type of the overall reach;
o Identify sections of a reach that were of distinctly different geomorphic condition;
o Identify sections of a reach undergoing a different channel management or land use; and
o Define wetland-dominated and/or beaver-impounded channel sections.

The Segmentation Tool within SGAT automates the calculation of segment lengths. Elevation data
for the downstream and upstream segment breaks were interpolated from USGS 7.5-Minute
topographic maps. Segment lengths and elevations are presented in Appendix E, along with channel

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gradients calculated for each segment. Segment slopes were factored into the stream-type
designation for each segment.

Select Phase 2 features (including, grade control locations, stormwater inputs, streambank erosion,
revetment locations, and more) were geo-located using the Feature Indexing Tool (FIT) in SGAT.
Using FIT, these features are indexed to the available Vermont Hydrography Dataset (VHD) for the
Little Otter Creek watershed. The VHD in this region was apparently digitized from 1995
orthophotos. In a few cases, surface waters depicted on the VHD were offset from their actual
position on 1995 orthophotos available for the study area. In some cases, the actual channel
position has moved from its 1995 position as a result of natural channel migrations. These cases
were revealed by comparison of the 1995 orthophotos with available 2003 and 2006 imagery, or by
review of 2010 channel positions recorded with a hand-held GPS receiver. Thus, locations and
lengths of features indexed to the VHD should be considered approximate.

Most of the assessed segments of the Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek could be classified as
suspended-load channels (Schumm, 1977) or washload-dominated channels (Knighton, 1998).
These channels, flowing through cohesive silts of glaciolacustrine origin, were dominated by
suspended loads of finer materials. Bedloads of coarser sands, gravels or cobbles were generally
absent (with exception of a few segments). Cross sections performed in these silt/clay bed channels
tended to be somewhat narrower and significantly deeper than predicted by the VTANR regional
hydraulic geometry curves which have been developed for non-cohesive alluvial (gravel- and sand-
bed) streams (VTDEC WQD, 2006b; VTDEC WWD, 2001). This finding is consistent with Schumm
(1960), who reported a decrease in width/depth ratios with increasing percentage of silt and clay
sediments in channel bed and banks.

4.0 PHASE 2 ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Geomorphic and habitat assessments were completed on 11 reaches (12.7 river miles) of the Little Otter
Creek and Mud Creek in 2010. Assessment results are discussed below in Sections 4.1 and 4.2,
respectively. Reach evaluations have also been informed by observations during windshield surveys and
flyovers of the watershed. Reach and segment summary reports are provided in Appendix B. Detailed
reach narratives are provided in Appendix F. Reach locations are illustrated in Figure 14.

4.1 Little Otter Creek main stem - New Haven, Monkton, Bristol

Main stem assessements focused on ten reaches in the central portion of the Little Otter Creek
watershed, from Plank Road in New Haven downstream to the Satterly Road crossing in Ferrisburgh
(Figure 14), These reaches (M13 through M04) have upstream drainage areas ranging from 11.9 to 57.4
square miles. Assessment results are summarized in Table 8.

For the most part, assessed reaches of the Little Otter Creek main stem are characterized by a sinuous,
low-gradient, channel in a very broad, unconfined valley setting. With a few exceptions, the planform of
the river has remained largely unchanged for at least 70 years, based on review of historic aerial
photographs (2006, 2003, 1995, 1974, 1962, 1942). The channel is well-connected to the surrounding
floodplain. Streambanks are comprised of cohesive sediments (silt and silty-clays). Floodplain soils are
hydric in nature, and channel-contiguous wetlands are wide-spread (where they have not been previously
converted to agricultural use by drain tile and field ditches).

Along the river network, there are occasional valley pinch points where the channel crosses regional fault
features in the underlying bedrock (Figure 14). Bedrock-controlled valley side slopes confine the channel

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Figure 14. Reach Location Map, Little Otter Creek watershed.
Assessed reaches highlighted in red.

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Table 8. Results of Phase 2 Geomorphic Assessments, 2010. Little Otter Creek main stem New Haven, Monkton, Ferrisburgh

Reach
Seg-
ment
Channel
Length
(ft)
Channel
Slope
(%)
Drainage
Area
(sq mi)
Stream
Type
Incision
Ratio
Width/
Depth
Ratio
RHA
Condition
RGA
Condition Adjustment
Channel
Evolution
Stage
Stream Type
Departure? Sensitivity
M13 B 3,085 1.2 Bc3-R/P 1.1 [RAF] 20.8 0.81 Good 0.76 Good Mod PF I [F] No Moderate
A * 1,095 1.4 11.9 C4-R/P 1.6 [RAF] 17.4 0.73 Good 0.61 Fair Mod PF; Hist Deg II [ F] No Very High
M12 B * 632 0.3 C4-PB 1.7 [RAF] 26.1 0.54 Fair 0.59 Fair Mod Aggr; Hist Deg II [ F] No Very High
A 3,869 0.2 12.3 E5-R/D 1.0 12.2 0.73 Good 0.71 Good Mod Aggr; Min PF I [F] No High
M11 B 6,013 0.2 E5-R/D 1.1 [RAF] 11.7 0.75 Good 0.80 Good Min Wid I [F] No High
A 4,164 0.07 25.5
M10 -- 6,688 0.07 35.4
M09 C 989 0.3
B 678 0.9 Bc3-R/P 1.0 37.0 0.72 Good 0.74 Good Mod Hist Wid I [F] No Moderate
A 871 1.3 35.8 Bc3-R/P 1.7 [RAF] 24.2 0.65 Good 0.53 Fair Min PF; Hist Deg III [F] No High
M08 B * 1,872 0.2 C6-R/P 1.0 38.6 0.70 Good 0.71 Good Min Aggr; Hist Wid I [F] No High
A 6,290 0.05 39.4
M07 B 2,099 1.9 Bc3-R/P 1.0 37.2 0.68 Good 0.66 Good Min Aggr; Hist Wid I [F] No Moderate
A * 2,354 0.7 39.6 C3-R/P 1.1 [RAF] 32.4 0.67 Good 0.69 Good Min Aggr & Wid I [F] No Moderate
M06 -- 1,667 0.2 43.2 C3-R/P 1.0 17.3 0.69 Good 0.84 Good Min Wid & PF I [F] No Moderate
M05 -- 9,399 0.05 45.0 E5-R/D 1.0 6.9 0.67 Good 0.76 Good Min Hist PF I [F] No High
M04 -- 9,669 0.03 57.4 C6-R/D 1.0 17.2 0.75 Good 0.74 Good Mod Wid & PF I [F] E to C High
Abbreviations:
Channel Slope: Values in italic bold have been updated since the Phase 1 SGA, due to field-truthing and/or segmentation.
Stream Type: S/P = Step/Pool; R/P = Riffle/Pool; R/D = Ripple/Dune; PB = Plane Bed; Br = Braided; Casc = Cascade; Ref = Reference
Incision Ratio: RAF = Recently Abandoned Floodplain; HEF = Human-elevated Floodplain (following protocols, VTANR, 2009).
Condition: RHA = Rapid Habitat Assessment; RGA = Rapid Geomorphic Assessment (VTANR, 2009).
Adjustment: PF = Planform Adjustment; Aggr = Aggradation; Wid = Widening; Deg = Degradation; NM = Not Measured.
Channel Evolution Stage: F = F-stage model; D = D-stage model (see Appendix C of protocols, VTANR, May 2009).
* Subreach of alternate reference stream type.
Note: Channel slope values in italic bold have been updated since the Phase 1 SGA, due to field-truthing and/or segmentation.
Not Assessed - Wetland and Beaver-Impounded
Not Assessed - Wetland


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at these pinch points, such as a short segment (B) of reach M09 between Lime Kiln Road and Monkton
Road, or the bedrock gorge off Wing Road in segment M07-B, which contains a bedrock falls (Walkers
Falls) and other exposures of channel-spanning bedrock (Figure 15). These valley pinch points are
coincident with the bedrock-controlled nick points visible in the longitudinal profile of the Little Otter
Creek (Figure 5), including Birketts Falls and Frasers Falls (located in reaches M03 and M02, which were
not assessed).

Given the low valley gradients and prevalence of hydric soils, the channel and floodplain are frequently
inundated following storm events especially above valley pinch points (and bedrock nick points).
Tributary channels in similar unconfined, low-gradient settings on hydric soils are also frequently
inundated such as the tributary to M12 (Figures 16a, 16c). Based on flows recorded at the USGS
gaging station at Route 7 and visual observations during several windshield surveys carried out in 2010,
these areas are inundated during flows that occur on an annual and more frequent basis. Flood waters
are stored for several days above the valley pinch points at reach M09 (Lime Kiln Road), reach M07
(Walkers Falls) and M04 (Birketts Falls), and are slowly released to downstream reaches. Thus, flood
peaks recorded at the USGS Route 7 gage have a very broad and low-amplitude crest (for example,
Figure 6).

The upstream-most assessed reach, M13, represents a local valley pinch point where the Little Otter
Creek channel is crossing the southern end of the Monkton Thrust fault (see Figure 2 and Section 2.2.1).
This structure is responsible for the high relief of Monkton Ridge and associated hills of The Watershed
Center north of Plank Road in New Haven and Bristol. Reach M13 receives runoff from The Watershed
Center as well as the large Cedar Swamp to the southeast in the town of Bristol, which itself assimilates
drainage from the headwaters of the Little Otter Creek in New Haven and Bristol.

Within reaches M11 and M10 between Lime Kiln Road to the west and North Street to the east above the
valley pinch point in reach M09, the Little Otter channel receives drainage from extensive areas to the
north and south. The upstream drainage area of Little Otter Creek doubles within reach M11 (from 12.3
to 25.5 square miles) and increases by a third in reach M10 (from 25.5 to 35.4 square miles).

Figure 15. Bedrock falls in
reach M07-B, historically
known as Walkers Falls. A
history of Addison County
(Smith, 1886) notes that a
forge and a sawmill operated
in vicinity of Walkers Falls in
the early 1800s, but were
abandoned long ago.

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(a) Trib to M11 crossing Plank Rd in foreground, Reaches M11, M10 in
distance, View to North, 25 March 2010
(b) M04 (foreground); M05 and confluence with Mud Brook, T2.01
(picture left). View to southeast, 25 March 2010
(c) Trib to M11 crossing Plank Rd. View to southeast from Lime Kiln Rd,
2 October 2010
(d) Inundated corn fields along Trib to M11 near Plank Rd crossing.
View to south from Plank Rd, 2 October 2010
Figure 16. Inundation along Little Otter Creek during sub-annual (25 March 10) to annual (2 October 2010) frequency
flow conditions as recorded at the Route 7 USGS gage (see Figure 7, Section 2.4).

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Silt and fine-sand, dune-ripple bedforms are typical of the low-gradient reaches. Coarser bed materials
are evident in short segments or subreaches immediately downstream of bedrock-controlled valley pinch
points. Larger clasts (boulders, cobbles) are generally subangular, suggesting limited fluvial transport. It
is likely that these boulders have been derived from nearby bedrock sources and have been revealed in
the bed of the stream, as finer-grained sediments have been winnowed out over time.

Agricultural uses including pasture, hay and crop fields - are concentrated along most reaches of the
Little Otter Creek main stem, including M12, M11, M10, M08, M07, M06, M05 and M04. Drain tiles and
field ditches have been installed over the years to convert wet soils into productive fields. Where they
cross fields, tributaries to these reaches have also been channelized and periodically dredged to improve
drainage and to allow for easy equipment access. Several field-ditch and ditched-tributary inputs were
indexed in the assessed reaches. In reaches M10 and M04, these were generally coincident with points
of flow accumulation modeled with remote sensing by NRCS (Sims, 2010; see maps in Appendix G). At
present, livestock has direct access to the channel in reaches M07 and M06. Cattle were recently
excluded from the channel in reach M05 (within the last 10 years) and more historically from reach M04.

Residential and commercial encroachments along the assessed reaches are very minor. Generally,
residential and agricultural buildings are sparse and concentrated along the roads at the valley edges.
One exception is segment M12-B, where two residences have encroached along the channel following
historic straightening and berming.

Similarly, road encroachments are limited along the main stem reaches assessed. Plank Road passes
within the left-bank corridor at the upper end of reach M12; Dean Road (class 4, gravel) follows along the
right bank of reach M08 although generally well away from the channel; and a short section of
Middlebrook Road encroaches on reach M05 just downstream of the bridge crossing. Four road crossing
structures, two footbridges, and two instream culverts were encountered during Phase 2 assessments on
the main stem reaches. Two of the bridges were flood-prone-width-constrictors; the remaining bridges
and instream culverts had spans that were narrower than the measured bankfull width (see Section
6.6.1). A network of road ditches drains directly to the Little Otter Creek at these and other tributary
crossings. Many of these road ditches also receive drainage directly from nearby agricultural fields (see
Figures 23 and 35, Section 5.1.1).

While the main channel has had a similar planform for the past 70 years, there are sections which have a
linear planform for a distance greater than 20 times the channel width within close proximity to current or
historic cultivated fields (and that are unexplained by bedrock controls). Straightening may have
occurred prior to 1942. Channel sections in segments M08-A, M11-B and M11-A were indexed as having
been straightened, although no independent evidence of channelization was found). These sections were
not incised below the floodplain. Cohesive soils may have moderated channel adjustments.

Figure 17. Reach M10 of the
Little Otter Creek, dominated
by wetlands.

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Extensive management of the Little Otter Creek channel is photo-documented in only two segments (of
the ten assessed reaches). These locations are in settings where the channel transitions out of upstream
steeper-gradient, more confined conditions out into a very broad, unconfined valley. One location is in
reaches M13 / M12 in New Haven (Figure 18); the second is at the transition from reach M09 to M08 in
Ferrisburgh (Figure 19).

The upper end of reach M12 between the North Street and Plank Road culverts was historically
straightened and bermed according to Earl Bessette (local landowner and longtime resident; Bessette,
2009, p.69). This section of the stream previously had a more meandering planform similar to the rest of
the reach, as revealed on a 1942 aerial photograph. It had been straightened by 1962. A subreach of
C-riffle/pool reference stream type is inferred from the valley setting and from the planform of the pre-
straightened channel evident on the 1942 aerial photograph. Given the channelization, inferred dredging
and berming, this segment has undergone a moderate departure to a C4-plane bed channel with
moderate incision below the right-bank floodplain (IR
RAF
= 1.65); entrenchment of the channel is
enhanced by presence of the left-bank berm at a thalweg height of 7.8 ft).

A linear planform is evident extending partially upstream into reach M13. A degree of historic incision
(IR
RAF
= 1.6) was measured in segment M13-A (Table 8). It is possible that channel management
extended upstream of the North Street crossing, and/or incision worked headward from segment M12-B
(when the North Street crossing was a bridge rather than an instream culvert). Generally, the degree of
historic incision decreases with distance upstream to segment M13-B where the channel once again has
access to a (Narrow to Semi-confined) floodplain (IR
RAF
= 1.1). Resistant boundary conditions including
generally cohesive soils, limited armoring, and tree cover (in M13-A) have moderated lateral adjustments
in the channel. Segments M13-A and M12-B have persisted in this historically-incised condition. A
channel evolution stage of II [F] is inferred for both segments.

Figure 18. Vicinity of reach M13/ M12 near the Monkton Road crossing, Ferrisburgh.
LEGEND
Base image: 2006

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Figure 19. Vicinity of
reach M09 near the
Monkton Road
crossing, Ferrisburgh.
LEGEND
Base image: 2006

Figure 20. Vicinity of Monkton Road crossing, Ferrisburgh: (a) 1942; (b) 1962.
(a) (b)

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In reach M09, Monkton Road was straightened between 1942 and 1962 based on review of historic aerial
photos (Figure 20). The crossing was moved to its current site from a position further to the north. The
present bridge was constructed in 1951 according to the VTrans bridge and culvert inventory. Little Otter
Creek was channelized through the new bridge site, leaving abandoned meanders north of the channel
on the east side of the road, and south of the channel (also on the east side of the road). Berms were
constructed on either side of the channel in discrete locations east of the bridge to keep the channelized
river in its new planform. A short, lower-relief berm is also evident along the right bank downstream of
the bridge.

A moderate degree of incision (IR
RAF
= 1.7) was measured in this B3c-riffle/pool channel upstream from
the bridge site. Entrenchment of the channel has been enhanced local to the bridge by presence of the
left-bank and right-bank berms at a thalweg height of 6 ft though in each case, limited floodplain
access is available on the opposite bank. Generally, the degree of historic incision decreases with
distance upstream of the cross section site. In the next upstream segment (M09-B), the channel once
again has access to the floodplain (IR
RAF
= 1.0), although the width of the floodplain is very limited as the
channel is Semi-confined by steep, bedrock-controlled valley walls.

It is possible that incision worked headward in Segment M09-A as a direct result of the (post-1942 and
pre-1962) channelization, berming and inferred dredging of the channel. There is also the possibility of a
degree of post-glacial incision in this channel segment, in the thousands of years following the last glacial
stage. More detailed surficial geologic assessments would be required to determine the timing of
channel incision with greater certainty. Resistant boundary conditions including cohesive soils, limited
streambank armoring, and tree cover, have moderated lateral adjustments in the channel. Segment
M09-A persists in this historically-incised condition, although some limited widening is suggested by
observed erosion of the berms and a measured width /depth ratio of 24.4. An early channel evolution
stage of III [F] is inferred for segment M09-A.

The remaining assessed reaches and segments of the Little Otter Creek main stem had excellent
floodplain access (IR
RAF
<= 1.1). Most are inferred to be in channel evolution stage I [F] i.e., dynamic
equilibrium. A possible lateral stream type departure is inferred for reach M04 (E to C stream type) due
to the moderately high width/depth ratio.

4.2 Mud Creek tributary - Ferrisburgh

With an upstream drainage area of 9.1 square miles, Mud Creek comprises nearly 13% of the total
drainage area of Little Otter Creek. One reach of the Mud Creek tributary to Little Otter Creek was
assessed in 2010: the downstream-most reach of the channel, T2.01. Reach T2.01 extends from a dairy
pasture east of Middlebrook Road and south of Wing Road to cross under Middlebrook Road and join the
Little Otter Creek (in reach M04) west of Middlebrook Road. The reach is 1.1 mile in length. Assessment
results are summarized in Table 9.

This section of Mud Creek is underlain by hydric soils of glaciolacustrine parent material. Wetlands are
mapped contiguous to the channel (NWI). When bankfull flows prevail in the river network, the location
of T2.01 and the vicinity of its confluence with reach M05 are broadly inundated (see Figure 16b).

In the upper end of the reach, Mud Creek is somewhat steeper than the remainder of the reach,
transitioning from a more confined channel to a very broad valley setting. This portion of the reach
(Segment C) was segmented to reflect the somewhat different reference stream type, and due to land
use differences (active pasture). The reach was further segmented to capture a mid-reach area of
E stream type (Segment B), upstream from a multi-thread channel flowing through mapped wetlands
(Segment A). C stream type) due to the moderately high width/depth ratio.

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Table 9. Results of Phase 2 Geomorphic Assessments, 2010. Mud Creek tributary to Little Otter Creek Ferrisburgh

Reach
Seg-
ment
Channel
Length
(ft)
Channel
Slope
(%)
Drainage
Area
(sq mi)
Stream
Type
Incision
Ratio
Width/
Depth
Ratio
RHA
Condition
RGA
Condition Adjustment
Channel
Evolution
Stage
Stream Type
Departure? Sensitivity
T2.01 C 1,151 1.0
B 1,749 0.2 C4-R/D 1.0 16.3 0.76 Good 0.65 Good Wid, Min Aggr & PF I [F] E to C High
A 2,789 0.07 9.1
Abbreviations:
Channel Slope: Values in italic bold have been updated since the Phase 1 SGA, due to field-truthing and/or segmentation.
Stream Type: S/P = Step/Pool; R/P = Riffle/Pool; R/D = Ripple/Dune; PB = Plane Bed; Br = Braided; Casc = Cascade; Ref = Reference
Incision Ratio: RAF = Recently Abandoned Floodplain; HEF = Human-elevated Floodplain (following protocols, VTANR, 2009).
Condition: RHA = Rapid Habitat Assessment; RGA = Rapid Geomorphic Assessment (VTANR, 2009).
Adjustment: PF = Planform Adjustment; Aggr = Aggradation; Wid = Widening; Deg = Degradation; NM = Not Measured.
Channel Evolution Stage: F = F-stage model; D = D-stage model (see Appendix C of protocols, VTANR, May 2009).
* Subreach of alternate reference stream type.
Note: Channel slope values in italic bold have been updated since the Phase 1 SGA, due to field-truthing and/or segmentation.
Not Assessed - No Access
Not Assessed - Wetland


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While the short cross-overs between meander bends (occasionally) and a couple of bars (especially near
the upstream end of the segment) contained fine to coarse gravel, the majority of Segment B was
characterized by silt/ sand bed and silt banks with a weak dune-ripple form.

Wetland conditions in Segment A, including deep pools and very mucky bed substrates, precluded
assessment on foot on 19 August 2010. This segment was later viewed by kayak from the confluence
with Little Otter Creek on 28 October 2010. However, upstream progress on this later date was
prevented by multiple channel-spanning debris jams. Access to Segment C (active pasture) was not
granted.

Other than the Middlebrook Road bridge crossing, there are no infrastructure encroachments within the
reach T2.01. This road passes along the right bank for a very short section of the channel on approach
to the bridge crossing (Segment B). The bridge span is somewhat constricting of the flood prone width
(110% of the measured bankfull width), and a sharp approach angle directs flow at a right angle to the
left-bank concrete abutment. Crop and hay fields encroach within the southern (left-bank) corridor,
within 50 feet of the channel.

There is a section in segment T2.01-B which has a linear planform for a distance greater than 20 times
the channel width within close proximity to cultivated fields. Straightening may have occurred prior to
1942. This section was indexed as having been straightened, although no independent evidence of
channelization was found. Segment T2.01-B is not incised below the floodplain. Cohesive soils may have
moderated channel adjustments in response to historic straightening.

Reach T2.01 has excellent floodplain access. The channel planform has been generally stable over recent
decades, except for a couple of neck cutoffs. Like reach M04, a lateral stream type departure is inferred
for T2.01-B (E to C stream type) due to the moderately high width/depth ratio.

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5.0 DEPARTURE ANALYSIS, STRESSOR IDENTIFICATION & SENSITIVITY

Phase 1 and Phase 2 stream geomorphic assessments of the Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek reaches
provide for a better understanding of how human-caused disturbances at the watershed and reach level
may have altered or constrained the rivers ability to convey the water and sediment inputs to the
watershed. Consideration of the current state of channel evolution and reach sensitivity will help to
ensure that identified river management strategies and restoration or conservation projects will be
successful over the long term.

Channel and watershed disturbances that exceed thresholds for change can upset the dynamic
equilibrium of stream systems. Imbalance in the channel affects the sediment transport capacity of the
stream system, and can have significant consequences for erosion hazards, water quality and riparian
habitats. Equilibrium can be disturbed locally and result in channel adjustments that are limited in
magnitude and extent (for example, scour at an undersized culvert crossing). Alternately, the
disturbance (or an overlapping combination of disturbances) can be of sufficient size, duration, or
frequency to cause substantial channel adjustments that result in a system-wide imbalance extending far
upstream and downstream through the river network.

Such imbalances, whether localized or systemic, can interfere with the rivers ability to efficiently convey
its water and sediment loads. These interruptions may be expressed as a sediment transport deficiency
where sediment accumulates in the channel (which itself may lead to further imbalances - e.g., flow
widens and splits to erode streambanks on either side, or flow may avulse or jump its banks in a flood
event). Alternately, the imbalance can be expressed as an increase in sediment transport capacity. For
example, a channel that has been straightened, dredged, armored and bermed has a local increase in
channel slope and channel entrenchment, which creates higher flow velocities, and an increased power to
erode the streambed. If the channel bed is scoured, this condition often leads to further channel
adjustments including streambank collapse and widening.

Sediment transport capacity of the channel can be inferred from the geomorphic features observed
during field work and from the identified reach-scale and watershed-scale stressors. Even a qualitative
understanding of features and fluvial processes can help to identify and prioritize appropriate
management strategies for the river that will facilitate a return toward a more balanced (dynamic
equilibrium) condition.

As stated in VTANR (2007b) guidance: Within a reach, the principles of stream equilibrium dictate that
stream power and sediment will tend to distribute evenly over time (Leopold, 1994). Changes or
modifications to watershed inputs and hydraulic geometry create disequilibrium and lead to an uneven
distribution of power and sediment. Large channel adjustments observed as dramatic erosion and
deposition may be the result of this uneven distribution and may continue until [quasi-]equilibrium is
achieved.

The departure analysis and sensitivity analysis presented below characterize the current condition of the
Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek reaches, and their degree of departure from reference, or a pre-disturbed
state.

5.1 Departure Analysis

The departure analysis reviews watershed-level and reach-level disturbances to the channel and
characterizes the potential nature and extent of these disturbances as stressors to the overall equilibrium
of the river network. Changes to the hydrology and/or sediment load are important as they may

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significantly affect the hydraulic geometry and fluvial processes of the river and lead to an imbalance of
the river network. A channel in dis-equilibrium may undergo substantial lateral and vertical adjustments
that may be at odds with human infrastructure or land uses in the river corridor. Watershed-scale
hydrologic and sediment regime stressors are addressed in Section 5.1.1. Changes in sediment loading
characteristics that influence sediment regime at both the watershed level and reach level are addressed
in Section 5.1.2. Direct disturbances of the channel and/or surrounding floodplain are addressed as
possible modifiers of the channel slope, channel depth, and channel and riparian boundary conditions
(Sections 5.1.3 and 5.1.4). While these factors are addressed in separate sections below, in reality they
are inextricably linked in the overall cause and effect cycles and fluvial processes which together govern
the form and function of the river network.

As defined in VTANR guidance (VTANR, 2007b), the hydrologic regime of the river system refers to the
input and manipulation of water at the watershed scale that may modify the timing, volume, duration
and periodicity of flows in the river network. In turn, these changes to the hydrologic regime may have
the potential to cause adjustments in the channel dimensions, slope, or planform and influence the
sediment transport regime. The sediment regime is defined in VTANR guidance as the quantity, size,
transport, sorting, and distribution of sediments.

5.1.1 Watershed Scale Hydrologic and Sediment Regime Stressors

Data are not sufficient to know with certainty whether (and to what extent and in what locations) a given
change in the water or sediment inputs to a river corridor will cause the channel to incise or aggrade,
widen or shift its planform. However, potential influences on the hydrology of the Little Otter Creek
watershed (or its tributary sub-watersheds) can be identified in a qualitative sense as a possible
contributor(s) to channel dis-equilibrium. Watershed-level hydrologic and sediment regime stressors are
identified through a review of existing Phase 1 and Phase 2 stream geomorphic data and include
deforestation, stormwater inputs, dams, flow regulations, land use (degree of urbanization), ditching, and
wetland loss. Watershed stressors are summarized in Table 10 and described further in the sections
below.

Deforestation

Widespread deforestation of Vermonts landscape occurred by the early- to mid-1880s (Thompson &
Sorensen, 2000) to support subsistence and sheep farming and the lumber industries. Deforestation is
inferred to have caused increased water and sediment loads to be mobilized from the Little Otter Creek
watershed. Rainfall, which would previously have been intercepted by tree leaves and branches, and
which would have been taken up by tree roots and evapo-transpired, instead ran off the land surface.
Infiltrative capacities of the soils would have been reduced by compaction of the soils during harvesting.
Increased volumes of stormwater runoff would have had increased capacity for gullying and entrainment
of soils and sediments from the land surface, delivering increased sediment loads to the river network.
Sediment supplies to Little Otter Creek and tributary reaches would have been increased especially during
flood events, leading to aggradation and planform adjustments (with the increased sediment loading),
and possibly localized incision and widening (where increased hydrologic loading occurred).

Forest cover in the Vermont highlands began to regenerate in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during the
industrial age and abandonment of upland farms and sawmills. During reforestation, the water and
sediment balance would have again shifted (independent of global climate cycles) back to lesser volumes
of runoff and reduced sediment loading. This change in the hydrologic and sediment regimes may have
led to net incisional processes in portions of the Little Otter Creek channel network.


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Table 10. River Stressor Identification Table (Watershed Level)

Stressor Type Hydrologic Regime Sediment Regime
Floods
Events (such as the floods of 2004, 1973, 1938, 1936, and 1927) imparted event-based
increase in hydrologic loading to the watershed (see Section 2.5).
Increased sediment loading from active channel adjustments in upstream reaches, would
be expected as a result of major flood events, such as the 2004, 1973, 1938, 1936, and
1927 (see Section 2.5).
Deforestation
Increased hydrologic loading due to deforestation in mid- to late-1800s; subsequent
decreased hydrologic loading as slopes partially reforested through the 1900s.
Increased sediment loading due to deforestation in mid- to late-1800s; subsequent
decreased sediment loading as slopes partially reforested through the 1900s.
Urbanization
Minor (localized) increased hydrologic loading inferred due to development and increased
road densities of reach subwatersheds and upstream drainage areas in recent decades.
Upstream watershed development percentages are at or just above the threshold of concern
(5%) noted in VTANR guidance (April 2010) - with the exception of reach M02 (10.3%;
Ferrisburg village), M07 (11.0%), and M16 (9.5%; Bristol village).
Minor (localized) increased sediment loading inferred due to development and increased
road densities of reach subwatersheds and upstream drainage areas in recent decades.
Upstream watershed development percentages are at or just above the threshold of
concern (5%) noted in VTANR guidance (April 2010) - with the exception of reach M02
(10.3%; Ferrisburg village), M07 (11.0%), and M16 (9.5%; Bristol village).
Stormwater
Inputs
Minor to moderate increased hydrologic loading inferred due to road ditch, field ditch,
and other stormwater inputs. Drainage area of most assessed reaches equals or exceeds
the drainage area (0 - 15 sq mi) likely to be influenced by stormwater inputs (as noted in
VTANR guidance, 1 April 2010). Potentially significant concentrations of stormwater inputs
were indexed in select reaches of the upper main stem (M13, M12) and Mud Creek (T2.01)
which have upstream drainage areas less than 15 sq mi.
Minor to moderate increased sediment loading inferred due to road ditch, field ditch,
and engineered stormwater inputs. Drainage area of most assessed reaches equals or
exceeds the drainage area (0 - 15 sq mi) likely to be influenced by stormwater inputs (as
noted in VTANR guidance, 1 April 2010). Potentially significant concentrations of
stormwater inputs were indexed in select reaches of the upper main stem (M13, M12) and
Mud Creek (T2.01) which have upstream drainage areas less than 15 sq mi.
Dams /
Impoundments
No dams are currently located on the assessed reaches of Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek.
Historic dams possibly contributed to historic incision in vicinity of the Monkton Road
crossing (M09).
No dams are currently located on the assessed reaches of Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek.
At historic locations of dams (M13, M09, M07) sediments may have been trapped in
impoundments and may have been released to downstream reaches upon dam breaching.
Diversions /
Water
Withdrawals
Negligible hydologic impacts. No significant water withdrawal or diversion sites
encountered on assessed reaches.
Negligible sediment regime impacts. No significant water withdrawal or diversion sites
encountered on assessed reaches.
Loss of
Wetlands
Moderate increase in hydrologic loading to the assessed reaches as a result of conversion
of wetlands (hydric soils) to agricultural uses through tributary channelization, tile drainage,
and ditching.
Moderate increase in sediment loading to the assessed reaches as a result of conversion
of wetlands (hydric soils) to agricultural uses through tributary channelization, tile drainage,
and ditching.
Crop Lands
Possibly significant increase in hydrologic loading to the assessed reaches as a result of
crop land use (implying possible ditching, tile networks, erosion from fall-tilled soils) in all
assessed portions of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Brook.
Possibly significant increase in sediment loading to the assessed reaches as a result of crop
land use (implying possible ditching, tile networks, erosion from fall-tilled soils) in all
assessed portions of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Brook.
Watershed Input Stressors


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Floods

Floods are natural events which influence the sediment and hydrologic regimes of river networks.
Increased flows can lead to channel widening and incision, where the increased scour energy exceeds
thresholds for erosion in the streambank and bed materials. In turn, flood-event erosion mobilizes
sediments that can lead to downstream aggradation and lateral adjustments. Large-magnitude flood
events occurring decades in the past may still be influencing the morphology and active adjustment
processes of river channels today.

Average annual precipitation in the Northeastern United States has increased approximately 3.3 inches
over the 100-year period from 1900 to 2000 (UNH Climate Change Research Center, 2005). The
frequency and number of intense precipitation events (defined as more than two inches of rain in a 48-
hour period) has also increased, particularly in the last quarter of the 19
th
century (UNH Climate Change
Research Center, 2005). Available historic resources indicate that the Little Otter Creek watershed has
been affected by the large flood events of 1913, 1927, 1936, and 1938 and, to a lesser extent, the 1973
flood (see Section 2.5). More recently, a 10- to 25-year flood occurred in January of 1996, and the flood
of 28 August 2004 impacted the headwaters in Bristol and New Haven. These flood events would have
episodically increased flows and sediment loading in the channels of the Little Otter Creek watershed.

Urbanization

Urbanized land uses in the watershed draining to the river can be a source of increased runoff that may
serve as a stressor to the channel. Regionally, the balance of water and sediment loads conveyed within
a watershed is altered by the density of settlements on the landscape and its effect on the percent of
land area impervious to rainfall. Impermeable (or partially impermeable) surface types associated with
development can include roof-tops, pavement, roads, and dense gravel-pack roads or driveways. Percent
imperviousness refers to the proportion of the land surface converted to impermeable or reduced-
permeability surfaces. In general, development results in a reduction in total land area remaining
pervious to rainfall. Rainfall and snowmelt waters quickly run off the land surface to the nearest swale or
stream; they are not able to infiltrate through the surface soil layers and flow diffusely through the
subsurface to the river network. Instead, stormwaters are delivered in higher magnitudes to stream
networks and over shorter durations, leading to a prevalence of flashy runoff conditions. Stormwaters
diverted overland in this way have high velocities and therefore an increased capability to erode sediment
and debris from the land surface.

Upland development can also bring more localized stressors to the river channel including: (1) additional
bridge and culvert crossings which are often undersized with respect to the bankfull width; and (2)
floodplain encroachment by roads, driveways, and crossing structures which reduce the floodplain area
available to the river during flood stage. Such floodplain access is a critical need of the river channel in
order to dissipate energies associated with flood-stage flows serving as a kind of pressure release valve
for the river.

VTANR guidance (2007b) suggests evaluating the Land Cover / Land Use data developed in the Phase 1
Stream Geomorphic Assessment (Step 4.1) to identify the potential for changes to the hydrologic regime
from urbanization. The upstream watersheds draining to each of the selected points in Table 11 below
have urbanized land percentages (combined residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation
categories) ranging from approximately 5.1 to 6.4%, with the maximum being for the headwater reaches
in northeast New Haven and northwest Bristol (upstream of M13). This range of values is at or just
above the percentage (5%) suggested as a threshold of concern in VTANR guidance (2007b). Thus,
watershed-scale urbanization is expected to represent a possible stressor to the Little Otter Creek and its
tributaries, overall.


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Table 11. Urbanized Land Cover in Subwatersheds of Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek.

Stream

Subwatershed

Subwatershed
Area (sq mi)
Residential,
Commercial,
Industrial
(%)

Transportation,
Utilities
(%)

Forest cover
(%)
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M01,
including Mud Ck
72.5 3.2 2.0 25
including Mud Ck
58.6 3.4 2.1 28
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M05 45.0 3.3 2.0 32
Mud Creek (T2) Upstream of T2.01 9.1 3.0 2.2 16
Mud Creek (T2) Upstream of T2.03 8.0 3.0 2.1 18
Limitations: The land cover / land use data utilized for this estimate was sourced in 1991 to 1993.
(Landcover / Landuse for Vermont and Lake Champlain Basin [LandLandcov_LCLU, edition 2003]. Available
at: http://www.vcgi.org/metadata/LandLandcov_LCLU.htm). Percent development does not necessarily
equate to percent imperviousness (particularly in rural watersheds). Developed (impervious) surfaces are
hydrologically connected to the river to varying degrees.

At a finer scale, there are some reach-based subwatersheds with a higher density of urban land uses, as
revealed by the mapping of percent urbanized land use in Figure 21.

Figure 21.
Percent urban land use by
reach-based subwatershed,
(1991-1993 land cover data set)
(residential, commercial, industrial, and
transportation).

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The higher density of urban land use (10.3%) in the subwatershed draining to reach M02 reflects the
village area of Ferrisburgh. The subwatershed with the third highest percent urban cover (9.5%) is reach
M16 which drains a portion of the downtown village of Bristol. The apparent high urban density in
subwatershed M07 (11.0%) is probably an artifact of the very small size of this subwatershed, and
partially a result of a road (Wing Rd) that is oriented parallel to the narrow watershed area. (Roads are
included in the Urbanized land cover as summarized in the Phase 1 Stream Geomorphic Assessment
[ACRPC, 2006]).

Present zoning in the watershed towns may permit development densities that result in future percent
urbanized cover to rise above thresholds for concern (SMRC, 2005). To the extent that stormwater
runoff is not controlled or managed through treatments prescribed by State or local regulations, future
development may increase to densities that present a significant impact to the Little Otter Creek and its
tributaries. Recent Vermont-based studies linking percent imperviousness to geomorphic and biologic
condition of streams suggests that low-order streams (headwaters tributaries) may experience impacts at
thresholds lower than 5% impervious cover (Fitzgerald, 2007).

For lightly developed watersheds such as the Little Otter Creek, it has been suggested that stream quality
is optimized by both minimizing impervious surfaces resulting from urbanization and conserving mature
forest cover (Center for Watershed Protection, 2003). The non-developed land uses represented largely
by agricultural cropland, hay and pasture may also impart an equivalent percent impervious value related
to the removal of forest vegetation and soil compaction from grading and the repetitive use of heavy
machinery. Based on studies of Northwestern US watersheds, Booth (1991) suggests that forest cover
greater than 65% should be maintained along with minimizing impervious surfaces to maintain stream
quality. Forest cover in the Little Otter Creek watershed is 25% overall. On a finer scale, as shown in
Figure 22, the reach-based subwatershed with the highest percent forest cover is M10 in Monkton, which
receives drainage from Mount Fuller and forested hillsides south of Monkton Boro.


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Road Networks / Ditches

In rural watersheds, particularly on upland slopes, road and driveway ditches can be a significant
contributor of stormwater and sediment to receiving tributaries and rivers. A study of imperviousness in
the nearby Lewis Creek watershed determined that roads and driveways accounted for the vast majority
of impervious surface percent in these rural areas (SMRC, 2005). Often road ditch networks terminate at
stream crossings without provision for sediment and stormwater retention, detention or treatment.

While a full inventory of these tributary road crossings was beyond the scope of assessments to date, the
potential impact of road ditch networks on the watersheds draining to the assessed reaches can be
qualitatively evaluated by summing the total length of roads in each sub-watershed and calculating road
density. Table 12 summarizes road density in the upstream catchment draining to selected points in the
Little Otter Creek watershed. When calculated at this large subwatershed scale, there are relatively
minor differences in road density for these portions of the Little Otter Creek watershed.

Figure 22.
Percent forest cover by
51%

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Table 12. Road Density in Subwatersheds of Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek

Stream

Subwatershed

Subwatershed
Area (sq mi)
Road Density (linear feet roads
per square mile of upstream
watershed)
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M01, including
Mud Ck
72.5 10,053
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M02, including
Mud Ck
58.6 10,169
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M05 45.0 9,983
Mud Creek (T2) Upstream of T2.01 9.1 10,648

Road densities were calculated at a finer resolution for the individual subwatersheds draining to each of
the eleven reaches assessed in this study. Road densities ranged from 8,927 (in reach M11) to 33,639
feet/square mile (in reach M07). The relatively high road density in the M07 subwatershed appears to be
a function of the small watershed size compared to other reaches. The overall medium to low road
density values are consistent with the sparsely populated nature of the Little Otter Creek watershed.
These values are similar to values obtained for other watersheds in the region (e.g., Lewis Creek). A
VTANR literature search is underway to characterize the degree of road density which will be considered
a stressor to river channels under Vermont guidance (VTANR, 2010).

Approximately 138 miles of roads cross the landscape in Little Otter Creek watershed. Where road
networks intersect the stream network, road-side ditches can effectively serve as an extension of the
stream network (Wemple et al., 1996; King & Tennyson, 1984). The increased density of flowing
channels can lead to increased peak flows and velocities, and substantial turbidity in receiving waters.
A Middlebury College class completed a study of ditch networks on Class 2 and 3 roads in the Little Otter
Creek watershed in 2011 (Middlebury College Environmental Studies Senior Seminar, 2011). This study
found that 76 miles of road ditches intersected waters of the Little Otter Creek network 270 times. The
stream network density was increased by 6.5% as a result of the intersecting road ditch network.

Absence of vegetative buffers between agricultural fields and road ditches makes these ditches much
more likely to convey stormwater runoff, including nutrients and sediment, from fields to the road ditch
Figure 23. Edge-of-field
drainage directed to road ditch
which conveys flow under
Plank Road along Leduc Road
to a tributary of reach T2.05 in
Mud Creek. 9 April 2010, view
to west along Plank Road.


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network (and ultimately to the Little Otter Creek). While Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAPs) and
Large Farm Operation / Medium Farm Operation rules do not require buffers between fields and roads,
there is a requirement to maintain buffers at points of concentrated runoff to surface waters. There is
ambiguity in the AAPs regarding whether roadside ditches represent surface waters. Numerous
unbuffered points of concentrated runoff from fields to roadside ditches were observed in the watershed
during Windshield Surveys in 2010.

Even where vegetative buffers are present between fields and roads, cuts through the buffer were
commonly observed in the Little Otter Creek watershed, allowing concentrated runoff from fields to drain
to the road ditch network (Figure 25).

Figure 24. Road ditch along
east side of Lime Kiln Road.
Little Otter Creek (reach M10)
is in the distance in the valley
between two fall-tilled fields.
View to north, 1 April 2010.

Figure 25. Cuts in field buffers permit runoff from fields to enter road ditches which drain
ultimately to tributaries of the Little Otter Creek. (a) cut from field along north side of
Parks-Hurlburt Road, view to north, 19 April 2010. (b) view from same field cut site to road
ditch along north side of Parks-Hurlburt Road, view to east, 29 April 2011.

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Figure 26. Tile drains direct subsurface drainage from a
hay field northeast of Plank Road, under the road, and to
the valley side slope of Little Otter Creek, 1 April 2010. (a)
tile outlet draining to the upstream end of M13-B; (b) tile
outlet leading to ditch which ultimately flows to a small
gully draining to the mid-point of M13-B.

(a)
(b)
Stormwater inputs

The previous sections indirectly addressed the potential for stormwater runoff, through review of
urbanized land cover and road density at the watershed scale. This section more directly evaluates
stormwater inputs to the channel in the assessed reaches, including such features as road ditch outlets,
road culvert outlets (connected to road ditches), agricultural ditch or tile outlets, engineered stormwater
system outlets, and other outlets such as building foundation drains. While the flow of an individual
stormwater outlet may be quite small, the cumulative impact of multiple, upstream stormwater inputs can
have a measurable effect on a receiving channel, depending on the magnitude of the cumulative
stormwater input compared to the flow of the receiving water. The concentration of flows from
stormwater runoff can also lead to increased power to erode sediments in the stormwater channel,
leading to increased gullying, sediment mobilization to the river and a potential impact on the sediment
regime of the river.

Several stormwater inputs to the Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek channels were indexed during Phase 2
field assessments. Reaches M11 and M10 had a particularly high density of field ditch and ditched-
tributary inputs from agricultural fields. VTANR guidance (2007b) suggests that stormwater inputs are
potentially significant only in reaches with upstream drainage areas less than 15 square miles, due to the
assimilative capacity of larger channels. Most of the assessed reaches of the Little Otter Creek/Mud
Creek (including M11 and M10) have upstream drainage areas greater than 15 square miles, and the
potential influence of individual stormwater inputs on the hydrologic and sediment regimes of the channel
in these reaches may be minor. However, it is possible that cumulative effects of these ditch networks
may be enhancing the degree and duration of inundation in reaches M11 and M10 upstream of the Lime
Kiln Road crossing.

Of the 11 assessed reaches, two of the main stem reaches (M13, M12) and the one Mud Creek tributary
reach (T2.01) have upstream drainage areas less than 15 square miles. Conditions on these reaches
were more closely evaluated for potential stormwater-related stressors. In Segment B of main stem
reach M13 located along Plank Road in New Haven, three tile-drain inputs to the channel were identified,
directed from the hay field to the north of Plank Road. A small gully had developed down the steep
valley wall associated with one of the three drain outlets (Figure 26-b). A small delta of sediment was
observed in the Little Otter Creek at the point where this gully joined the channel.


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A road ditch directs runoff to the left bank of the channel in segment M13-A just upstream from the
North Street culvert. A drain pipe of unknown origin was directed to the channel in Segment M12-B in
vicinity of a residence. In segment M12-A, assessors observed evidence of very recent installation of a
tile drain (Figure 27).

In the downstream reaches of T2.01 (Segment A), two field ditches were noted draining runoff from corn
fields to the south of the channel (Figure 28).

Figure 28. Ditch draining runoff from corn
fields directly to Mud Creek, reach T2.01.
Significant algae growth in the base of the
ditch. View to the south, 19 August 2010.

(a) (b)
Figure 27. Tile drain newly installed in fields north of Plank Road and west of North Street;
outletting to the Little Otter Creek in segment M12-A, 12 August 2010. (a) recent field
excavations for installation of tile drain; (b) tile drain outlet at right bank of Little Otter Creek.

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Several points of input from field ditches and ditched tributaries were indexed in the larger reaches of
this study with notably increased turbidity relative to the main channel. In some cases, ditched
tributaries are draining significant catchment areas with associated agricultural, residential and
transportation uses.

Dams

Dams can disrupt the flow dynamics and sediment transport continuity of rivers to varying degrees and
extents, depending on their size, height, topographic setting, and operational status, and depending on
the hydrologic, geomorphic and geologic characteristics of the river being impounded (Williams and
Wolman, 1984; Kondolf, 1997). Degraded aquatic systems may result from flow regulation by dams, due
to reduced frequency and magnitude of overbank flooding which is a requirement for many riparian and
floodplain ecosystems (Magilligan, et al, 2003). While historically there were probably dams associated
with sawmills, grist mills, forges, and other industrial operations documented in reaches M13, M09, and
M07, there are at present no dams on the assessed reaches of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek.

Diversions, Water Withdrawals (flow regulation)

Changes in the flow characteristics of a river imparted by diversion structures or substantial water
withdrawal sites can influence the magnitude of flows and interrupt the sediment transport functions of
rivers, potentially resulting in areas of exacerbated erosion or system-wide instability in the river. No
significant diversion or withdrawal sites were located in the assessed reaches.

Figure 29. Increased levels of turbidity identified
in field ditches and ditched tributaries joining the
Little Otter Creek: (a) turbidity from third-order
tributary draining a 51% forested subwatershed
and ditched through fields near its confluence
with reach M10; observed 13 August 2010; an
inch of rain fell four days prior to assessment.
(b) turbidity from tributary ditched through fields
near its confluence with reach M05 on 28
October 2010; a quarter inch of rain fell the day
before assessment. An excavator was observed
in the vicinity of this ditch in fields south of
Middlebrook Road on this date.

(a)
(b)

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Loss of Wetlands / Agricultural Ditching

Channel-contiguous wetlands offer important flood attenuation functions in the river corridor, slowing the
velocity of flows and thereby reducing erosion of the stream bed and banks. Over the last 200 or more
years, wetland or hydric soils along the floodplains of Vermont rivers have commonly been converted to
agricultural fields. Often, field drainage is improved by channelization of small tributaries or through
installation of a network of constructed ditches or underground tiles. Conversion of channel-contiguous
wetlands to agricultural or developed uses and associated ditching can increase runoff volumes and
velocities in the receiving river channel. In turn, those increased flows can exceed erosion thresholds in
the channel bed and banks. This factor, along with periodic ditch maintenance, can result in increased
sediment mobilization to the river.

The degree of wetland loss or conversion in a watershed is difficult to estimate with accuracy. However,
a qualitative evaluation can be performed by comparing the percentage (by area) of hydric soils across a
watershed, to the percentage of mapped wetlands. When this review was performed for the Little Otter
Creek watershed, significant areas of possible wetland loss were apparent (Table 13 and Figure 30).

Table 13. Percent by Area of Hydric Soils (USDA) versus mapped wetlands in the
Subwatersheds of Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek.

Stream

Subwatershed

Subwatershed
Area (sq mi)

Hydric Soils
(% by Area)

VSWI Wetlands
(% by Area)

NWI Wetlands
(% by Area)
including Mud Ck
72.5 30.3 13.0 11.6
including Mud Ck
58.6 24.3 8.9 9.5
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M05 45.0 22.9 9.0 9.4
Mud Creek
(T2)
Upstream of T2.01 9.1 25.0 5.2 6.1
NWI = National Wetland Inventory; VSWI = VT Significant Wetlands Inventory

This comparison does not directly or accurately reveal the area of wetlands drained or otherwise
converted to agricultural or developed uses, since NWI or VSWI coverage does not include smaller Class
III wetlands which may be present in the watershed. As with any spatial data sets, there are also issues
of mapping methods, mapping resolution, scale, accuracy, and currency that would render the two data
sets not directly comparable. Nevertheless, this comparison serves as a coarse measure of potential
wetland loss in portions of the Little Otter Creek watershed draining to the study reaches.


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Figure 30. Hydric Soils (USDA; in light blue) versus mapped wetlands (VSWI, NWI)
in the Little Otter Creek watershed. Assessed reaches highlighted in red.

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Crop Lands Exposed Soils

VTANR guidance (2010) states that the area of cultivated lands draining to each reach can suggest the
potential for land surface erosion and sediment mobilization to assessed reaches. Crop land use in the
upstream watersheds draining to assessed reaches of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek is
substantially greater than the threshold (5%) considered to be of significance in VTANR guidance (2010).

Table 14. Percent by Area of Crop Land Use in Subwatersheds of Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek.

Stream

Subwatershed

Subwatershed
Area (sq mi)

Crop Land Use
(% by Area)

Agricultural Land Use *
(% by Area)
including Mud Ck
72.5 29.0 55.2
including Mud Ck
58.6 28.2 52.3
Little Otter Ck Upstream of M05 45.0 24.9 47.9
Mud Creek (T2) Upstream of T2.01 9.1 40.6 67.9
Mud Creek (T2) Upstream of T2.03 8.0 41.2 66.3
*Agricultural land use includes land cover / land use categories 22 (Orchard/ Tree Farm), 24 (Other Agricultural
Land), 211 (Row Crops), and 212 (Hay/ Pasture). Crop Land Use refers to category 211 only.

Limitations: The land cover / land use data utilized for this estimate was sourced in 1991 to
1993. Due to agronomic factors and farm management and land ownership factors, fields
are rotated in and out of crop use over time. Present (and future) cropland percentages may
therefore vary considerably from the snapshot in time represented by this land cover / land
use dataset. This evaluation does not take into account the degree of hydrologic connection
of the noted crop lands to the receiving waters. Nor does it adjust for potential erosion
prevention measures or practices in place on the indicated crop lands. Further limitations of
this methodology are related to the scale, accuracy, and currency of the land cover / land
use data sets utilized to summarize the data: (Landcover / Landuse for Vermont and Lake
Champlain Basin (LandLandcov_LCLU, edition 2003). Available at:
http://www.vcgi.org/metadata/LandLandcov_LCLU.htm.)

At a finer scale, there are some reach-based subwatersheds with a higher density of crop land uses, as
revealed by the mapping of percent crop land cover in Figure 31. Crop land cover in all of the individual
reach-based subwatersheds exceeded 5%, ranging from 15.5% (M14) to 53.4% (M13). High
percentages of crop cover in M13 and T2.01 may be in part related to the relatively small size of these
direct subwatersheds compared to other reaches. High percentages of crop in T2.04 (47.2%) and T2.05
(40.9%) on the Mud Creek appear to reflect actual density of cropping uses in these subwatersheds,
based on visual observations.


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Crop fields in Little Otter Creek watershed are bare for months of the year. Because of the high clay
content of Addison County soils, fields are typically plowed in the fall and remain exposed during the
most vulnerable runoff conditions. Based on review of the 20-year hydrologic record for the USGS Route
7 gage, 80% of the high flows occur in the late Fall, Winter or early Spring when fields are bare.

Figure 31.
Percent crop cover by

Figure 32. Fall-tilled fields are
a source of sediment and
nutrient loading to Little Otter
Creek tributaries. View to the
north from Monkton Road,
Mud Creek reach T2.03,
1 April 2010

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5.1.2 Sediment Regime Stressors (Watershed and Reach Scale)

Sediment regime stressors for the assessed reaches are summarized in Table 10 (Watershed Level
Stressors) and in Appendix H (Reach Level Stressors); they are discussed briefly in the following sections.
The purpose of this section is to evaluate the cumulative impact of erosion and subsequent deposition at
the watershed scale through review of reach-based features (VTANR 2007b). Features were compiled
from a review of Phase 1 and Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment data and included:
(1) depositional bars / planform migration features; (2) bank erosion; (3) mass wasting sites; and (4)
gully sites or rejuvenating tributaries.

Depositional bars and planform migration features

Select depositional and migration features are identified in VTANR guidance as indications of potentially
enhanced sediment loading or a decreased sediment transport capacity of the river channel, or both.
Features include steep riffles, mid-channel bars, delta bars, flood chutes, avulsions and channel braiding.
Sediment contained in the depositional bars theoretically has its source from upstream, as well as in-
reach, erosion. As sediment accumulates in the channel it can cause flow in the channel to diverge and
create flood chutes or avulse into a different path altogether. Thus, multiple bars and lateral adjustments
in a reach may indicate a reduction in sediment transport capacity and reflect the cumulative effects of
erosion at the watershed scale.

Since the Little Otter Creek watershed is largely dominated by suspended sediments, depositional bars
and active planform features were seldom encountered on the assessed reaches. Two exceptions to this
general finding were reaches M13 and M12. Alluvial and glaciofluvial sediments are exposed in the bed
and banks of the downstream end of reach M13 (Segment M13-A). Some bank erosion and mass
wasting are occurring, likely re-energized by high flows and debris jams that occurred during the August
2008 flood event. As a consequence, there is a moderate density of depositional bars and planform
features in Segment M13-A, particularly at localized points of relaxed valley confinement. A high density
of depositional bars (point, mid, side) and planform adjustment features (flood chutes, bifurcated channel
sections) is evident in downstream Segment M12-A. M12-A is located where the channel transitions from
an upstream semi-confined condition of steeper gradient out into a lower-gradient, unconfined valley
setting downstream of the Plank Road crossing.

Bank Erosion

Erosion was of some significance along segments where planform adjustment and/or widening are the
dominant adjustment processes, such as Segments M13-B, M13-A, and M12-A. These segments are likely
to be contributing increased bedload and suspended sediment loads to downstream segments. In other
reaches, erosion resistance in the channel boundaries has been offered by cohesive bank sediments,
occasional lateral bedrock grade controls, and forested or shrub/ sapling buffers.

Minor meander extension and translation were evident in reaches M05, M04 and T2.01-B, based on the
presence of high, undercut banks as well as undermined fencing (sections of M05 and M04) and
undermined brush blankets of recent tree plantings (in M05). Measured channel dimensions in reaches
M04 and T2.01-B suggested a minor lateral departure from a reference E stream type to a C stream type.
Overall, however, the planform in these (and other assessed reaches) has remained very similar for the
past 70 years, based on review of available historic aerial photographs back to 1942.


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Mass wasting and gully sites or rejuvenating tributaries

No rejuvenating tributaries were identified in the assessed reaches. Generally, no incision was recorded
along assessed reaches, with the exception of moderate degrees of historic incision in Segments M13-A,
M12-B, and M09-A,.

Five mass wasting sites were identified on the assessed reaches of the Little Otter Creek where the
channel has impinged upon the valley wall or a nearby high terrace: in segments M13-B (2); M13-A (1);
M07-B (1); and M06 (1). In reaches M06 and M07, sediments of a glaciolacustrine or till origin were
mapped coincident with the mass wasting sites; generally, such sediments tend to be more cohesive in
nature and would not be expected to generate large volumes of sediment over time. In M13, mass
failures had developed in high terraces of mixed alluvial / glaciofluvial / and till deposits, where mass
wasting appears to have contributed to localized channel aggradation and braiding and may have been
a source for deposition in downstream segment M12-A. At least one of these mass failures developed
(or was re-juvenated sometime between 2003 and 2006 based on review of orthophotos. Mass wasting
may have been re-initiated in this reach by the flood of August 2004 which impacted the headwaters of
Little Otter Creek in particular (see Section 2.5). Generally, sediments generated at the point of mass
failures represent a low percentage of the overall bedload in channels of this size, and are not considered
to be significant reach-scale or watershed-scale sediment stressors.

Two gully sites were identified on the assessed reaches. A right-bank gully has developed in Segment
M13-B as a result of concentrated runoff leading from a tile-drain outlet and ditch that discharges to the
top of a steep terrace side slope (Figure 26b); a small delta of sediment was observed at the
confluence of the gully with Little Otter Creek. In Segment M07-B concentrated stormwater runoff from
Echo Road has developed into a small gully with erosion along the left bank of the channel; this gully
joins the channel just downstream of the bedrock waterfall, where a small delta deposit of sediments
was observed. These gully sites represent a source of stormwater flows and sediment to the Little Otter
Creek. Their potential significance as a source of sediments may be moderated somewhat by the size of
the upstream watershed of the Little Otter Creek at the confluence of each gully (approximately 11
square miles [M13-B] and 39 square miles [M07-B]).

5.1.3 Reach Scale Modifiers

Valley, floodplain, and channel modifications to accommodate infrastructure and land uses can alter the
channel cross section, profile and position in the landscape. Natural features of the river network, such
as bedrock grade controls or tributary confluences, also influence the hydraulic geometry of the river.
These modifications and features can be categorized broadly into:

changes in channel slope and channel depth, which influence the energy gradient (stream power)
of the river and the capacity to transport sediment, and

changes in the boundary conditions (channel bed, banks, and riparian vegetation) which
influence the resistance to erosion.

The impacts of reach-scale modifiers on the hydraulic geometry of the channel are complex. The
influence of multiple stressors may overlap within a reach. The following sections describe reach-scale
modifications in more detail. Appendix H presents a summary of the reach-scale modifiers catalogued for
each of the assessed Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek segments, together with the flow and sediment
load modifications previously described.


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Stream Power Modifiers

Channel Slope
Channel slope modifiers include stressors that lead to an increase in stream power, such as:
channelization (straightening),
floodplain encroachments (roads, berms, railroads),
localized reduction of sediment supply below grade controls (bedrock, dams) or channel
constrictions;

as well as stressors that can be expected to lead to a decrease in stream power, such as:
a downstream grade control (dams, weirs),
a downstream constriction (undersized bridge or culvert, bedrock constriction, armoring).

Channel Depth
Channel depth modifiers include stressors that lead to an increase in stream power, such as:
dredging and berming,
localized flow increases below stormwater and other outfalls;
localized flow increases below constrictions (undersized bridge or culvert; armoring);

as well as stressors that can be expected to lead to a decrease in stream power, such as:
gravel mining, bar scalping, where such activities result in overwidened conditions;
localized increases of sediment supply occurring at tributary confluences and backwater areas,
and impoundments behind beaver dams.
(VTANR guidance, 2007b)

A stressor imparting an increase in stream power may or may not lead to channel incising or widening.
Effects are dependent on the magnitude of the stream-power increase, the resistance to erosion offered
by the unique set of boundary conditions, and whether there are other stressors acting on the reach that
may decrease stream power, or lead to channel aggradation.

A stressor imparting a decrease in power may or may not lead to channel aggradation or planform
adjustment. Effects are dependent on the magnitude of the stream-power decrease, the degree of valley
or infrastructure confinement of the channel, and whether there are other stressors acting on the reach
that may increase stream power, or lead to channel incision.

Erosion Resistance Modifiers (Boundary Conditions / Riparian Vegetation)

The nature of sediments in the channel banks (e.g., grain sizes, cohesiveness) and the vegetative cover
(e.g., type and density) or other treatments (e.g., rip-rap, gabion baskets, revetments, large woody
debris) along the stream banks control the strength of the banks and their resistance to erosion. These
boundary conditions in turn influence the degree and rate of channel widening or other lateral
movement, thus influencing the ability of the river to adjust its cross-sectional dimensions to most
effectively convey the water and sediment inputs to the channel. Boundary conditions also influence the
nature and amounts of sediment available to be transported to downstream reaches.

Channel Bed
Channel bed modifications that lead to a decrease in erosion resistance include:
snagging (removal of large woody debris),
dredging, and
windrowing.


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Channel bed modifications that lead to an increase in erosion resistance include:
grade controls (dams, weirs, channel-spanning bedrock), and
bed armoring.

Streambank and Near-bank Riparian Area

Bank and riparian modifications that lead to a decrease in erosion resistance include:
removal of vegetation.

Bank and riparian modifications that lead to an increase in erosion resistance include:
bank armoring (rip-rap, gabion baskets, revetments, large woody debris).
(VTANR guidance, 2007b)

It is important to note that enhanced erosion resistance offered by the boundary conditions in one
location along a river network may translate into increased stream power at a downstream site. For
example, it is very common to observe streambank erosion beginning at the downstream end of a length
of channel armoring, or bed scour downstream from a bedrock grade control or dam site.
5.1.4 Constraints to Sediment Transport & Attenuation

Within a given reach, the watershed-level and reach-level flow and sediment load modifications, together
with the reach-scale modifiers of stream power and boundary resistance, govern adjustments in the
channel dimensions, profile and planform over time. These lateral and vertical adjustments, in turn,
influence how the river channel transports its sediment and water inputs.

The Departure Analysis Table (Appendix I) summarizes the apparent status of each of the assessed
reaches/segments as either transport- or attenuation-dominated. These tables also indicate the
significant natural constraints (e.g., bedrock) and human constraints (e.g., roads, development) to
channel adjustment that are, in part, influencing the current transport or attenuation status.

Bedrock-controlled reaches are natural transport-dominated reaches, due to the erosion resistance
offered by the bedrock. It is likely that the sediment entering these channel segments is balanced by the
sediment carried out of the reach (steady-state, dynamic equilibrium conditions). M07-B represents a
bedrock-controlled segment, comprised of a short, narrow bedrock gorge with subvertical walls
transitioning to a steep bedrock waterfall with an approximate vertical relief of 17 feet.

Two other assessed reaches/segments were identified as natural transport-dominated segments,
although bedrock exposures in the bed and banks were not prevalent, and gradients were less than 2%.
Regional bedrock structures govern the close proximity of steep valley walls in segments M13-B and M09-
B, resulting in a Semi-Confined condition of the channel which is transport-dominated.

Nearly all the remaining assessed reaches/ segments are located in unconfined, very-low- to moderate-
gradient valley settings (0.03 to 1.4%), and contain no channel-spanning exposures of bedrock. Under
dynamic equilibrium conditions these (reference C or E stream type) reaches might be expected to
attenuate flows and sediment.

Three short sections of the unconfined portions of the Little Otter Creek channel have been converted
from depositional or dynamic equilibrium conditions to more transport-dominated conditions by virtue of
historic incision related to various channel and watershed disturbances (Appendix H). In each segment,
the present degree of incision may reflect (at least in part) post-glacial processes, occurring in the
thousands of years following the last glacial stage.


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Segment M12-B has been converted as a result of: (1) channelization, removal of meanders; (2)
inferred dredging (localized), sometime between 1942 and 1962; (3) floodplain encroachment
(left-bank berm); and possibly (4) historic flood impacts.

Upstream Segment M13-A has undergone some degree of historic incision probably related to the
channel management in M12-B and past channelization associated with the North Street crossing.

Near the middle of the watershed, Segment M09-A has been converted to a transport-dominated
condition as a result of historic incision related to: (1) channel straightening to relocate the
Monkton Road and its bridge crossing; (2) inferred dredging; and (3) floodplain encroachment
(berms along each bank).

The remaining segments have excellent floodplain access (IR < 1.1) and may represent key flow and
sediment attenuation assets in the Little Otter Creek network (e.g., M12-A, M11-B, M11-A, M10, M09-C,
M08-B, M08-A, M05, M04, T2.01-B, and T2.01-A). A few reaches/segments have experienced increased
sediment attenuation in recent years, related to the upstream and in-reach production of sediments
(M13-A, M12-A). In some locations, valley fill supporting culvert or bridge crossings is contributing to
minor, localized upstream aggradation (for example, in Segment M12-B just upstream of the Plank Road
culvert crossing). Seasonal beaver activity is also contributing to localized aggradation in many reaches
(M11-B, M11-A, M10, M09-C, M08-A, M04, and T2.01-B).

Segments demonstrating frequent inundation tend to be located just upstream of valley pinch points at
natural (bedrock-controlled) constrictions of the floodplain (e.g., M11-A, M10, M08-A, M05, M04) . The
degree, frequency and duration of inundation in these locations are reportedly greater than in past years,
according to local anecdotal accounts. If true, this phenomenon may be related to the increased
frequency and number of intense precipitation events (see Section 5.1.1). Increased inundation in the
Little Otter Creek valley over the years may also be due to:

historic conversion of forest to agricultural and residential uses;
historic conversion of wetlands to agricultural fields;
installation of field ditch and tile-drain networks;
channelization of tributaries to the Little Otter Creek; and
increased densities of road ditch networks that intersect the Little Otter Creek stream network.

5.1.5 Sediment Regime Departure

The sediment regime departure status of assessed reaches/segments of the Little Otter Creek / Mud
Creek is summarized in the following Sediment Regime Departure Maps in Figures 33 and 34. The
contrast in coding of the reaches between the Phase 1 (Reference) Sediment Regime (Figure 33) and the
Phase 2 (Existing) Sediment Regime (Figure 34) illustrates the degree of departure from reference that is
inferred. Classifications follow guidance published by VTANR (2010), and make reference to coarse
sediment fractions (i.e., bedload) to infer sediment transport discontinuities and characterize the degree
of imbalance (or departure from equilibrium). Since Little Otter Creek watershed is a wash-load
dominated river, other metrics (e.g., incision ratio, width/depth ratio) were relied upon to classify the
segments.

Phase 1 (Reference) Sediment Regime

Figure 32 displays the reference sediment regimes that are theorized to be characteristic of the
assessed reaches prior to widespread human disturbance of the watershed (say, 300 years before
present).

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Transport (coded blue in Figure 33)
Bedrock-controlled segments have been assigned a Transport classification for the reference
(Phase 1) sediment regime (M07-B). Two additional segments (M13-B; M09-B), while not
characterized by fully-exposed bedrock in the channel bed and banks, are confined by steep,
bedrock-controlled valley walls. In these segments, close valley confinement creates a linear or low-
sinuosity planform with limited available floodplain or meanders for storage of sediment. Intact
forested buffers offer stability to the channel, and these segments are not a significant source of
coarse and fine sediments. Therefore, these segments were also classified with a Transport
reference sediment regime:

Tributary

Reach/Segment
Phase 1 Reference
Stream Type
Channel
Gradient (%)
Little Otter Creek M13-B B3c-riffle/pool 1.2%
M09-B B3c- riffle/pool 0.9%
M07-B B3c- riffle/pool 1.9%

Note: See VTANR protocols (2009) for explanation of stream types.

Coarse Equilibrium & Fine Deposition (coded green in Figure 33)
Between the bedrock and transport reaches, it is theorized that the reference condition of Little Otter
Creek would be characterized by a meandering planform (constrained locally by exposures of bedrock
and variable sediment types in the stream bed and banks). If dynamic equilibrium existed (prior to
widespread human modifications to the channel and watershed), each unconfined channel would
have had access to the surrounding floodplain. Fine sediments would be deposited in the floodplains
through periodic bankfull and flood-stage flows, and the transport of coarser sediments (bed load)
would be balanced, such that the bedload volumes entering the reach would be similar to bedload
volumes leaving the reach averaged over a one- to two-year period. Deposition and erosion cycles
would have been balanced, such that there would be no net change in overall channel dimensions,
gradient and planform. The channel would have moved within its floodplain in its reference (pre-
disturbed) condition, but there would be no net change in average, reach-wide geometry such as
slope and average meander width and amplitude.

Tributary

Reach/Segment
Phase 1 Reference
Stream Type
Channel
Gradient (%)
Little Otter Creek M13-A C4- riffle/pool 1.4%
M12-B C4- riffle/pool 0.3%
M12-A E5- ripple/dune 0.2%
M11-B E5- ripple/dune 0.2%
M09-A B3c- riffle/pool 1.3%
M08-B C6- riffle/pool 0.2%
M07-A C3- riffle/pool 0.7%
M06 C3- riffle/pool 0.2%
M05 E5- ripple/dune 0.05%
M04 E6- ripple/dune 0.03%
Mud Creek T2.01-B E4- ripple/dune 0.2%


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Figure 33. Phase 1 (Reference) Sediment Regime Map
Assessed Reaches of the Little Otter Creek and Mud Creek Tributary

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Figure 34. Phase 2 (Existing) Sediment Regime Map
.

59
Phase 2 (Existing) Sediment Regime

Figure 34 displays the existing sediment regimes that are hypothesized based on Phase 2 assessment
results and the departure analysis previously described. Generally speaking, assessed segments of the
Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek demonstrated minimal signs of departure from reference.

Transport (coded blue in Figure 34)
The semi-confined and bedrock-channel segments of the Little Otter Creek have not undergone
significant lateral or vertical adjustments in response to channel and watershed disturbances, given
the stability offered by the underlying bedrock and resistant boundary conditions (cohesive
sediments, intact forested buffers). Thus, a Transport classification has been assigned for the Phase
2 (Existing) sediment regime of these segments (i.e., no significant departure from reference).

Tributary

Reach/Segment
Phase 1
Reference
Stream Type
Phase 2
Existing
Stream Type
Little Otter Creek M13-B B3c-riffle/pool B3c-riffle/pool
M09-B B3c-riffle/pool B3c-riffle/pool
M07-B B3c-riffle/pool B3c-riffle/pool

Coarse Equilibrium & Fine Deposition (coded green in Figure 34)
A majority of the reaches/ segments appear not to have undergone a significant sediment regime
departure (listed below). These reaches/segments have not undergone a vertical stream type
departure and have maintained good floodplain access (IR < 1.2). A minimal degree of net lateral
and vertical adjustment in response to channel and watershed disturbances is apparent in these
reaches/ segments. Therefore, a Coarse Equilibrium & Fine Deposition classification has been
assigned for the Phase 2 (Existing) sediment regime.

Tributary

Reach/Segment
Phase 1
Reference
Stream Type
Phase 2
Existing
Stream Type
Little Otter Creek M13-A C4-riffle/pool C4-riffle/pool
M12-B C4-riffle/pool C4-riffle/pool
M12-A E5- ripple/dune E5- ripple/dune
M11-B E5- ripple/dune E5- ripple/dune
M09-A B3c-riffle/pool B3c-riffle/pool
M08-B C6-riffle/pool C6-riffle/pool
M07-A C3-riffle/pool C3-riffle/pool
M06 C3-riffle/pool C3-riffle/pool
M05 E5- ripple/dune E5- ripple/dune
M04 E6- ripple/dune C6- ripple/dune
Mud Creek T2.01-B E4- ripple/dune C4- ripple/dune
Note: blue highlighting indicates a lateral stream type departure (minor).

In some cases, this inferred dynamic-equilibrium condition may be associated with a relative lack of
channel or watershed stressors. In other cases, the equilibrium condition exists despite the presence
of channel and watershed disturbances, suggesting that boundary conditions offer sufficient
resistance to stressors and/or stressors are low in magnitude or extent. A minor (or localized)
increase in sediment attenuation is sometimes evident in these segments, as a result of downstream
grade controls or valley pinch points (and associated decrease in valley gradient), or as a result of
downstream human-made constrictions such as bridge or culvert crossings. Most of the above-listed
segments were identified as sediment attenuation assets (see Appendix I).


60
A couple of segments (M04 and T2.01-B) appear to have undergone a lateral stream-type departure
(from C to E) due to a moderate degree of channel widening. This may be a result of cumulative
stressors (e.g., increased stormwater flows via road ditch and field ditch networks), or may be
related to a change in boundary conditions (possible reduction in erosion-resistance of bank
sediments), or a combination of these and other factors.

On the other hand, a degree of sediment regime departure is theorized for the remaining three assessed
segments of Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek. They have been classified as:

Unconfined Source & Transport (coded orange in Figure 34)
Due to a historic loss of floodplain connection (IR
RAF
values ranging from 1.6 to 1.7), these segments
have been converted to a more transport-dominated condition. They are inferred to have persisted
in channel evolution stage II [F] or early III [F] following historic incision related to channelization,
dredging, berming, armoring, and berm encroachments. Historic flood events and loss of wetlands
have also likely contributed to hydrologic loading at the watershed scale, which may have contributed
to historic incision. (There is uncertainty whether incision occurred wholly as a result of disturbances
to the channel / watershed occurring over the last 300 years, or whether some degree of incision
occurred over the past thousands of years, post-glacially).

A weak riffle/pool bed morphology is evident in each segment. Both fine and coarse sediment
fractions are exported through the segments due to the minimal available floodplain and enhanced
velocities of the incised and entrenched cross section. Cohesive sediments in the channel boundaries
and maintenance of tree buffers have provided erosion resistance which has moderated the degree
of lateral and vertical adjustments. The measured width/depth ratios are low (ranging from 17.4 to
26.1).

Tributary

Reach/Segment
Phase 1
Reference
Stream Type
Phase 2
Existing
Stream Type
Little Otter Creek M13-A
C4-riffle/pool C4-riffle/pool
M12-B
C4-riffle/pool C4-riffle/pool
M09-A
B3c-riffle/pool B3c-riffle/pool

5.2 Sensitivity Analysis

The Stream Sensitivity Map (Figure 35) identifies the sensitivity classification for each of the assessed
reaches / segments. Inherent in the stream sensitivity rating are:

the natural sensitivity of the reach given the topographic setting (confinement, gradient) and
geologic boundary conditions (sediment sizes) as reflected in the reference stream type
classification (after Rosgen, 1996 and Montgomery & Buffington, 1997); and

the enhanced sensitivity of the reach given by the degree of departure from reference (or
dynamic equilibrium) condition as reflected in the existing stream type classification and the
condition (Reference, Good, Fair to Poor ratings in the Rapid Geomorphic Assessment).

The sensitivity classification is intended to identify the degree or likelihood that vertical and lateral
adjustments (erosion) will occur, as driven by natural and/or human-induced fluvial processes (VTANR
2010). These stream sensitivity data were utilized during subsequent planning steps to inform the
identification and prioritization of restoration and protection projects and practices (Section 6).


61

Figure 35. Stream Sensitivity Map
(Shaded white are not assessed due to wetland-dominated conditions.)

62
6.0 PRELIMINARY PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Two broad categories of projects and practices were identified by the project Steering Committee to:

Decrease nutrient and sediment loading;
Mitigate for the effects of hydrologic and sediment regime modifications; and
Improve water quality, restore habitats, and reduce erosion hazards by managing toward the
equilibrium channel.
The first category is comprised of corridor restoration and protection projects designed to mitigate for the
effects of hydrologic and sediment regime modifications, preserve and improve channel stability, and
thereby lead to reductions in sediment and nutrient loading over the long term. These are presented in
Sections 6.1 through 6.8 and have been informed by:

stream geomorphic sensitivity data;
qualitative observations of sediment transport and attenuation characteristics; and
the preliminary departure analysis contained in Section 5.

This project listing in Sections 6.1 through 6.8 follows the outline of management actions identified in the
Step-Wise Procedure for Identifying Technically Feasible River Corridor Restoration and Protection
Projects included in VTANR guidance (2010). The listed approaches can be classified under three
management approaches:

Active Geomorphic: Restore or manage rivers to a geomorphic state of dynamic equilibrium through an
active approach that may include the removal or reduction of human-placed constraints or the
construction of meanders, floodplains, and bank stabilization techniques. Active riparian buffer
revegetation and long-term protection of a river corridor is essential to this alternative.

Passive Geomorphic: Allow rivers to return to a state of dynamic equilibrium through a passive
approach that involves the removal of constraints from a river corridor thereby allowing the river,
utilizing its own energy and watershed inputs to re-establish its meanders, floodplains, and self
maintaining equilibrium condition over an extended time period. Active riparian buffer revegetation and
long-term protection of a river corridor is essential to this alternative.

Active-Passive Combination: Use a sequenced combination of active and passive approaches to
accommodate the varying constraints that typically occur along a project reach.
(VTANR, 2010)

A second broad category of projects and practices has been identified to more directly address the
cumulative impacts of nutrient/sediment sources and hydrogologic and sediment stressors at the
watershed scale. These projects and practices are listed in Sections 6.9 and 6.10. Additional
management strategies for the local communities and for the various watershed stakeholders comprising
the project Steering Committee are presented in Section 7.0.

A few of these projects (e.g., buffer plantings) can be considered for immediate implementation,
independent of other watershed projects, and will require only minimal feasibility analysis and project
development activities. Other identified projects may require further evaluation to complete an
alternatives analysis, conduct landowner outreach and negotiations, and identify potential stakeholders
and funding sources. The work scope for this project has included some public outreach and limited
project development to determine the technical, financial and social feasibility of these listed project
opportunities. Status of project development and outreach is summarized on the Project CD.


63
6.1 Protecting River Corridors

Protection of river corridors is an essential element to all passive and active geomorphic restoration and
conservation projects. River corridor protection can support multiple objectives:

Dynamic Equilibrium - Preserve (or support a return to) reference sinuosity, slope, and channel
dimensions through active or passive geomorphic approaches.

Floodplain Access Preserve or restore a channels access to its surrounding floodplain in
bankfull and higher flow events through active or passive geomorphic approaches.

Sediment Attenuation Preserve, restore, or enhance the storage of sediments (from in-reach or
upstream sources) within the channel margins, floodplain, and channel-contiguous wetlands.

Flow Attenuation Preserve, restore, or enhance the storage and detainment of flood flows
through overbank flooding, increased channel length (sinuosity), increased channel roughness
(e.g., buffers), and inundation of channel-contiguous wetlands.

Avoidance Refrain from developments and infrastructure in the corridor to minimize future
fluvial erosion losses. This can be accomplished through conservation strategies or local planning
and zoning strategies, such as fluvial erosion hazard overlay districts.

Under a passive geomorphic approach, the river channel is allowed to freely meander within the area
defined as the belt-width-derived river corridor. Further channelization, dredging, berming and armoring
are avoided. For a reach that is already close to reference condition or exhibiting only minor
adjustments, preserving a river corridor will ensure the rivers ability to continue to meander through the
valley unconstrained by human infrastructure. In turn, human investments in the landscape will be
protected from future channel adjustments. For a reach that has seen significant channel management
in the past, and has lost some degree of floodplain connection and some measure of its sinuosity and
balanced planform and profile, the channel is allowed to adjust unimpeded to a more sinuous,
meandering planform closer to regime conditions. During ongoing adjustments, the river will re-establish
greater floodplain access (where access has been lost) and adjust channel dimensions for optimum
conveyance of its water and sediment loads. Restoring channel equilibrium will reduce instream
production of sediment and nutrients and enhance sediment and nutrient attenuation over the long term.

Under an active geomorphic approach, protection of the river corridor will prevent future channel
management that might unravel constructed features of a recently restored reach.

Lower priority reaches for river corridor protection include wooded corridors experiencing very little
threat from encroachment and less sensitive reaches not playing a significant flow or sediment load
attenuation role in the watershed (VTANR, 2010). Of the assessed reaches, this category would include:

The bedrock-controlled segments and gorges that are afforded stability by the surrounding
bedrock (M18, M10-F, T6.02-A, T4.05-C, and T2.01); and

The semi-confined, transport-dominated reaches with intact forested buffers which are showing
minor adjustment (M21-A, M14, M12-B, M07, M05, T6.02-B, T4.05-B)

Highest priority reaches for river corridor protection include highly sensitive reaches critical for flow and
sediment attenuation from upstream sources or sensitive reaches where there is a major departure from
equilibrium conditions and threats from encroachment (VTANR, 2010). Limited-term or permanent
corridor easements are possible mechanisms for corridor protection, with the willingness of landowners.
Protection of the river corridor in these reaches can serve the functions listed above. As summarized in

64
Table 15, there are additional strategic factors that may raise the priority of corridor protection for a
given reach, including:

Locations Upstream of Constrained / Altered Reaches
Reaches / segments which are constrained by the topographic setting (e.g., bedrock
outcroppings) or by human infrastructure (e.g., berms, roads, development) are less able to
adjust their dimensions, planform, and profile in response to excess sediment and water loads
delivered from upstream. Corridor protection measures implemented upstream of these
constrained / altered reaches will enhance sediment and flow attenuation, maintain or improve
floodplain access and reduce streambank erosion over the long term. Sediment production and
delivery and hydrologic stresses to the constrained / altered reach will be decreased given the
flow and sediment attenuation achieved in the upstream protected corridor.

Locations Downstream of Constrained / Altered Reaches
Protection of segments downstream of constrained / altered reaches will help to offset the
impacts of human encroachments in the disturbed reach which may have constrained the
channel, reduced floodplain access, and converted a naturally deposition-dominated segment into
a transport-dominated segment.

Sediment attenuation areas
Where increased attenuation functions are observed, and lateral adjustments can be tolerated
given the adjacent land uses, such areas can be capitalized on as attenuation assets to offset the
reduced floodplain access and sediment storage in upstream or downstream reaches that have
been converted to a transport-dominated status. These sites are high-priority candidates for
outreach and eventual conservation or protection with the willingness of landowners.

Reaches with channel-contiguous wetlands
Where wetlands and backwater areas are hydrologically connected to the channel, flow
attenuation and suspended sediment (and nutrient) attenuation functions can be maximized.

Reaches at alluvial fans or points of marked valley slope reduction that contribute to increased
sediment aggradation and planform adjustment. Carefully manage land use changes in the
upstream watershed to reduce the potential for increases in sediment or flows that may induce
channel adjustments in the subject reach/segment.

Reaches downstream of major sediment sources or tributary confluence bars that contribute to
increased sediment aggradation and planform adjustment.

Reaches where there is a major departure from equilibrium conditions these are reaches where
protection against fluvial erosion hazards (through local planning and zoning mechanisms) is
especially critical as the channel is susceptible to sudden streambank erosion or avulsion in high
flow events.

Reaches Identified for Passive or Active Restoration To support a channel where there is a
moderate to major departure from equilibrium as it evolves to regain floodplain and natural
meander patterns.

65
Table 15. River Corridor Protection Opportunities,
Assessed Reaches of Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek

Reach /
Segment

Town

Corridor
Protection
Priority
P
r
o
t
e
c
t
i
o
n

U
p
s
t
r
e
a
m

o
f

C
o
n
s
t
r
a
i
n
e
d
o
r
A
l
t
e
r
e
d
R
e
a
c
h
e
s
P
r
o
t
e
c
t
i
o
n

D
o
w
n
s
t
r
e
a
m

o
f

C
o
n
s
t
r
a
i
n
e
d
o
r
A
l
t
e
r
e
d
R
e
a
c
h
e
s
K
e
y

S
e
d
i
m
e
n
t

A
t
t
e
n
u
a
t
i
o
n

A
r
e
a

C
h
a
n
n
e
l
-
c
o
n
t
i
g
u
o
u
s

w
e
t
l
a
n
d
s

A
l
l
u
v
i
a
l

F
a
n

o
r

P
o
i
n
t

o
f

M
a
r
k
e
d

V
a
l
l
e
y

S
l
o
p
e

R
e
d
u
c
t
i
o
n

D
o
w
n
s
t
r
e
a
m

f
r
o
m

M
a
j
o
r

T
r
i
b
u
t
a
r
y

o
r

O
t
h
e
r

L
a
r
g
e

S
e
d
i
m
e
n
t

S
o
u
r
c
e

M
o
d
e
r
a
t
e

o
r

M
a
j
o
r

D
e
p
a
r
t
u
r
e

f
r
o
m
E
q
u
i
l
i
b
r
i
u
m
A
c
c
o
m
p
a
n
y

P
a
s
s
i
v
e

o
r

A
c
t
i
v
e

R
e
s
t
o
r
a
t
i
o
n
,

I
n
c
i
s
e
d
/
A
g
g
r
a
d
e
d

Little Otter Creek
M13-B New Haven Moderate
M13-A New Haven High
M12-B New Haven High
M12-A New Haven High
M11-B New Haven High
M11-A Monkton High
M10 Monkton High
M09-C Monkton High
M09-B Ferrisburgh Moderate
M09-A Ferrisburgh High
M08-B Ferrisburgh High
M08-A Ferrisburgh High
M07-B Ferrisburgh Moderate Bedrock Channel
M07-A Ferrisburgh Moderate
M06 Ferrisburgh Moderate
M05 Ferrisburgh High
M04 Ferrisburgh High
Mud Creek Tributary
T2.01-B Ferrisburgh High
T2.01-A Ferrisburgh High

6.2 Planting Stream Buffers

Forested riparian buffers improve water quality and contribute to greater flow and sediment attenuation
in the floodplain. They will also help to restore and maintain dynamic equilibrium of the channel by
increasing boundary resistance to shear stresses along the channel margins. Tree buffers will provide the
additional benefits of organic matter, detritus, and LWD recruitment for aquatic and riparian habitats, as
well as increased shading to reduce river temperatures. Connectivity of buffer areas from reach to reach
along a river network also supports mammalian terrestrial habitats by providing wildlife corridors.

Tree buffers are intact along both banks of some of the assessed reaches. It is a very important to
maintain buffers in these reaches, not only for streambank stability, but also for the shading and organic
matter that the tree canopy provides to aquatic organisms. In other reaches through the village areas,
buffers are largely absent, but buildings, roads and parking lots have encroached upon the channel,
reducing the feasibility (and therefore the priority) of buffer treatments.

66
Low-priority segments for planting buffers are those segments which have departed from equilibrium to a
moderate to severe degree, since ongoing adjustments will likely undermine the newly-planted trees /
shrubs. This condition applies to segments M13-A, M12-B, and M09-A; two of these segments already
have reasonably wide young-growth, forested buffers.

High-priority opportunities to increase buffer widths and continuity are located along the following
segments which are in equilibrium condition and have good floodplain access.

Upper end of Segment M12-A below the Plank Road culvert;
Right-bank of Segment M11-A;
Left-bank of Segment M09-C;
Segment M08-B;
Segment M07-A (light pasture);
Reach M06 (light pasture);

In addition, the following wetland-dominated reaches are characterized by buffers of herbaceous and
shrub species, with the occasional deciduous tree. Tree plantings in these reaches may be best
addressed in the context of wetland restoration projects (see Section 6.10).

6.3 Stabilizing Stream Banks

Streambank stabilization can be considered in laterally-unstable, [but vertically stable] reaches where
human-placed structures are at high risk and not taking action may result in increased risk of erosion, to
not only the structure, but lands that would provide the opportunity to establish a buffer (VTANR, 2010).
Any bank stabilization project should be considered in the broader context (both in time and space) for
the channel adjustment processes such management will set in motion and for the consequences to
upstream and downstream reaches. Generally speaking, the assessed reaches of Little Otter Creek / Mud
Creek are located in rural settings with limited encroachments, where it is important to allow lateral
adjustments to proceed unconstrained in order to support passive channel restoration and a return
toward dynamic equilibrium.

No stabilization projects have been prioritized along the assessed reaches of Little Otter Creek / Mud
Creek at this time, based on the Step-Wise Procedure for Identifying Technically Feasible River Corridor
Restoration and Protection Projects (VTANR, 2010).

6.4 Arresting Head Cuts and Nick Points

No head cut sites or sections of actively incising channel were noted in the assessed reaches of the Little
Otter Creek watershed.

6.5 Removing Berms / Other Constraints to Flood & Sediment Load Attenuation

Removing berms or other constraints to the full meander expression and floodplain connection of a river
channel may accelerate a return to dynamic equilibrium in the channel, and reduce impacts to
downstream segments, by creating more opportunities for sediment and flow attenuation along the
corridor. Further study is necessary to evaluate the feasibility of various active geomorphic and
engineering techniques to remove constraints. The benefits of such projects need to be evaluated in light
of the costs and potential short-term consequences in terms of sediment and nutrient mobilization, and
risk to infrastructure and public safety.


67
While berms were noted along portions of one or both banks of three study segments, berm removal was
considered a low priority in all cases (following VTANR guidance) due to the fact that:

the channel was already incised below the floodplain (IR
RAF
1.5 to 2.0) such that berm removal
alone would not result in greater floodplain access (e.g., berms in Segments M12-B, M09-A);

the noted berm(s) was coincident with a high bank or terrace, and removal of the berm would
not appreciably increase the meander belt width area available to the channel (e.g., right-bank
berm on Segment M09-A; left-bank berm on Segment M09-C);

infrastructure was present close to the channel and would be placed at greater risk of flooding if
the berm were removed (e.g., M12-B, house in left-bank corridor);

the noted berm(s) was very short in length and was associated with nearby valley fill for a bridge
crossing that was likely to be maintained (e.g., M12-B above Plank Road culvert; M09-A above
and below Monkton Road bridge; M09-C below the Lime Kiln Rd bridge); and/or

the noted berm(s) had well-established tree or shrub buffers which if removed would
degrade habitats or result in significant disruption of the corridor lands (e.g. M09-A).

6.6 Removing / Replacing Structures

Human-placed structures which span and constrain the vertical and lateral movement of the channel
and/or result in a significant constriction of the floodplain can be considered for removal or replacement
to support dynamic equilibrium of the channel (VTANR, 2010). In the study reaches, constraining
structures included bridges and culverts (Section 6.6.1) and old abutments (Section 6.6.2).

6.6.1 Bridge and Culvert Crossings

A total of nine bridge and culvert crossings were encountered on the assessed reaches: seven bridges
and two instream culverts. The status of each bridge and culvert as either a bankfull or flood-prone-
width constrictor is summarized in Step 4.8 of the Phase 2 reach reports (Appendix B) and in Table 16
(next page). Four of the bridges and both culverts were bankfull-constrictors. A few structures had
downstream scour pools, and one of the culverts had some minor, upstream aggradation. Overall, these
undersized structures were causing minimal localized channel instability, probably due to the generally
low gradients (lower scour velocities) and minimal bedload.

Table 16 presents priority for each of the bridges and culverts to be further evaluated for possible
replacement or retrofit to resolve geomorphic incompatibilities and/or improve aquatic organism passage.
Priority is suggested without regard to technical feasibility, social feasibility, or cost; rather the priority is
based generally on the geomorphic and habitat condition of the given reach or segment, and its
relationship to (and potential impact on) the crossing structure. These structures are listed as priorities
for replacement: (1) since the span of these structures is less than 50% of the reference (or measured)
bankfull channel width; and/or (2) due to conditions that suggest localized channel instability that has the
potential to impact the stability of the crossing structure itself (e.g., sharp approach angle, scour
undermining the abutments, sediment obstructing the inlet, scour pool developing at the outlet); and/or
(3) due to conditions (e.g., perched culvert) impacting fish passage and continuity of aquatic habitats.

At this time, none of the structures encountered are identified as a high priority for retrofit or
replacement.

68

Table 16. Bridge & Culvert Conditions, Assessed Reaches of the Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek

Reach/
Segment Town Road
Structure
Type
Year
Built
Constriction
Status * Other Issues Priority
M12-B New Haven North St Culvert 43%
Scour downstream; piping erosion overburden
upstream end. Moderate
M12-B New Haven Plank Rd Culvert 46% Scour downstream; aggradation upstream Moderate
M11-A Monkton farm lane Bridge 83% None Low
M09-C Monkton Lime Kiln Rd Bridge 1967 44% Overflow culverts Low
M09-A Ferrisburgh Monkton Rd Bridge 1951 112% Scour downstream Low
M07-B Ferrisburgh footpath Bridge 66% None Low
M07-A Ferrisburgh Wing Rd Bridge
1919
(repaired
2007) 57% Scour below Low
M05 Ferrisburgh Middlebrook Rd Bridge 1965 168% None Low
T2.01 Ferrisburgh Middlebrook Rd Bridge 1950 110% Scour below; approach angle Low
Mud Creek tributary
Little Otter Creek main stem

* Constriction status is calculated as structure span divided by bankfull width, expressed as a percent.


69
6.6.2 Old Abutments

Table 17 provides a listing of the old bridge abutments encountered on the study reaches and
summarizes their priority for removal. Neither structure is identified as a high priority for removal for the
reasons listed.

Table 17. Old abutment candidates for removal,
assessed reaches of Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek.

Stream
Reach /
Segment

Location
Constriction
Status *
Issues / Considerations
Priority

M13-B

Old concrete bridge
abutments for former
road connecting Plank
Road to North Street;
visible on Beers Atlas
(1871);

NM

Concrete abutments have
collapsed into the channel in
such a manner that flow is not
unduly restricted and which
creates habitat/ shading.

Very Low
(not
significantly
constricting)

Little
Otter
Creek
main
stem

M07-B

Old laid-up stone
bridge abutments for
former Echo Road

41%

Channel-spanning bedrock
upstream and downstream of
this former crossing offers
stability to the channel.
Abutment is high above the
channel at the top of walls
comprising the bedrock gorge.

Very Low
(Abutment
span is less
constricting
than the
bedrock
gorge).
*Note: Constriction status is calculated as structure span divided by bankfull width,
expressed as a percent.

6.7 Restoring Incised Reaches

Three short segments of the study reaches are historically incised and have partly lost access to the
surrounding floodplain. Historic incision in these segments is inferred to have been caused (at least in
part) by a history of channelization/ berming/ armoring. Historic flood events also may have contributed
to incision. None of the segments was noted as having undergone active or recently-occurring incision.

Further study can evaluate the feasibility of various active geomorphic and engineering techniques to
restore historically-incised reaches, accelerate a return to dynamic equilibrium of the channel, and reduce
impacts to downstream segments, by creating more opportunities for sediment and flow attenuation
along the corridor. However, active restoration of incised reaches in the study area is considered a very
low priority for the following reasons:

Intractable constraints of infrastructure (roads and bridge / culvert crossings) that would limit the
full expression of meanders and floodplain access and would reduce the technical feasibility or
effectiveness of active restoration; (e.g., M13-A, M12-B, M09-A);

Detrimental impacts to in-stream and riparian habitats, since lowering of the river-bank elevation
adjacent to the channel to increase the degree of floodplain connection would involve removal of
mature or regenerating vegetated buffers (e.g., M13-A, M09-A); and

Limited area of floodplain access gained by reconnecting the channel to the floodplain (e.g.,
M13-A, M12-B, M09-A).


70

Instead, passive restoration through corridor protection is recommended as a High priority for these
segments (see Section 6.1, Table 15) to support meander and floodplain redevelopment. Natural channel
adjustment processes will accomplish channel restoration within reasonable timeframes at much lower
cost and higher success rates, if the corridor is protected and society refrains from further channel
management.

6.8 Restoring Aggraded Reaches

Further study is sometimes warranted to evaluate the feasibility of various active restoration techniques
for aggraded reaches to accelerate a return to dynamic equilibrium of the channel. Aggrading reaches
can also be restored through passive measures including corridor protection.

None of the study segments were identified with aggrading conditions that would warrant restoration.

6.9 Mitigating Sources of Stormwater and Nutrient / Sediment Loading

Significant mobilization of fine sediments, phosphorus and nitrogen is occurring within the Little Otter
Creek watershed, related to: (1) a legacy of nutrient additions in excess of agronomic needs; (2) fall-
tilling, manure applications, and cropping practices in close proximity to unbuffered swales, road ditches
and other locations of concentrated runoff to surface waters; (3) frequent inundation of fields well
beyond minimum buffer widths required by AAPs and LFO/MFO rules; (4) maintenance of tile networks
and drainage ditches in agricultural fields; and (5) stormwater and sediment runoff from road and
driveway networks.

Ultimately, best opportunities for controlling the transport and delivery of fine sediments and nutrients
within the watershed are through: (1) improved management of nutrient inputs within the upstream
areas of the river network; and (2) interruption of the transport processes of sediments and nutrients at
their source.

This can be accomplished on multiple fronts:

1. Address increased flows to the Little Otter Creek from drainage tiles, field-ditch networks, road-ditch
networks, erosional gullies, and stormwater runoff.

a. In the residential, commercial and municipal arenas, stormwater flows can be managed through
compliance with state regulations. The towns of Ferrisburgh, Monkton, and New Haven can also
consider local ordinances to provide more stringent controls on stormwater runoff and which
could apply to smaller developments and road / driveway installations that may not be subject to
state stormwater regulations.

b. Road maintenance practices to mitigate for stormwater and sediment runoff to the Little Otter
Creek and its tributaries may include: stabilization of road surfaces (different gravel materials),
improvement of roadside ditches (excavation, stone lining and/or seeding and mulching),
alternative grading practices (turnouts, check-basins); re-orientation of culvert crossings; and
protection of culvert headers. Technical and financial resources are available to the towns
through the Better Back Roads program (Northern Vermont Resource Conservation and
Development Council) as well as the VT Agency of Transportation.

c. In agricultural settings, increased flows from drainage tiles, ditches and erosional gullies can be
addressed through design and retrofitting of tile networks to provide for energy dissipation at tile
outlets; gully stabilization; and consideration of crop rotation or alternative farming practices that
reduce the need for drainage tiles. Considerable technical and financial resources are available

71
to farmers to implement these practices. A possible demonstration project was identified by the
Steering Committee for installation of a two-stage ditch project (possible implementation under
the NRCS Americas Great Outdoors project through EQIP).

2. Identify more stringent nutrient management practices in saturated runoff-contributing areas (RCAs)
(for example, see inundation areas in Figure 16). Where these RCAs overlap with land uses that
involve fertilizers or manure, manage nutrient applications to prevent mobilization of nutrients and
sediments during snowmelt and precipitation events. Meals, et al. (2006) found nutrient
management, particularly in these runoff-contributing areas, to be the overriding factor in achieving
greatest reductions of phosphorus export in a study of the Little Otter Creek. RCAs are defined by
the topography, soil characteristics, and groundwater / river interactions. They vary in aerial extent
with the magnitude and intensity of rainfall events (Dunne & Black, 1997). In many locations, RCAs
extend to distances from the channel banks that exceed default buffer widths specified in regulations
(e.g., AAPs) or existing management agreements (e.g., CREP).

3. Exclude livestock from stream channels. Fencing livestock out of the river reduces channel trampling
(and nutrient / E.coli inputs) and allows trees and other native species to re-vegetate the channel
margins. Three opportunities for livestock exclusion in the Little Otter watershed were identified by
the project Steering Committee (Table 18) all high priority. Technical and financial resources are
available to farmers to implement these practices. Livestock exclusion (fencing) can be accompanied
by provisions for alternative water sources and installation of stabilized livestock crossings. At
present, UVM Extension Service in Middlebury has funding to implement livestock exclusion projects
in the Lake Champlain Basin. Livestock exclusion can also be accomplished under NRCS programs
(CRP/CREP, EQIP).

Table 18. Livestock Exclusion Opportunities,
Little Otter Creek / Mud Creek.

Reach / Segment Town Farm
M07-B, M07-A Ferrisburgh Husk
T2.01-C Ferrisburgh Sunnybrook
Trib to Mud Creek,
off S Middlebrook Rd,
south of Route 7

Ferrisburgh

4. Implement changes in cropping practices to reduce concentrated runoff (and fine sediment and
nutrient loading) to drainage ditches, road ditches, surface swales, inundation areas, and the Little
Otter Creek / Mud Creek and tributary channels. Possible measures include cover cropping, crop
rotation, filter strips, grass buffers, interseeding, and no-till options in the fall of the year. Given the
high clay content of Addison County soils, farmers typically till fields in the Fall months, leaving them
bare and subject to erosion during the wettest months. Farmers have been reticent to adopt
alternative cropping practices that would reduce sediment and nutrient runoff - such as fall cover
cropping and no-till or limited-till approaches. Franklin County has similar clay-rich soils and farmers
there have traditionally plowed their fields in the fall. However, in recent years, local groups (WASTE
NOT Resource Solutions, Friends of the Northern Waters) working with NRCS, VT Agency of
Agriculture and UVM Extension Service have assisted farmers to implement fall cover crops, and
adopt alternative field practices such as strip cropping and reduced tillage in the spring. Rill erosion
in bare fields has been reduced by strips of cover crop; rills are observed to terminate at the bare soil
/ cover boundary. Even cover cropping in small critical areas (e.g., edge-of-field gullies/ swales) has
been particularly effective at reducing soil loss (and sediment runoff to streams). In Addison County,
UVM Extension Service in Middlebury has worked with farmers to install fall cover crops and carry out

72
mechanical incorporation of manure - including some fields in the Little Otter Creek watershed over
the last year.

5. Consider taking vulnerable, and marginally-suitable lands (with uncertain yields) out of agricultural
production with the support of various state-and federally-funded cost-share programs available
through NRCS (e.g., CRP/CREP, EQIP, WRP, FRP) or by means of in-perpetuity easements such as
river corridor easement or whole-farm easement programs available through the VTDEC and Vermont
Land Trust.

6.10 Restoring Riparian Wetland Hydrology

While several areas of the Little Otter Creek/ Mud Creek floodplain are well connected to the channel and
are frequently inundated, the natural wetland functions and values of these inundated areas have been
compromised by conversion to agricultural uses and impacts from field-ditch and road-ditch networks.
Flood retention and filtering functions of these wetlands have been significantly reduced through historic
clear-cutting of floodplain tree species, compaction and leveling of soils through repeated tillage (loss of
micro-topography), and dredging of linear ditch networks to improve field drainage. Sediment and
nutrients are impacting these prior-converted wetland areas (both within and along the edges of
frequently inundated areas) through a legacy of nutrient additions in excess of agronomic needs, fall
tillage practices, absence of cover crops, and periodic dredging of soils to maintain ditch networks.

Wetland restoration (e.g., through NRCS Wetland Restoration Program [WRP]) and corridor protection
(e.g., through river corridor easements, or Vermont Land Trust easements) can enhance the flow and
sediment attenuation role of the riparian areas surrounding the Little Otter Creek reaches, as well as
mitigate for documented water quality impacts. During this project, land areas within the catchments for
reaches M11 and M10 were prioritized for outreach regarding wetland restoration (Figure 38). The
upstream drainage area of Little Otter Creek doubles within reach M11 (from 12.3 to 25.5 square miles)
and increases by a third in reach M10 (from 25.5 to 35.4 square miles). Extensive ditch networks and
ditched tributaries drain directly to these reaches. Large areas of the floodplain in reaches M10 and M11
as well as along a forth-order tributary to M10, upstream and downstream of the Plank Road crossing,
are frequently inundated following storm events. Crop and hay fields are abundant throughout these
floodplains. Buffer areas are often inundated and water extends well into fields that have been recently
tilled or planted. Rill erosion is also observed through the emergent crops, delivering small deltas of fine
sands and silt out into these runoff-contributing areas. Inundation persists for days to weeks, possibly
leading to anaerobic (reducing) conditions that may result in increased fractions of dissolved phosphorus.
Water quality monitoring data indicates increased loading between reach M12 (ACRWC Station LOC14.4)
and reach M09 (ACRWC Station LOC10). While similar concerns were noted in inundated areas west of
Middlebrook Road in Ferrisburgh (reaches M05, M04, and T2.01), some previously farmed fields in these
areas have already been placed into conservation.

Landowner contacts have been made through efforts of Waterscapes, LLC (under contract to Ducks
Unlimited) and Vermont Land Trust. At least two landowners are interested in a Wetland Reserve
Program easement. Project development is ongoing (NRCS, assisted with project scoping by Native
Geographics, LLC and Waterscapes, LLC). (See Project CD).

73

7.0 ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

7.1 Continued Strategic Planning by Watershed Stakeholders

Many of the projects identified in this study will require additional development tasks and efforts to
secure landowner and stakeholder commitments. This report (and accompanying Project CD) can serve
as the basis for further project development. Efforts by individual agencies may be aided by a recent
proposal to convene an Addison County Technical Advisory Group (TAG) facilitated by Addison County
Regional Planning Commission and lead by the VTDEC Mapping, Assessment & Planning Program. The
TAG would meet quarterly to share knowledge and project status, with a goal of strategically coordinating
the technical and financial resources available from a variety of state, federal and local entities to
implement priority projects. Application for funding of this TAG has been made through the ACRPC to the
VTANR Ecosystems Restoration Program (FY2012 grant cycle).

7.2 Coordinated Support to Farmers

Local groups such as the Addison County River Watch or town Conservation Commissions should work
cooperatively with the NRCS, VACD, UVM Extension Service, VT Agency of Agriculture, and VTDEC Water
Quality Division to provide additional support to farmers of Little Otter Creek (and Addison County) and
further incentivise adoption of best management practices and restoration / conservation projects.
Working with other watershed stakeholders, local groups can contribute labor, financial resources (in-kind
services, cash match) funded privately or through application to grant sources (e.g., EPA 319, Ecosystem
Restoration Grants), and coordinate Youth Conservation Corps teams or student groups to help farmers
implement improved practices.

7.3 Enhanced Protections for Vulnerable Geologic / Hydrologic Settings

Significantly greater reductions in phosphorus and sediment loading to our rivers and Lake Champlain
could be achieved if road ditch networks and field ditch networks were recognized as surface waters, and
appropriate measures were taken to buffer them from concentrated runoff and nutrient / sediment
Figure 38. Inundation areas
within catchments to Little Otter
Creek reaches M11, M10.
View to North, 25 March 2010.
Trib to M11 crossing Plank Rd in
foreground, inundation of
reaches M11 and M10 in
background.


74
sources. Accepted Agricultural Practices (VTAA , 2006), Large Farm Operation (LFO) rules, and Medium
Farm Operations (MFO) rules are ambiguous on this point.

The geologic and hydrologic conditions of the Little Otter Creek watershed enhance its vulnerability to
water quality impacts. Similar geologic settings and hydrologic conditions are characteristic of many
watersheds in the Lake Champlain basin, including: Pond Brook (Lewis Creek), Lemon Fair, Otter Creek
in Addison County; Rock River, Hungerford River in Franklin County; and the Hubbardton River and lower
Poultney River in Rutland County. Nutrient management planning could be improved in these vulnerable
settings.

More effective nutrient management strategies, tailored to the geologic and hydrologic context,
would result if available water quality and geomorphic data (VTDEC, ACRWC) and knowledge of
watershed hydrology (e.g., local areas of frequent inundation) were addressed in Land Treatment
Plans, Nutrient Management Plans and Wastewater Treatment Plans required of Medium- and
Large-Farm Operations (and encouraged for small farms).

Similarly, the AAPs, LFO rules, and MFO rules could be improved with consideration of such
vulnerable geologic and hydrologic settings. For example, the floodplain along Little Otter Creek
and its tributaries in frequently inundated areas is flooded well beyond standard buffer widths
(10 ft under AAP guidance; 25 feet under LFO/MFO rules).

7.4 Workshops

The Steering Committee has identified several potential workshops to address known issues in the
watershed and encourage adoption of alternative strategies and best management practices. These are
listed below with their possible sponsor(s).

Management of Alluvial Soils Workshop (similar to 14 April 2011 workshop held in Chittenden
County) to be held in northern Rutland or Addison County (NRCS, River Management Program,
VT Agency of Agriculture, VT Assoc of Conservation Districts);

Nutrient Management and Cropping Practices: Alternatives for floodplains and frequently flooded
soils (NRCS, River Management Program, VT Agency of Agriculture, VT Assoc of Conservation
Districts);

Road Ditch and Field Ditch Maintenance, a meeting of farmers and town road crews to discuss
common concerns, available best management practices, and technical / financial resources
(Addison County Regional Planning Commission, VT Agency of Agriculture, Better Back Roads);

Cover Cropping and Alternate Tillage Practices (NRCS, UVM Extension Agency, VT Agency of
Agriculture, VT Assoc of Conservation Districts).

7.5 Outreach to Towns

Outreach to town Conservation Commissions, Planning Boards, and Selectboards can be conducted to:

share results of this Little Otter Creek study and related water quality data;

consider improved road maintenance practices, including: stabilization of road surfaces (different
gravel materials), improvement of roadside ditches (excavation, stone lining and/or seeding and

75
mulching), alternative grading practices (turnouts, check-basins); re-orientation of culvert
crossings; and culvert header protection;

consider local road & driveway and bridge & culvert ordinances or review standards to mitigate
for stormwater and sediment runoff;

review Low Impact Development techniques for incorporation in town zoning regulations;

consider local-level stormwater ordinances for development projects that fall under the
thresholds for triggering Act 250 review or the States Stormwater Management rule;

discuss Fluvial Erosion Hazard (FEH) zones for adoption as a river corridor overlay district with
the objective of supporting dynamic equilibrium in Vermonts channels;

consider a combined approach of corridor protection and FEH corridors for larger waterways, and
a default buffer for smaller channels. A minimal 50-foot setback maintained with natural
vegetation (i.e., a buffer) is recommended by the VT Agency of Natural Resources for channels
with upstream drainage areas equal to or less than 2 square miles (VTANR, 2008a); and

include the appropriate enabling language regarding surface water protection in next updates to
the their respective Town Plans;


76
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Appendix A: Reach Summary Reports Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)

APPENDIX A

Phase 1 (Updated) and
Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment
Reach Summary Reports

Phase 1 - Reach Summary Report
Extends from the vicinity of the Mud Creek confluence west of Middlebrook Road downstream nearly to the
bedrock grade control (Birketts Falls) near the Satterly Road crossing.
1.1 Reach Description:
Step 1. Reach Location
6.6 Wavelength: 6.1 Ratio: 473 ft.
Step 7. Windshield Survey
1.2 Towns:
1.3 Downstream Latitude:
Ferrisburg
44.1937248177
1.3 Downstream Longitude: -73.2376342989
Step 2. Stream Type
2.1 Elevation Upstream: 160
2.1 Elevation Downstream: 157
2.1 Is Gradient Gentle?: No
2.2 Valley Length: 0.78
2.3 Valley Slope: 0.1
2.4 Channel Length: 9,669.0
2.5 Channel Slope: 0.03
2.6 Sinuosity: 2.34
2.7 Watershed Area: 57.4
2.8 Channel Width: 77.8
2.9 Valley Width: 4,000.0
2.10 Confinement Type: Very Broad
2.11 Reference Stream Type: E
Bedform: Dune-Ripple
Sub-Class Slope: None
Bed Material: Silt
Step 3. Basin Charateristicts
3.1 Alluvial Fan: None
3.2 Grade Control: None
3.3 Sub-dom. Geological Mat.:
3.4 Valley Slope Left: Flat
Hilly 3.4 Valley Slope Right:
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Water Table Shallow:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
1.0
None/Rare
slight
Step 4. Land Cover - Reach Hydrology
Historic Land Cover:
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Current Dominant Land Cover: Forest
Dominant: >100
Current Sub-Dominant Land Cover: Field
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 0-25
Length w / less than 25 ft.: 320.0
4.4 Ground Water Inputs:
Right Bank
>100
0-25
582.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Step 5. Instream Channel Modifications
5.1 Flow Regulation - (old):
Type:
Use:
None
5.2 Bridges and Culverts: 0 0.0
5.3 Bank Armoring: 0.0 0.0
5.4 Channel Straightening:
Left: 0.0 Right: 0.0
0.0 0.0
5.5 Dredging History: None
Step 6. Floodplain Modifications
6.1 Berms & Roads - old: 0.0
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
6.2 Development: 0.0 0.0
6.3 Channel Bars: None
6.4 Meander Migration: Flood Chute
6.5 Meander Width: 5.1
7.4 Comments:
Updated June 2011 based on Fall 2010 Phase 2 assessment by SMRC.
7.1 Bank Erosion: 2739.19
7.2 Bank Height: 5
7.3 Ice/Debris Jam Potential: Debris
100.0
89.0
74.0
2.0
85.0
3.3 Dominant Geological Mat.: Glacial Lake 100.0
4,140.0
1.83
2.10 Confinement Ratio: 51.4
Rato: 400 ft.
38.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 0.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Crop
Historic Land Cover::
Wetland
Current Sub-Dominant Land Cover: Crop
46.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
Basin: Otter, Little Otter, Lewis
Date Last Edited: July, 26 2011
M04 Reach ID:
Stream Name: Little Otter Creek
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Is Reach An Impoundment?: No
Watershed: Lewis Creek, Little Otter, Lake Champlain
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
QA Status: Step 7 done
Current Dominant Land Cover:
N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. High High Low Low N.S. N.S. Low N.S. Unk. N.S. High Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
0 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 10 1
ft
ft
Reach spans Middlebrook Road; upstream end is half way between Wing Road and Middlebrook Rd;
downstream end is just upstream of the Mud Creek confluence west of Middlebrook Road.
1.2 Towns:
Ferrisburg
44.1938786844
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.26
Bed Material: Sand
3.4 Valley Slope Left: Hilly
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
1.0
None/Rare
slight
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: 51-100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: >100
Right Bank
>100
51-100
77.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
0.0 0.0
One Side Both Sides
Road: 830.5
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
6.3 Channel Bars: Multiple
6.4 Meander Migration: Multiple
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 5
7.3 Ice/Debris Jam Potential: Multiple
98.0
89.0
66.0
22.0
66.0
7,488.0
1.78
Rato: 69 ft.
43.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 8.8
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Crop
Field
Current Sub-Dominant Land Cover: Wetland
32.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M05 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
N.S. N.S. N.S. Low High High Low High High Low Low N.S. Low N.S. High Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
0 2 0 2 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 2 16 2
ft
ft
Short reach downstream (west) of Wing Road crossing; downstream end is approximately mid-way between
Wing Road and Middlebrook Rd.
1.2 Towns:
Ferrisburg
44.203974713
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.03
2.9 Valley Width: 460.0
2.10 Confinement Type: Broad
2.11 Reference Stream Type: C
Bedform: Riffle-Pool
Bed Material: Cobble
Steep 3.4 Valley Slope Right:
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
1.0
None/Rare
Moderate
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: 0-25
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: >100
Length w / less than 25 ft.: 1,000.0
Right Bank
0-25
>100
1,167.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
0.0 0.0
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
6.4 Meander Migration: Flood Chute
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 4
7.3 Ice/Debris Jam Potential: None
100.0
100.0
50.0
45.0
53.0
1,612.0
0.32
Rato: 146 ft.
44.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 0.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Field
Field
39.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M06 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. High Low High Low High N.S. Low N.S. Unk. N.S. High N.S.
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
0 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 11 1
ft
ft
Extends from just upstream of the bedrock falls (Walkers Falls) east of Wing Road and ends downstream of the
Wing Road bridge crossing.
6.6 Wavelength: 0.0 Ratio: N/A
1.2 Towns:
Ferrisburg
44.2036097866
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.03
2.10 Confinement Type: Semi-confined
2.11 Reference Stream Type: B
Sub-Class Slope: c
3.2 Grade Control: Waterfall
3.3 Sub-dom. Geological Mat.: Till
3.4 Valley Slope Left: Very Steep
Very Steep 3.4 Valley Slope Right:
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
1.0
3.0
None/Rare
Very Severe
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: >100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 0-25
Right Bank
>100
0-25
1,894.0
Left Bank
Minimal
Type:
Use:
None
0.0 0.0
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
7.4 Comments:
Updated June 2011 based on Summer 2010 Phase 2 assessment by SMRC.
7.2 Bank Height: 3
82.0
100.0
85.0
85.0
73.0
4,307.0
0.84
Rato: N/A
42.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 0.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Shrub
Field
Current Sub-Dominant Land Cover: Forest
26.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M07 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. High High High N/A N/A Low Low N.S. Unk. N.S. Low Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
0 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 10 0
ft
ft
Extends from the Monkton Road crossing (Ferrisburgh) downstream nearly to the bedrock falls (Walker's Falls)
near the (now abandoned) Dean Road crossing just east of Wing Road.
1.2 Towns:
Ferrisburg
44.1966169542
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.65
Bed Material: Silt
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
2.0
None/Rare
Moderate
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: >100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 26-50
Right Bank
>100
26-50
0.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
1,803.1 22.1
6.1 Berms & Roads - old: 5,844.7
One Side Both Sides
Road: 5,844.7
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 3
100.0
90.0
45.0
40.0
45.0
4,944.0
1.55
Rato: 332 ft.
42.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 71.6
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Field
Wetland
35.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M08 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
High N.S. N.S. N.S. High High N.S. High N.S. Low Low N.S. High N.S. High Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
2 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 15 2
ft
ft
Extends from just upstream of the Lime Kiln Road bridge (Monkton) downstream to (and including) the Monkton
Road bridge (Ferrisburgh)
1.2 Towns:
Ferrisburg, Monkton
44.1859313503
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.05
2.10 Confinement Type: Semi-confined
Sub-Class Slope: c
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
1.0
3.0
None/Rare
Severe
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: >100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 51-100
Right Bank
>100
0-25
73.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
Left: 90.3 Right: 183.0
432.3 17.0
5.5 Dredging History: Dredging
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 353.8
Improved Path: 49.1
6.4 Meander Migration: None
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 4
100.0
100.0
66.0
65.0
66.0
2,411.0
0.48
Rato: N/A
43.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 15.9
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Forest
Forest
30.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M09 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
Low Low N.S. High High High N.S. N/A N/A N.S. N.S. High Low Low Low Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
1 2 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 14 0
ft
ft
From approximately 1000 feet downstream (north) of the New Haven / Monkton town line, downstream to the
Lime Kiln Road bridge crossing (Monkton)
1.2 Towns:
Monkton
44.184688667
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.48
Bed Material: Silt
3.3 Sub-dom. Geological Mat.: Other
3.4 Valley Slope Left: Steep
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
1.0
None/Rare
slight
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: >100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 26-50
Right Bank
0-25
>100
2,537.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
0.0 0.0
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
7.4 Comments:
7.1 Bank Erosion: 0
7.2 Bank Height: No Data
100.0
86.0
82.0
12.0
71.0
4,530.0
1.27
Rato: 214 ft.
44.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 0.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Crop
Wetland
43.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M10 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. High High High High Low N.S. Low N.S. Unk. N.S. N.S. Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
0 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 11 2
ft
ft
Extends from just downstream of the confluence of a forth-order tributary entering on the left-bank, just north of
Plank Road, and meanders downstream through a very broad valley setting to a location just north of the New
Haven / Monkton town line.
1.2 Towns:
Monkton, New Haven
44.1766202156
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.81
Bed Material: Sand
3.3 Sub-dom. Geological Mat.: Till
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
1.0
None/Rare
slight
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: 26-50
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 0-25
Right Bank
26-50
>100
100.0
Left Bank
Abundant
5.1 Flow Regulation - (old): None
Type:
Use:
None
2,237.7 22.0
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
7.4 Comments:
Update June 2011 based on Summer 2010 Phase 2 assessment by SMRC.
7.2 Bank Height: 3
100.0
87.0
92.0
3.0
84.0
5,608.0
1.93
Rato: 133 ft.
37.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 0.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Crop
Crop
25.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M11 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
High N.S. N.S. N.S. High High Low High High N.S. Low N.S. Unk. N.S. Low Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
2 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 14 2
ft
ft
Begins just upstream of the North Street culvert crossing and extends downstream to include the confluence of
a forth-order tributary, entering from left-bank, just north of Plank Road.
1.2 Towns:
New Haven
44.1621737651
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.46
Bed Material: Sand
3.3 Sub-dom. Geological Mat.: Alluvial
Flat 3.4 Valley Slope Right:
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
1.5
3.0
Occasional
slight
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Dominant: >100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 26-50
Right Bank
51-100
0-25
214.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
Left: 13.8 Right: 232.3
629.3 14.0
5.5 Dredging History: Dredging
6.1 Berms & Roads - old: 2,791.8
One Side Both Sides
Road: 2,533.8
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 258.0
Improved Path: 0.0
6.2 Development: 125.8 106.5
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 3
59.0
38.0
40.0
1.0
40.0
3,086.0
0.85
Rato: 131 ft.
45.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 62.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Shrub
Forest
26.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M12 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
Low Low N.S. Low High High Low High Low Low Low High High Low High Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
1 2 1 2 1 1 0 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 21 2
ft
ft
Reach follows the southwest side of Plank Road (town of New Haven) from the vicinity of a farm road crossing
downstream to the North Street culvert crossing.
1.2 Towns:
New Haven
44.1558930568
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.21
2.10 Confinement Type: Narrow
Sub-Class Slope: c
3.3 Sub-dom. Geological Mat.: Alluvial
3.4 Valley Slope Left: Ext. Steep
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
1.0
3.0
None/Rare
Severe
4.1 Watershed
Forest
Dominant: >100
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 51-100
Right Bank
>100
51-100
0.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
297.9 7.1
One Side Both Sides
Road: 0.0
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 4
45.0
73.0
45.0
72.0
45.0
3,454.0
0.79
Rato: N/A
45.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 0.0
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Forest
Forest
36.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
M13 Reach ID:
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
Low N.S. N.S. N.S. High High N.S. N/A N/A Low N.S. N.S. Unk. N.S. Low Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 8 0
ft
ft
Reach T2.01 is the downstream-most reach of Mud Creek that extends from a dairy pasture east of Middlebrook
Road and south of Wing Road to cross under Middlebrook Road and join the Little Otter Creek west of
Middlebrook Road.
1.2 Towns:
Ferrisburg
44.19372719
Step 2. Stream Type
2.6 Sinuosity: 1.46
Bed Material: Sand
3.1 Alluvial Fan: Yes
Flat 3.4 Valley Slope Right:
3.5 Soils
Hydrologic Group:
Flooding:
Water Table Deep:
Erodibility:
D
0.5
1.0
None/Rare
slight
4.1 Watershed
Crop
Current Dominant Land Cover: Field
Dominant: 26-50
4.3 Riparian Buffer
Sub-dominant: 0-25
Right Bank
>100
0-25
1,069.0
Left Bank
Abundant
Type:
Use:
None
505.0 8.9
One Side Both Sides
Road: 145.2
Railroad: 0.0
Berm: 0.0
Improved Path: 0.0
7.4 Comments:
7.2 Bank Height: 3
100.0
96.0
84.0
3.0
92.0
3,891.0
1.08
Rato: 72 ft.
28.0
ft. Miles
ft.
Miles
Square Miles
%
%
%
%
%
%
feet
feet
%
%
%
%
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft. 2.6
ft. ft.
4.2 Corridor
Shrub
Crop
24.0 %
ft. ft.
ft. ft.
%
Little Otter Creek
T2.01 Reach ID:
Stream Name: Mud Creek
Topo Maps:
MONKTON
SGAT Version: 4.56
Sub-watershed:
Little Otter Creek
Low N.S. N.S. N.S. High High High High High N.S. High N.S. N.S. N.S. Low Low
4.3 5.2 4.1 5.3 4.2 5.1 5.4 6.2 6.4 5.5 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.6 Total 7.1 7.3
1 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 1 1 15 2
ft
ft
Agency of Natural Resouces
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
VT DEC 103 South Main Street Waterbury, VT 05671
Phase 2 - Stream Geometry Data Little Otter Creek
M09 C No 0.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 F F
M10 0 No 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 F F
M09 B B Cobble Riffle-Pool c No 0.79 57.3 4.1 1.55 70 4.1 36.97 1.22 1.00 I F Good Good F P
M09 A B Cobble Riffle-Pool c No 0.79 58 4 2.4 110 7.7 24.17 1.90 1.92 III F Fair Good F P
M12 B C Gravel PlaneBed None Yes 0.22 39.2 2.3 1.5 95 3.8 26.13 2.42 1.65 II F Fair Fair F P
M13 A C Gravel Riffle-Pool None Yes 1.22 34.5 3.75 1.98 290 5.85 17.42 8.41 1.56 II F Fair Good F P
M12 A E Sand Dune-
Ripple
None No 0.22 25.6 4.5 2.1 2500 4.5 12.19 97.66 1.00 I F Good Good F P
M11 A No 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 F F
M11 B E Sand Dune-
Ripple
None No 0.13 32.7 4.4 2.8 3670 5 11.68 112.23 1.14 I F Good Good F P
T2.01 B C Gravel Dune-
Ripple
T2.01 C No 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 F F
T2.01 A No 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 F F
M08 B C Silt Riffle-Pool None Yes 0.09 54 3.4 1.4 285 3.4 38.57 5.28 1.00 I F Good Good F P
M04 0 C Silt Dune-
Ripple
M08 A No 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 F F
M07 A C Cobble Riffle-Pool None Yes 1.26 68 3.4 2.1 320 3.8 32.38 4.71 1.12 I F Good Good F P
M05 0 E Sand Dune-
Ripple
M06 0 C Cobble Riffle-Pool None No 0.24 51.8 5 2.99 620 5 17.32 11.97 1.00 I F Good Good F P
Reach Seg-
ment
Stream
Type
Bed
Material
Bedform Subcl.
Slope
Sub
Rch?
Channel
Slope
Channel
Width
Bankfull
Width
Max
Depth
Mean
Depth
Floodpr
Width
Recnt
Abandn
Fldpln
Width
Depth
Ratio
Entrench-
ment
Ratio
Incision
Ratio
Channel
Evolution
Stage
Channel
Evolution
Model
Geo
Assess
Condition
Hab
Assess
Condition
QC
Staff
QC
Auto
Phase2StreamType Phase1Data Phase2ChannelData
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Phase 2 - Rapid Geomorphic Assessment Little Otter Creek
M11 B No 17 None Yes 16 None No 13 No 18 No 0.80 Good I VB High F P
M12 A No 18 None No 11 None No 15 No 13 No 0.71 Good I VB High F P
M11 A No 0.00 VB F F
T2.01 C No 0.00 VB F F
M10 0 No 0.00 VB F F
T2.01 A No 0.00 VB F F
T2.01 B No 18 None No 13 None No 8 No 13 Yes 0.65 Good I VB High F P
M13 B No 18 None No 15 None No 15 No 13 No 0.76 Good I SC Moderate F P
M12 B Yes 8 None Yes 13 None No 13 No 13 Yes 0.59 Fair II NW VeryHigh F P
M13 A Yes 8 None Yes 15 None No 15 No 11 No 0.61 Fair II BD VeryHigh F P
M06 0 No 18 None No 18 None No 16 No 15 No 0.84 Good I BD Moderate F P
M07 A Yes 18 None No 11 None No 11 No 15 No 0.69 Good I NW Moderate F P
M05 0 No 18 None No 15 None No 18 No 10 Yes 0.76 Good I VB High F P
M09 C No 0.00 NW F F
M04 0 No 18 None No 15 None No 13 No 13 Yes 0.74 Good I VB High F P
M09 A No 8 None Yes 13 None No 13 No 8 Yes 0.53 Fair III SC High F P
M09 B No 18 None No 13 None No 10 Yes 18 No 0.74 Good I NC Moderate F P
M08 B Yes 18 None No 13 None No 11 Yes 15 Yes 0.71 Good I VB High F P
M07 B No 18 None No 10 None No 10 Yes 15 No 0.66 Good I NC Moderate F P
M08 A No 0.00 VB F F
Reach Seg-
ment
Sub
Rch?
Score STD Historic Score STD Historic Score Historic Score Historic Geo
Score
Geo
Condition
Evol.
Stage
Confin.
Type
Sensitivity QC
Staff
QC
Auto
Degradation Aggradation Widening Planform
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
10/28/2010 CompletionDate: Yes Rain:
AgencyofNaturalResources Organization:
KLU,BOS-SMRC Observers: 9,669 SegmentLength(ft):
Extends from the vicinity of the Mud Creek confluence west of Middlebrook Road downstream nearly to the bedrock grade
control (Birketts Falls) near the Satterly Road crossing.
Step 0 - Location:
QualtiyControlStatus-Staff:
QualtiyControlStatus-Consultant:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Reach was assessed by kayak. Channel located in Very Broad valley with very minimal encroachments. The pebble count
(St 2) is an estimate based on visual observations and the nature of sediments probed with the survey rod. Actual pebble
count was precluded by the depth of water (up to 5 feet). Shrub/sapling vegetation recorded in Riparian Corridor (St 3.3)
chosen to reflect wetland vegetation. Abandoned fencing, a seldom used equipment ford, and fallow fields, indicate that
agricutural uses at one time encroached more closely on the channel (also corroborated by 1942 aerial photographs). Four
field ditches were indexed within the reach directed from crop and hay fields outside the corridor to the north and south of
the channel. A beaver dam located near the downstream end of the reach impounds approximately 4600 feet of the channel,
although the length of impoundment effects was difficult to discern due to the very low gradient of the channel. Oxbows and
flood chutes in former channel positions are abundant. Based on historic aerial photographs (1942, 1962, 1974) - the channel
has had a very similar planform over at least the last 70 years. Region surrounding this channel floods widely during bankful
and higher flood stages. Extensive wetlands (NWI, VSWI) and hydric soils are mapped contiguous to the channel. Very low
gradient related to downstream bedrock grade control at Satterly Rd crossing (upstream end reach M03) - historically known
as Birkett's Falls.
Phase 2 Segment Summary Report
Stream: LittleOtterCreek
Reach: M04-0
Step 7 - Narrative: Moderate widening (leading to minor lateral departure from E to C stream type based on W/D ratio greater than 12).
Moderate planform adjustment (active minor meander extension, historic flood chutes and oxbows).
Page 1
Little Otter Creek Phase 2 Segment Summary Report
0 Dev.: 0
None
1.1Segmentation: None
1.2AlluvialFan: None
1.3CorridorEncroachments:
Length(ft) One Both Height
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
1.4AdjacentSide Left Right
HillsideSlope: Flat Hilly
Continuousw/Bank: Never Never
Within1BankfullW: Never Never
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ValleyWidth(ft): 4,000
WidthDetermination: Estimated
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
HumanCausedChangeinValleyWidth?: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Step1.ValleyandFloodplain
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Sub-Dominant 0-25 0-25
Buffer Width
W less than 25 582 320
Buffer Vegitation Type
Herbaceous Herbaceous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Deciduous Deciduous
3.3RiparianCorridor
Corridor Land Left Right
Dominant Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
Sub-dominant Hay Crop
(Legacy) Amount Mean Hieght
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
63.20
2.2 Max Depth (ft.): 7.70
2.3 Mean Depth (tf): 3.68
2.4 Floodprone Width (ft.): 2,955.00
2.5 Aband. Floodpn (ft.): 7.70
Human Elev FloodPln (ft.):
2.6 Width/Depth Ratio: 17.17
2.7 Entrenchment Ratio: 46.76
2.8 Incision Ratio: 1.00
Human Elevated Inc. Rat.: 0.00
2.9 Sinuosity: Oxbows
2.10 Riffles Type: Not Applicable
2.12 Substrate Composition
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 0.0 %
Cobble: 0.0 %
Coarse Gravel: 0.0 %
Fine Gravel: 5.0 %
Sand: 45.0 %
Silt and Smaller: 50.0 %
Silt/Clay Present: No
Detritus: 3.0 %
2.13 Average Largest Particle on
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Bed Material: Silt
Subclass Slope: None
Bed Form: Dune-Ripple
Field Measured Slope:
2.15 Sub-reach Stream Type
Reference Stream Type:
# Large Woody Debris: 32
2.11 Riffle/Step Spacing: 2.1Bankfull Width (ft.):
Reach: Stream: M04-0 LittleOtterCreek
Little Otter Creek Phase 2 Segment Summary Report Page 2
Reference Bed Material:
Reference Subclass Slope:
Reference Bedform:
Step3.RiparianFeatures
3.1 Stream Banks Typical Bank Slope: Steep
Left Right
Material Type: Silt Silt
Consistency: Cohesive Cohesive
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Erosion Length (ft.): 2,109.7 629.5
Erosion Height (ft.): 5.4 5.9
Bank Erosion
Revetment Type: None None
Revetment Length: 0.0 0.0
Near Bank Vegetation Type
Dominant: Herbaceous Herbaceous
Sub-dominant: Deciduous Deciduous
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Mid-Channel Canopy: Open
Left Right Bank Texture
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Step4.Flow&FlowModifiers
4.1 Springs / Seeps: Abundant
4.2 Adjacent Wetlands: Abundant
4.5 Flow Regulation Type None
Flow Reg. Use:
4.3 Flow Status: Moderate
4.4 # of Debris Jams: 2
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
4.6 Up/Down Strm flow reg.: None
(old) Upstrm Flow Reg.:
4.7 Stormwater Inputs
Field Ditch: 4 Road Ditch: 0
Other: 0 Tile Drain: 0
Overland Flow: 0 Urb Strm Wtr Pipe: 0
4.8 Channel Constrictions:
4.9 # of Beaver Dams: 1
Affected Length (ft): 4600
Little Otter Creek Phase 2 Segment Summary Report Page3
Step5.ChannelBedandPlanformChanges
5.1 Bar Types Diagonal: 0
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.2 Other Features Neck Cutoff: 0
Flood chutes: 3 Avulsion: 0
5.3 Steep Riffles and Head Cuts Head Cuts: 0
Steep Riffles: 0 Trib Rejuv.: No
5.5 Straightening: None
Straightening Length (ft.): 0
5.4 Stream Ford or Animal Crossing: Yes
5.5 Dredging: None
Step7.RapidGeomorphicAssessmentData
Confinement Type Score STD
7.1 Channel Degradation 18 None
7.2 Channel Aggradation 15 None
7.3 Widening Channel 13 Other
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 59
Geomorphic Rating 0.74
Channel Evolution Model F
Channel Evolution Stage I
Geomorphic Condition Good
Stream Sensitivity High
7.4 Change in Planforml 13 None Yes
Unconfined
Step6.RapidHabitatAssessmentData
Stream Gradiant Type 6.1 Epifaunal Substrate - Avl.: 10
6.2 Pool Substrate: 15
6.3 Pool Variability: 13
6.4 Sediment Deposition: 13
6.5 Channel Flow Status: 18
6.6 Channel Alteration: 18
6.7 Channel Sinuosity: 15
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability: 7 8
6.9 Bank Vegetation Protection 7 8
6.10 Riparian Veg. Zone Width: 9 9 Total Score: 150
Habitat Rating: 0.75
Habitat Stream Condition: Good
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
8/19/2010 CompletionDate: No Rain:
wetland WhyNotAssessed:
KLU,BOS-SMRC;S.Pealer-VTDEC Observers: 2,789 SegmentLength(ft):
Lower half of the reach (west of the Middlebrook Road crossing) ending at the confluence of Mud Creek with the Little Otter
Creek main stem.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Limited access to the reach by foot due to deep pools, and very mucky bottom (wetland conditions). Later kayak access
upstream from the confluence with Little Otter Creek blocked by multiple debris jams. Due to limited access, number of LWD
not recorded (underestimated) and number of debris jams may be underestimated. Ditches direct field drainage from crop
fields (corn) south of the channel to left bank. Neck cutoffs are historic. Mud Creek reach T2.01 joins Little Otter Creek at the
upstream end of reach M04. Very low gradient of the segment related to downstream bedrock grade control at Satterly Rd
crossing (upstream end of reach M03) - historically known as Birkett's Falls. A short section of inferred straightening was
indexed within the segment, where a linear planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the channel width and
where current or historic cultivated fields were located in close proximity to the channel. Straightening has not been
independently confirmed (through historic documentation or aerial photographs). Despite possible historic straightening,
the channel does not appear to be incised below the floodplain. It is possible that cohesive sediments in the channel
boundaries and/or very low valley gradients may have moderated the potential for vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments
in response to inferred straightening.
Stream: MudCreek
Reach: T2.01-A
Step 7 - Narrative:
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
1.1Segmentation: FlowStatus
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Flat Flat
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 26-50 >100
Sub-Dominant >100 None
Buffer Width
W less than 25 83 0
Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Herbaceous Deciduous
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant Crop Forest
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
2.2 Max Depth (ft.):
2.3 Mean Depth (tf):
2.4 Floodprone Width (ft.):
2.5 Aband. Floodpn (ft.):
2.9 Sinuosity:
2.10 Riffles Type:
Bedrock: %
Boulder: %
Cobble: %
Coarse Gravel: %
Fine Gravel: %
Sand: %
Silt and Smaller: %
Silt/Clay Present:
Detritus: %
Bed:
Bar:
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type:
Bed Material:
Subclass Slope:
Bed Form:
# Large Woody Debris:
Reach: Stream: T2.01-A MudCreek
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Erosion Length (ft.): 0.0 0.0
Bank Erosion
Sub-dominant: Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 0 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Reach: Stream: T2.01-A MudCreek
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Straightening: Straightening
5.4 Stream Ford or Animal Crossing: No
5.5 Dredging: None
7.1 Channel Degradation
7.2 Channel Aggradation
7.3 Widening Channel
Historic
Total Score
Geomorphic Rating
Channel Evolution Model
Channel Evolution Stage
Geomorphic Condition
Stream Sensitivity
7.4 Change in Planforml
Stream Gradiant Type 6.1 Epifaunal Substrate - Avl.:
6.2 Pool Substrate:
6.3 Pool Variability:
6.4 Sediment Deposition:
6.5 Channel Flow Status:
6.6 Channel Alteration:
6.7 Channel Sinuosity:
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability:
6.9 Bank Vegetation Protection
6.10 Riparian Veg. Zone Width: Total Score:
Habitat Rating:
Habitat Stream Condition:
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Middle third of the reach extending approximately 1,749 feet downstream of the Middlebrook Road bridge crossing. Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Middlebrook Road encroaches along the right bank for a very short section of the channel on approach to the bridge
crossing (St 1.3). Not significant enough to classify it as a human-caused change in valley width (St 1.5). ACRWC maintains
a long-term water quality monitoring station at the Middlebrook Rd bridge crossing (MDC1.2). The bridge is a flood-prone-
width constrictor. Two beaver dams were indexed within the segment; both were recently, mostly breached resulting in
minimal impoundment effects. Segment is transitional between inferred C (and B) channel upstream and wetlands
downstream. While the short cross overs between meander bends (occasionally) and a couple of bars (esp near the
upstream end of the segment) contained fine to coarse gravel, the majority of the segment was characterized by silt/ sand
bed and silt banks with a weak dune-ripple form. Flood Prone Width (St 2.4) is greater than valley width (St 1.5) because the
cross section is oriented at an angle to the long axis of the valley.
Stream: MudCreek
Reach: T2.01-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Active widening, minor aggradation and planform adjustment (leading to minor lateral departure from E to C stream type
based on W/D ratio greater than 12). Potential for incision moderated by cohesive sediments and very low gradient.
Page 1
37 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 61 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Hilly Flat
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
9
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant Forest Forest
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
26.70
2.9 Sinuosity: Moderate
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 0.0 %
Cobble: 1.0 %
Fine Gravel: 15.0 %
Sand: 16.0 %
Detritus: 5.0 %
Bed: 60 mm
Bar: 50 mm
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Bed Material: Gravel
2.11 Riffle/Step Spacing: 110 ft. 2.1Bankfull Width (ft.):
Reach: Stream: T2.01-B MudCreek
Reference Bedform:
3.1 Stream Banks Typical Bank Slope: Undercut
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Revetment Type: Hard Bank Hard Bank
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 0 0
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Bridge 29.4 Yes Yes Yes Yes ScourBelow,Alignment
Photo GPS Channel Floodprone
Type Width Taken? Taken? Constriction? Constriction? Problems
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Field Ditch: Road Ditch:
Other: Tile Drain:
Overland Flow: Urb Strm Wtr Pipe:
None
Reach: Stream: T2.01-B MudCreek
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 3 Island: 0
Side: 4 Braiding: 1
5.5 Dredging: None
7.3 Widening Channel 8 None
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 52
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
nopropertyaccess WhyNotAssessed:
Upper fifth of the reach, upstream (east) of the Middlebrook Road bridge crossing. Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Segment is fenced-in dairy cattle pasture. Livestock have free range access to the channel. Middlebrook Road encroaches
along the right bank of the channel for a very short distance on approach to the Middlebrook Rd bridge just below the
downstream end of the segment (St 1.3). Encroachment too short to represent any significant Human-caused Change in
Valley Width (St 1.5). A braided channel pattern is evident, especially at bankfull flow conditions (see Figure x). It is unclear
whether this multithread channel represents a reference channel type (D stream) or whether a history of pasture use (and
livestock trampling) has contributed to the braided pattern.
Stream: MudCreek
Reach: T2.01-C
Step 7 - Narrative:
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
1.1Segmentation: PropertyAccess
1.2AlluvialFan: Yes
Berm: 0 0
Road: 84 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: VerySteep Hilly
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ValleyWidth(ft): 590
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
9
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 0-25 0-25
Sub-Dominant >100 None
Buffer Width
W less than 25 918 1,067
None None
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Deciduous Herbaceous
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Pasture Pasture
Sub-dominant Forest None
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
2.9 Sinuosity:
2.10 Riffles Type:
Bedrock: %
Boulder: %
Cobble: %
Coarse Gravel: %
Fine Gravel: %
Sand: %
Silt and Smaller: %
Silt/Clay Present:
Detritus: %
Bed:
Bar:
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type:
Bed Material:
Subclass Slope:
Bed Form:
Reach: Stream: T2.01-C MudCreek
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Material Type: Mix Mix
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Dominant: Pasture Pasture
Sub-dominant: Deciduous None
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 0 0
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
4.2 Adjacent Wetlands: Minimal
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Reach: Stream: T2.01-C MudCreek
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Total Score
Geomorphic Rating
Stream Sensitivity
6.2 Pool Substrate:
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability:
Habitat Rating:
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Reach spans Middlebrook Road; upstream end is half way between Wing Road and Middlebrook Rd; downstream end is just
upstream of the Mud Creek confluence west of Middlebrook Road.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Reach assessed by kayak. Only slight encroachment by Middlebrook Road for a short section of the reach downstream of
the Middlebrook Road crossing. This encroachment results in a localized reduction of the valley width, but is not significant
enough to result in a change in valley type (Very Broad) or status (Unconfined). The pebble count (St 2) is an estimate based
on visual observations and the nature of sediments probed with the survey rod. Actual pebble count was precluded by the
depth of the water (up to 4.5 feet). Flood Prone Width (St 2.4) is greater than valley width (St 1.5) because the cross section
is oriented at an angle to the long axis of the valley. Shrub/sapling vegetation recorded in Riparian Corridor (St 3.3) chosen
to reflect wetland vegetation. Field ditches and ditched tribs direct stormflow from crop and hay fields to the north of the
channel. Some with very turbid flow. Delta (St 5) present along left bank, upstream side of Middlebrook Road bridge where
road ditch that also receives field runoff enters the channel. Right-bank barbed wire fencing near downstream end of reach
collapsing into the channel. Several recent tree plantings (blue tubes, brush blankets) evident along both banks upstream
and downstream of Middlebrook Road crossing. Some collapsing into the channel at undercut banks. Evidence of beaver
activitiy (beaver siting, bank dens, bank slides, dams on tributaries). Oxbows and flood chutes in former channel positions
are abundant. Based on historic aerial photographs (1942, 1962, 1974) - the channel has had a very similar planform over at
least the last 70 years. One post-1962 pre-1974 neck cutoff in upper half of reach. Extensive wetlands (NWI, VSWI) and
hydric soils are mapped contiguous to the channel. Varved clays exposed in the bed and banks near the upstream end of
the reach. Longterm ACRWC water quality monitoring station is located at the Middlebrook Road bridge (LOC7.8). This is
also the location of a former USGS streamflow gaging and water quality station (#04282636) designed to monitor the
effectiveness of Best Management Practices implemented at a farm in the upstream catchment (Medalie, 2007). This former
station was paired with an upstream water quality monitoring station (#04282634) located at the downstream end of reach
M06.
Reach: M05-0
Step 7 - Narrative: Moderate historic (oxbows, flood chutes, neck cutoffs) and recent (meander extension) planform adjustment.
Page 1
89 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 831 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Hilly Hilly
Continuousw/Bank: Sometimes Sometimes
Within1BankfullW: Sometimes Sometimes
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
HumanCausedChangeinValleyWidth?: Yes
1.6GradeControls:
Height
16
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 51-100
Sub-Dominant 51-100 >100
Buffer Width
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant Forest Pasture
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
38.68
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 0.0 %
Cobble: 0.0 %
Fine Gravel: 5.0 %
Sand: 55.0 %
Silt/Clay Present: Yes
Detritus: 3.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: E
Bed Material: Sand
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Erosion Length (ft.): 2,993.9 1,697.2
Bank Erosion
Revetment Type: Rip-Rap Rip-Rap
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Bridge 65 Yes Yes No Yes None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 2 Delta: 1
Point: 2 Island: 0
Side: 1 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 61
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Short reach downstream (west) of Wing Road crossing; downstream end is approximately mid-way between Wing Road and
Middlebrook Rd.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Valley confinement ratio varies within the reach from Semiconfined (at the upstream end) to Very Broad, with an average
confinement of Broad. Underlain by hydric soils of glaciolacustrine parent material; however, no wetlands are mapped in the
reach (VSWI) possibly due to the prior-converted status of long-term active pasture for dairy cattle. Either livestock are
infrequently pastured or they have been excluded from the parcel surrounding the channel in this reach in the last year or
two - as pasture lands are starting to appear fallow in nature. A dominantly riffle/pool bedform is punctuated by a deep pool
with wetland appearance at the apex of the two meanders in the reach. This is a short reach, transitional between the Narrow
to Semi-confined upstream reaches and downstream wetland (E stream type) reaches M05 and M04. Cross sections
measured in the reach both demonstrated somewhat narrower and deeper channel dimensions than are typical for C stream
types. One mass failure in tills along the RB where channel impinges on the valley wall exacerabated by absence of trees
and closely cropped vegetation due to pasture use. No depositional bars available for measurement of Avg Size Largest
Particle (St 2.13). Flood Prone Width (St 2.4) is greater than valley width (St 1.5) because the cross section is oriented at an
angle to the long axis of the valley. One equipment ford noted mid-reach. A USGS water quality monitoring station
(#04282634) was formerly located near the downstream end of this reach, paired with a downstream station (#04282636)
located at the Middlebrook Rd crossing in downstream reach M05.
Reach: M06-0
Step 7 - Narrative: Minor planform adjustment (erosion on outside meander bends).
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Hilly Steep
Continuousw/Bank: Never Sometimes
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: BD
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 0-25 0-25
Sub-Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
W less than 25 1,167 1,000
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Mixed Trees Mixed Trees
3.3RiparianCorridor
Failures One 20.0
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures 117.39
Height 20.0
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
51.80
2.4 Floodprone Width (ft.): 620.00
2.9 Sinuosity: Low
2.10 Riffles Type: Complete
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 2.0 %
Cobble: 53.0 %
Fine Gravel: 3.0 %
Sand: 0.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Bed Form: Riffle-Pool
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 67
Stream Sensitivity Moderate
7.4 Change in Planforml 15 None No
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Segment spans Wing Road, beginning approx 1,350 feet upstream of the bridge crossing and ends approx 1,000 feet
downstream of the crossing.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Valley confinement ranges from Narrowly-confined to Broad, averaging Narrow. A short section (495 ft) of Narrowly-
Confined channel is located immediately upstream of the Wing Road bridge - too short to segment. In this general location,
the Little Otter Creek passes through beds of more erosion-resistant bedrock, and it is likely that the underlying geology has
contributed to the very narrow valley geometry. A cross section (XS-1) was conducted in this short section to document
conditions, but was deemed Not Representative of the segment. Cross section XS-2 near the upper end of the segment
was representative of the overall segment. Wing Road bridge crossing is a bankfull constrictor with a downstream scour
pool. One equipment ford. No depositional bars available for measurement of Avg Size Largest Particle (St 2.13). Dairy
cattle have direct access to the channel and floodplain in pasture areas on both sides of the river; two separate locations
(general) were indexed to indicate livestock access both upstream and downstream of the Wing Road bridge. ACRWC
maintains a water quality monitoring site (LOC8) on the downstream side of the Wing Road bridge along the left bank.
Reach: M07-A
Step 7 - Narrative: Minor aggradation and widening due to upstream and in-segment sediment sources and erosion (minor) along with historic
buffer removal and direct pasturing (trampling).
Page 1
41 Dev.: 0
None
1.1Segmentation: ValleyWidth
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Steep Steep
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: NW
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 0-25 0-25
Buffer Width
W less than 25 1,540 1,638
Mixed Trees Mixed Trees
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
3.3RiparianCorridor
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
68.00
2.9 Sinuosity: Low
2.10 Riffles Type: Sedimented
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 7.0 %
Cobble: 65.0 %
Fine Gravel: 4.0 %
Sand: 2.0 %
Detritus: 3.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Reference Stream Type: C
Cobble
None
Reach: Stream: M07-A LittleOtterCreek
Riffle-Pool
Reference Bedform:
3.1 Stream Banks Typical Bank Slope: Moderate
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Dominant: Pasture Pasture
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Bridge 28.4 Yes Yes Yes Yes ScourBelow
4.1 Springs / Seeps: Minimal
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Mid: 1 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 1
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 55
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Segment begins just upstream of the bedrock falls (Walkers Falls) east of Wing Road and ends approx 1,350 feet upstream of
the Wing Rd bridge crossing.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Bedrock waterfall (historically known as Walkers Falls) near the upper end of the reach. Some bedrock lateral controls
upstream and downstream of the falls. Valley confinement ranges from Narrowly-confined to Semi-confined. While there is a
short section of bedrock gorge at the waterfall location, the segment as a whole was not classified as being located in a
bedrock gorge. Historic crossing of Echo Road (class IV) was located at the bedrock gorge just upstream of the waterfall.
Old laid-up stone abutments (old bridge site, bankfull-constricting) are present near the top of the bedrock walls. Bedrock
walls themselves are narrower than the predicted (and measured) bankfull width. A covered wooden footbridge is located at
the top of the gorge just upstream from the former road crossing. It provides pedestrian access to a private residence on the
east side of the gorge. Echo Rd is now a dead end on either side of the river valley. No depositional bars available for
measurement of Avg Size Largest Particle (St 2.13). Road ditch runoff is directed to the channel from Echo Rd. Stormwater
runoff has created a long, steep gully along the west side of the channel which enters the left bank just downstream of the
bedrock falls. The "delta" recorded in St 5.1 is the sediment deposit at the confluence of this gully with the Little Otter Creek
channel. Left-bank mass failure is located a bit further downstream where the channel impinges on the valley wall. Dairy
cattle are pastured in the wooded floodplain on both sides of the river.
Reach: M07-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Minor aggradation; minor (historic) widening.
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
Waterfall Mid-segment 17.0 13.0 Yes
Total TotalHeight Photo GPS
Type Location Height AboveWater Taken? Taken?
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: VerySteep VerySteep
Texture: Mixed Mixed
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: NC
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
Deciduous Deciduous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Coniferous Coniferous
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Forest Forest
Sub-dominant Pasture Pasture
Failures One 25.0
Gullies One 4.0
Left Right
Mass Failures 19.89
Height 25.0
Gullies Number 1
Gullies Length 95
Step2.StreamChannel
63.30
2.9 Sinuosity: Low
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 15.0 %
Cobble: 55.0 %
Fine Gravel: 6.0 %
Sand: 2.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: B
Subclass Slope: c
Reach: Stream: M07-B LittleOtterCreek
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 76-100 76-100
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
OldAbutment 26 Yes Yes Yes Yes None
Bridge 42 Yes Yes Yes Yes None
BedrockOutcrops 18 Yes Yes Yes Yes None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 1 Delta: 1
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
Yes
Total Score 53
Confined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Segment begins approx one-third of a mile downstream of the Monkton Road crossing and extends downstream nearly to the
bedrock falls (Walker's Falls) at the former crossing of Echo Rd (now abandoned) east of Wing Road.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Encroachment by Dean Road along the RB along a majority of the segment. Only slightly more constraining than the natural
valley wall, and the channel has unconstrained access to the floodplain in the left-bank corridor. Therefore, no significant
modification to valley confinement type (Very Broad) or status (Unconfined). More intensive encroachment by agricultural
fields in past decades (e.g., depicted on the 1942 and 1962 orthophotos). A section of possible straightening was indexed
within the lower end of the segment, where a linear planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the channel
width and where historic fields/pasture were located in closer proximity to the channel. Straightening has not been
independently confirmed (through historic documentation). Despite possible historic straightening, this section of the
channel is not incised below the floodplain. It is possible that cohesive sediments in the channel boundaries and/or very low
valley gradients may have moderated the potential for vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments in response to inferred
straightening. In more recent decades, land uses appear to have reverted to fallow vegetation. Two active beaver dams at
the upstream and downstream extents of the segment, impounding approx 900 and 500 feet of channel, respectively.
Evidence of breached beaver dams was noted elsewhere in the segment. Small "delta" of sediment at confluence of RB
tributary mid-segment. Very low gradient is related to downstream bedrock grade control at former Echo Rd crossing
(upstream end of reach M07) - historically known as Walker's Falls.
Reach: M08-A
Step 7 - Narrative:
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
1.1Segmentation: ChannelDimensions
Berm: 0 0
Road: 5,845 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
Within1BankfullW: Never Sometimes
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
7
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 60
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant None None
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
2.9 Sinuosity: Oxbows
Bedrock: %
Boulder: %
Cobble: %
Coarse Gravel: %
Fine Gravel: %
Sand: %
Silt and Smaller: %
Silt/Clay Present: Yes
Detritus: %
Bed:
Bar:
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type:
Bed Material:
Subclass Slope:
Bed Form:
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Mid: 0 Delta: 1
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
Straightening Length (ft.): 1,392
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Total Score
Geomorphic Rating
Stream Sensitivity
6.2 Pool Substrate:
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability:
Habitat Rating:
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Segment begins just downstream of the Monkton Road crossing and extends approx one third of a mile downstream. Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Subreach of C-R/P with bouIder/ cobbIes intermixed with siIt/cIay substrates.
PossibIe channeIization of the upper end of the segment associated with re-channeIization at the Monkton Road crossing
between 1942 and 1962 (see reach M09). SeIdom used ford provides channeI access aIong the Ieft bank mid-way near the
downstream end of the segment. Later observed at highfIow conditions from Monkton Road bridge, that water fIows to a Ieft-
bank fIood chute and partiaIIy bypasses the main channeI at the cross section site. THis may account for smaIIer-than-
predicted cross-sectionaI-area at the cross section site.
Reach: M08-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Minor aggradation (upstream sediment sources from bank and berm erosion). Moderate (historic) widening - possibly
enhanced locally by beaver activity.
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Steep VerySteep
Within1BankfullW: Never Sometimes
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Sub-Dominant None None
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 0
Deciduous Herbaceous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Herbaceous Mixed Trees
3.3RiparianCorridor
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
54.00
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 4.0 %
Cobble: 35.0 %
Fine Gravel: 0.0 %
Sand: 0.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: 200 mm
Bar: 45 mm
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Bed Material: Silt
Silt
None
Riffle-Pool
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 2 Island: 0
Side: 1 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
Yes
Total Score 57
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
KLU,BOS-SMRC Observers: 871 SegmentLength(ft):
Downstream third of the reach, extending approx 871 feet upstream from the Monkton Road crossing. Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Valley walls pull away from the channel in Segment A to yield a Semi-confined to Narrow valley setting. Within the valley, the
channel is partly incised below two sets of terraces. The higher terrace is along the right bank at an approximate elevation of
2.5 times the max depth of the channel. The lower terrace along left bank is approximately 1.6 times the max depth.
Monkton Road straightened between 1942 and 1962 according to historic aerial photos. Bridge moved from a position
further north to its current crossing site. Bridge built: 1951 (reference). Little Otter Creek channelized through the new
bridge site, leaving abandoned meander north of the channel on the east side of the road, and south of the channel (also on
the east side of the road). Berms were constructed to keep the channelized river in its new planform on both sides of the
channel east of the bridge. A lower-relief berm is also evident along the RB downstream of the bridge. ACRWC maintains a
water quality monitoring site (LOC10) downstream of the bridge along the right bank. This segment is also the site of a
temporary flow gaging station operated by ACRWC (2010 - 2011).
Reach: M09-A
Step 7 - Narrative: Minor planform adjustment (meander extension) on outside bends, including berm erosion. Early stage of widening (or late
stage II [F] ).
Page 1
130 Dev.: 0
None
6
Berm: 321 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 49 0
HillsideSlope: Extr.Steep VerySteep
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: SC
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
6
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 0
Mixed Trees Mixed Trees
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
58.00
2.9 Sinuosity: Low
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 9.0 %
Cobble: 65.0 %
Fine Gravel: 3.0 %
Sand: 0.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: 400 mm
Bar: 400 mm
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: B
Subclass Slope: c
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Consistency: Non-cohesive Non-cohesive
Upper
Material Type: Boulder/Cobbl
e
Boulder/Cobbl
e
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 51-75 51-75
Mid-Channel Canopy: Closed
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Bridge 65 Yes Yes No Yes ScourBelow
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 1 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: Dredging
Historic
Yes
No
No
Total Score 42
Channel Evolution Stage III
Geomorphic Condition Fair
Confined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Middle third of the reach, located upstream of the Monkton Road crossing (Ferrisburgh) and downstream of the Lime Kiln
Road crossing (Monkton).
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Short segment of channeI NarrowIy-confined between steep, forested vaIIey waIIs.
NegIigibIe encroachments; wide forest buffers.
Reach: M09-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Moderate historic widening. Minor aggradation (shallow pools, one diagonal bar).
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: VerySteep VerySteep
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: NC
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 0
Coniferous Coniferous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant None None
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
57.30
2.9 Sinuosity: Low
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 19.0 %
Cobble: 61.0 %
Fine Gravel: 1.0 %
Sand: 1.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: 400 mm
Bar: 400 mm
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: B
Subclass Slope: c
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
e
Boulder/Cobbl
e
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Dominant: Coniferous Coniferous
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 76-100 76-100
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
4.2 Adjacent Wetlands: None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Other: Tile Drain:
None
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 3 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
Yes
Total Score 59
Confined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Upper third of the reach, extending approximately 989 feet downstream of the Lime Kiln Road bridge (Monkton). Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Segment is wetland-dominated and similar in flow and channel characteristics to the immediately upstream reach, M10.
Segment has a somewhat more relaxed valley confinement (Narrow) than the remainder of the reach (Semi-confined to
Narrowly-confined). A beaver dam was noted on the assessment date, impounding an estimated 600 feet of channel
(although the length of impoundment was difficult to discern due to the very low gradient, wetland conditions of the
immediately upstream reach. Segment is crossed at the upstream end by Lime Kiln Road. The crossing consists of a
concrete bridge span (bankfull constricting) accompanied by three, six-foot diameter, smooth, steel overflow culverts within
the left-bank road approach which divert water through the crossing at flood stage. Year built: 1967. ACRWC maintains a
historic water quality sampling station at the Lime Kiln Road bridge (LOC11). "Delta" of sediment at confluence of right-
bank road ditch just downstream of the bridge site. Short length of berm (thalweg height approx 9 ft) along left bank
immediately downstream of the bridge site. Very low gradient and wetland conditions are related to the downstream valley
pinch point (segment M09-B).
Reach: M09-C
Step 7 - Narrative:
Page 1
60 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 33 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Hilly VerySteep
Within1BankfullW: Never Always
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: NW
InRockGorge: No
HumanCausedChangeinValleyWidth?:
No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
9
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 51-100
Sub-Dominant 0-25 >100
Buffer Width
Herbaceous Mixed Trees
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Shrubs/Sapling Forest
Sub-dominant None Hay
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
2.9 Sinuosity:
2.10 Riffles Type:
Bedrock: %
Boulder: %
Cobble: %
Coarse Gravel: %
Fine Gravel: %
Sand: %
Silt and Smaller: %
Silt/Clay Present:
Detritus: %
Bed:
Bar:
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type:
Bed Material:
Subclass Slope:
Bed Form:
Reach: Stream: M09-C LittleOtterCreek
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Revetment Type: Rip-Rap Hard Bank
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 76-100
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Bridge 25 Yes Yes Yes Yes ScourAbove,ScourBelow
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Reach: Stream: M09-C LittleOtterCreek
Mid: 0 Delta: 1
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Total Score
Geomorphic Rating
Stream Sensitivity
6.2 Pool Substrate:
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability:
Habitat Rating:
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Reach extends from just downstream of the New Haven / Monkton town line, downstream nearly to the Lime Kiln Road
bridge.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Wetland-dominated reach, assessed via kayak. Abundant wildlife sited within the reach including beaver, turtles (painted),
gray heron, and bittern. One mostly breached beaver dam noted on the assessment date. Similar planform on 1974, 1962
and 1942 photos. Lower-lying fields along the upper end of reach M10 did not appear to have been worked recently.
Somewhat higher-elevation fields more distant from the channel appeared to be in hay or alfalfa. Several ditches and ditched
tributaries direct stormwater runoff and drainage from the field to the channel. Several ditches were substantially more
turbid than flow in the main channel on the assessment date. Rainfall event 8/8 - 8/10 yielded over an inch of rain. Very low
gradient and wetland conditions are related to the downstream valley pinch point below Lime Kiln Rd crossing (reach M09).
Reach: M10-0
Step 7 - Narrative:
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Steep Hilly
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 0-25 >100
Sub-Dominant >100 26-50
Buffer Width
W less than 25 2,537 0
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Hay Shrubs/Sapling
Sub-dominant Shrubs/Sapling Crop
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
2.9 Sinuosity:
2.10 Riffles Type:
Bedrock: %
Boulder: %
Cobble: %
Coarse Gravel: %
Fine Gravel: %
Sand: %
Silt and Smaller: %
Silt/Clay Present:
Detritus: 5.0 %
Bed:
Bar:
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type:
Bed Material:
Subclass Slope:
Bed Form:
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Total Score
Geomorphic Rating
Stream Sensitivity
6.2 Pool Substrate:
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability:
Habitat Rating:
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Lower half of the reach, extending from a point approximately 3000 feet south of the New Haven / Monkton town line to a
location approximately 1000 feet north of the town line.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Wetland dominated conditions: very deep pools, extremely mucky bottom precluded assessment on foot (walked along the
banks and viewed the channel at breaks in the vegetation). One beaver dam near the downstream end of the segment
impounded an estimated 500 feet of channel. Large woody debris count likely underestimated, since some LWD was
submerged and water clarity was poor. The channel has a very similar planform on historic aerial photographs (1974, 1962,
1942). A section of possible straightening (apparently pre-1942) was indexed at the lower end of the segment, where a linear
planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the channel width in close proximity to historic fields.
Straightening has not been independently confirmed (through historic documentation). The linear planform may be at least
in part a result of linear bedrock features exposed in the hill to the direct west of the channel. It is also possible that the
channel was forced into a linear path along the base of this left valley wall at some time prior to 1942 to facilitate farming
activities within the valley. Despite possible historic straightening, this section is not incised below the floodplain. It is
possible that cohesive sediments in the channel boundaries and/or very low valley gradients may have moderated the
potential for vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments in response to inferred straightening. Hay fields along the right bank
appear to be reverting to fallow condition. Standing water was present in the fields along the right-bank corridor near the
downstream end of the segment. Multiple ditches or ditched tributaries contribute stormwater and field drainage to the
segment. Timber footbridge (log with a hand rail) near upstream end of segment provides access between fields on either
side of the channel. This minor structure probably functions as LWD or a DJ during high flows, without significant
constriction of the channel. Second bridge crossing near the downstream end of the segment (comprised of steel girders
with timber decking) appeared mostly abandoned, with surrounding fields in fallow vegetation. Possibly used for
snowmobile trail in winter. Bridge & culvert assessment was completed for the more substantial bridge structure.
Reach: M11-A
Step 7 - Narrative:
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Extr.Steep Extr.Steep
Continuousw/Bank: Sometimes Never
Within1BankfullW: Sometimes Never
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 0-25
Sub-Dominant None 26-50
Buffer Width
Deciduous Herbaceous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Forest Hay
Sub-dominant Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
2.9 Sinuosity:
2.10 Riffles Type:
Bedrock: %
Boulder: %
Cobble: %
Coarse Gravel: %
Fine Gravel: %
Sand: %
Silt and Smaller: %
Silt/Clay Present:
Detritus: %
Bed:
Bar:
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type:
Bed Material:
Subclass Slope:
Bed Form:
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Sub-dominant: Deciduous Shrubs/Sapling
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 51-75 0
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Other 28 Yes Yes Yes Yes None
Bridge 27 Yes Yes Yes Yes None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments: None
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Total Score
Geomorphic Rating
Stream Sensitivity
6.2 Pool Substrate:
Left Right
6.8 Bank Stability:
Habitat Rating:
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Upper half of the reach, extending from the confluence of a forth-order tributary entering left-bank just north of Plank Road,
downstream to a location approximately 3000 feet south of the New Haven / Monkton town line.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Wetlands (VSWI) are mapped contiguous to the channel on either end of the reach, separated by acres of prior-converted row
crops and hay fields. Valley walls marked by Lime Kiln Road to the west and North Street to the east are comprised of glacial
till sediments (USDA) with shallow bedrock (Calkin, 1965). Residential and agricultural buildings are sparse and
concentrated along the roads at the valley edges. Crop fields (corn) are abundant in the left corridor. Hay and some crop
fields are extensive in the right corridor. One small timber bridge spans the channel near the middle of the segment,
coincident with an equipment ford providing access to the fields. Two other equipment fords were observed within the
segment. The timber footbridge was a minor structure comprised of a log with wooden hand rail probably functions as
LWD or a DJ during high flows, without significant constriction of the channel. For this reason, a Bridge & Culvert
Assessment was not completed. One beaver dam was observed near the downstream end of the segment, impounding a
channel length of approximately 800 feet. Several field ditches convey field drainage (from corn fields) directly to the
channel. Also, three points of concentrated overland flow from field edges to the channel were observed. Similar planform
on 1962 and 1942 aerial photographs. One pre-1995 neck cutoff. Two short sections of possible straightening (apparently
pre-1942) were indexed within the segment, where a linear planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the
channel width in close proximity to cultivated fields. Straightening has not been independently confirmed (through historic
documentation). Despite possible historic straightening, these sections are not incised below the floodplain. It is possible
that cohesive sediments in the channel boundaries and/or very low valley gradients may have moderated the potential for
vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments in response to inferred straightening. Flood Prone Width (St 2.4) is greater than
valley width (St 1.5) because the cross section is oriented at an angle to the long axis of the valley.
Reach: M11-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Minor widening (moderated by cohesive sediments and reasonably wide intact, tree buffers). Potential for lateral and vertical
channel adjustments also probably moderated by the very low gradient and nearby (downstream) wetland conditions.
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Steep Hilly
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 26-50 26-50
Buffer Width
Deciduous Deciduous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Crop Hay
Sub-dominant Forest Crop
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
32.70
2.9 Sinuosity: High
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 0.0 %
Cobble: 0.0 %
Fine Gravel: 5.0 %
Sand: 60.0 %
Detritus: 5.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: E
Bed Material: Sand
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Dominant: Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
Sub-dominant: Herbaceous Herbaceous
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 51-75 51-75
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Other 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 0 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
Straightening Length (ft.): 1,576
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Yes
No
No
Total Score 64
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
From Plank Road culvert crossing downstream to the left-bank confluence of a fourth-order, unnamed tributary. Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Plank Road is elevated above the floodplain and follows the left corridor in the upstream half of the segment; however, this
encroachment does not substantially change the confinement ratio (Very Broad) or status (Unconfined) of the segment.
Agricultural fields (crop and hay) are present in the right-bank and left-bank corridors, especially in the upper half of the
segment. Recent excavations and work in the RB corridor observed during the Summer of 2010 indicate that drain tiles were
installed in the crop field to the east of the channel. One very recently installed tile drain outlet was observed mid way along
the segment on the assessment date. Boulder rip-rap armoring was also recently installed along the RB adjacent to this
field. Generally, the bedform was transitional from riffle/pool in the upstream half to dune-ripple in the downstream half.
Overall, the stream type was a sand-dominated E stream type, with occasional sections of somewhat wider and shallower
cross section with a W/D ratio greater than 12 (e.g., cross section XS-1)
Reach: M12-A
Step 7 - Narrative: Moderate aggradation from upstream and in-segment erosion. Minor planform adjustment (flood chutes, bifurcations,
meander extension) possibly in response to change in flows (ditches, tile drains) and/or flood of 2004.
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 2,534 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Hilly Flat
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: VB
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
10
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 51-100 >100
Buffer Width
Deciduous Deciduous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant Hay Shrubs/Sapling
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
25.60
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 0.0 %
Cobble: 0.0 %
Fine Gravel: 25.0 %
Sand: 31.0 %
Detritus: 5.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: E
Bed Material: Sand
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Revetment Type: None Rip-Rap
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 51-75 51-75
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 1 Delta: 0
Point: 5 Island: 0
Side: 1 Braiding: 2
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 57
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
KLU,BOS-SMRC;S.Pealer-VTDEC Observers: 632 SegmentLength(ft):
Upper end of the reach, extending from just upstream of the North St culvert crossing, to just downstream of the Plank Road
culvert crossing.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Segment B has naturally narrower valley width than the remainder of the reach due its position at the transition from the
Semi-confined valley upstream (in reach M13) to the Very Broad unconfined valley setting of reaches M11 and M10
downstream. Residential development is present along the RB between North St and Plank Rd (although up on the valley
wall), and along LB (though outside of the river corridor). Segment was historically straightened and bermed (Bessette,
2009, p.69). Review of aerial photographs indicates channel was straightened between 1942 and 1974. The two culvert
crossings of North Street and Plank Road are bankfull constrictors. Scour pools have developed below each culvert, and
aggradation is evident above the Plank Road culvert. A subreach of C-riffle/pool reference stream type is inferred from the
valley setting and from the planform of the pre-straightened channel evident on the 1942 aerial photograph. Given the
channelization, dredging and berming of the channel, this segment has undergone a moderate departure to a C4-plane bed
channel with moderate incision below the right-bank floodplain. Entrenchment of the channel is enhanced by presence of
the LB berm at a thalweg height of 7.8 ft. D50 is a visual estimate, since cross section measured in March of 2011, and ice-
cold temperatures precluded pebble count. ACRWC maintains a long-term water quality monitoring station (LOC14.4) at the
downstream end of the Plank Rd culvert.
Reach: M12-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Moderate aggradation, localized to culvert crossing. Historic incision and entrenchment due to dredging, straightening,
berming. Widening moderated by cohesive soils, and channel management.
Page 1
106 Dev.: 126
None
1.1Segmentation: Subreach
Berm: 258 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: NW
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
8
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant 0-25 0-25
Sub-Dominant None 26-50
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 0
Shrubs/Sapling Deciduous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Herbaceous Herbaceous
3.3RiparianCorridor
Dominant Residential Residential
Sub-dominant Crop Shrubs/Sapling
Failures None
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures
Height
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
39.20
2.9 Sinuosity: Low
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 0.0 %
Cobble: 5.0 %
Fine Gravel: 38.0 %
Sand: 2.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: N/A
Bar: N/A
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Bed Form: Plane Bed
Gravel
None
Riffle-Pool
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
e
Mix
Consistency: Non-cohesive Cohesive
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Revetment Type: Rip-Rap None
Sub-dominant: Shrubs/Sapling Deciduous
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 1-25 1-25
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
InstreamCulvert 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes ScourBelow
InstreamCulvert 16 Yes Yes Yes Yes DepositionAbove,Deposition
Below,ScourBelow
4.1 Springs / Seeps: None
4.2 Adjacent Wetlands: None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 1 Delta: 0
Point: 1 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 1
5.5 Dredging: Dredging
Historic
Yes
No
No
Total Score 47
Channel Evolution Stage II
Stream Sensitivity Very High
Unconfined
Left Right
Habitat Stream Condition: Fair
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Downstream third of the reach, consisting of approximately 1095 feet of channel upstream of the North Street culvert
crossing.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Segment has a more relaxed valley confinement than upstream segment B. A set of lower terraces comprised of
unconsolidated materials becomes evident in this segment - the downstream third of the reach. The channel appears incised
(historically and/or post-glacially) below these terraces that range from approximately 1.5 to 3 times the thalweg depth of the
channel. The segment break is roughly coincident with the transition from glacial till / lacustrine sediments to alluvial /
glaciofluvial sediments (as mapped by USDA). Historic channel management (straightening) occurred between 1942 and
1974 in vicinity of the North Street culvert crossing at the downstream extent of the segment. A ford was indexed within the
segment (possible ATV use, infrequent). Road ditch drainage is directed along North Street to the left-bank just upstream of
the culvert crossing. Segment is the site of a temporary flow gaging station maintained by ACRWC (paired with ACRWC
water quality station [LOC14.4] in downstream segment M12-B).
Reach: M13-A
Step 7 - Narrative: Historic (and/or post-glacial) incision. Moderate (active) planform adjustment (flood chutes, bifurcations, meander extension
leading to mass failure). Historic planform adjustment inferred (straightening). Localized widening and aggradation
associated with mass failure.
Page 1
0 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Extr.Steep Extr.Steep
Continuousw/Bank: Sometimes Never
Within1BankfullW: Sometimes Never
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: BD
InRockGorge: No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 0
Deciduous Deciduous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Coniferous Shrubs/Sapling
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant None Shrubs/Sapling
Failures One 35.0
Gullies None
Left Right
Mass Failures 60.84
Height 35.0
Gullies Number 0
Gullies Length 0
Step2.StreamChannel
34.50
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 2.0 %
Cobble: 31.0 %
Fine Gravel: 1.0 %
Sand: 3.0 %
Detritus: 2.0 %
Bed: 190 mm
Bar: 120 mm
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: C
Gravel
None
Riffle-Pool
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
e
Boulder/Cobbl
e
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Dominant: Shrubs/Sapling Shrubs/Sapling
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 51-75 51-75
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 0 Delta: 0
Point: 3 Island: 0
Side: 0 Braiding: 1
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
Yes
No
No
Total Score 49
Channel Evolution Stage II
Stream Sensitivity Very High
Unconfined
Left Right
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
4.56 SGATVersion:
Upper three-fourths of the reach running along the southwest side of Plank Road (New Haven), from a farm road crossing
downstream to a point approximately 1000 feet upstream from the North St culvert crossing.
Step 0 - Location:
Provisional
Provisional
Step 5 - Notes: Valley confinement varies from Narrowly-confined to occasionally Narrow, but averages Semi-confined overall. Valley walls
are high terraces of till and glaciolacustrine sediments with heights far exceeding 3 times the thalweg depth of the channel.
Where valley confinement relaxes, flood chutes or occasional bifurcated sections of the channel have developed. Frequent
entrainment of large woody debris and debris jams have contributed to localized bank erosion and lateral adjustments. Near
the downstream end of the segment, the channel has impinged upon the valley wall (right-bank) exposing till deposits and
unconsolidated, possible glaciofluvial sediments. A steep riffle upstream from this mass failure appears aggradational,
related to the recent debris jam / mass failure event perhaps occurring during the 2004 flood. Negligible incision is
apparent; the channel has access to the surrounding (although quite narrow) floodplain. Beers Atlas (1871) shows historic
impoundment upstream in reach M14. Also referenced in historic documents of Earl Bessette (2007). Beers Atlas also
shows a historic road crossing the channel. No bridge remains, but remnants of historic bridge abutments are evident
collapsed in the channel. Upper end of the segment has more of a E dune-ripple appearance, transitional from the upstream
reach (M14). Riffle / pool bedform is weak. A stormwater input from the road has developed into a small gully that joins the
right bank near the mid-point of the segment. Also, drain tile outlets directed from the hay field across Plank Road discharge
to the high valley wall along the right bank. A small "delta" of sediments was observed near the confluence of one of these
stormwater input channels. Two fords indexed in the segment, one just downstream of the old road crossing; a second
further downstream (likely ATV trail, infrequently used) provides access to the left-bank of the channel.
Reach: M13-B
Step 7 - Narrative: Moderate planform adjustment (meander extension, flood chutes) leading to mass failure - but localized to downstream end.
Page 1
28 Dev.: 0
None
Berm: 0 0
Road: 0 0
Railroad: 0 0
Imp.Path: 0 0
HillsideSlope: Extr.Steep VerySteep
Texture: N.E. N.E.
1.5ValleyFeatures
ConfinementType: SC
InRockGorge: No
HumanCausedChangeinValleyWidth?:
No
1.6GradeControls:
Height
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
Left Right
Dominant >100 >100
Buffer Width
W less than 25 0 0
Deciduous Deciduous
3.2RiparianBuffer
Dominant
Sub-Dominant Coniferous Coniferous
3.3RiparianCorridor
Sub-dominant Crop Hay
Failures Multiple 20.0
Gullies One 2.0
Left Right
Mass Failures 94.87
Height 20.1
Gullies Number 1
Gullies Length 12
Step2.StreamChannel
34.80
Bedrock: 0.0 %
Boulder: 8.0 %
Cobble: 58.0 %
Fine Gravel: 1.0 %
Sand: 1.0 %
Detritus: 5.0 %
Bed: 180 mm
Bar: 150 mm
2.14 Stream Type
Stream Type: B
Subclass Slope: c
Reference Bedform:
Left Right
Upper
Lower
Left Right
Bank Erosion
Bank Canopy
Canopy %: 51-75 51-75
Vermont.gov
August, 16 2011
None
Flow Reg. Use:
Impoundments:
Impoundment Loc.:
Mid: 0 Delta: 1
Point: 3 Island: 1
Side: 0 Braiding: 0
5.5 Dredging: None
Historic
No
No
No
Total Score 61
Confined
Left Right
Appendix B: Bridge & Culvert Reports Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)

APPENDIX B

Bridge and Culvert Assessment
Summary Reports

Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
No
SteelCorrugated
Numberofculverts 1
CulvertOverflowPipe
Material
CulvertHeight
CulvertWidth
CulvertLength
Information
35.1 No ChannelWidth
Culvert Little Otter Creek Summary Report
VOBCIT
struct_num
6/18/2010 AssessmentDate
400006000001131 SgaID LocalSgaID
-73.15843 Latitude
KU,BOS-SMRC Observers
NewHaven Town
360feetswofjctwithplankrd. Location M12 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType NORTHST Paved
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
60
8
15
GeomorphicInformation
General
Floodplainfilledbyroadwayapproaches Structureislocatedatsignificantbreakinvalleyslope
Upstream
Obstructionsattheopeningofthestructure Estimateddistanceavulsionwouldfollowroad
Steeprifflepresentimmediatelyupstreamof
structure
Angleofstreamflowapproachingstructure
Ifchannelavulses,streamwill
Downstream
Poolpresentimmediatelydownstreamofstructure Yes
Downstreambankheightsaresubstantiallyhigherthanupstreambank
heights
No
Entirely
SteppedFooters 0.8ft.
Maximumpooldepth 2.5ft.
Waterdepthinculvert(atoutlet)
Culvertoutletinvert
BackwaterLength(measuredfromoutlet)
0.5
AtGrade
0
No
BackwaterLength(measuredfromoutlet) 0
None
No Channelized
Straight
CrossRoad
Culvertslopeascomparedwithchannelslopeissignificantly Same
Culvert
DominantVegetationType-
Right
Doesabandofshrub/forestvegetation50ft.widestartwithin25ft.ofthestructureandextendatleast500ft.up/downstream?
DominantVegetationType-Left
VegitationBand-Right Yes
VegitationBand-Left
Herbaceous/Grass Herbaceous/Grass
DeciduousForest
No No
Upstream
Herbaceous/Grass
No
Downstream InStructure
Species
Wildlife
SpatiallocationdatacollectedwithGPS? Yes
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
OutsideStructure InsideStructure
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
TypeofSedimentDeposits
DominantBedMaterial
Elevationofsedimentdeposits>=1/2
bankfull
No
MaterialPresentthroughout
Gravel Gravel
No
None None
Upstream
None
No
None
No
No No
HardBankArmoring
Streambedscourcausing
underminingaroundorunder
structure
BankErosion
BeaverDamdistance(ft.) 0
BeaverDamnearStructure
None None
Intact
None None
No No
Intact
0
Comments Seepageholesaboveculvertatupstreamleftbank(pipingerosion).
44.15601 Longitude
ProjectName LittleOtterCreek
StreamName LittleOtterCreek
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
No
SteelCorrugated
Numberofculverts 1
CulvertOverflowPipe
Material
CulvertHeight
CulvertWidth
CulvertLength
Information
Culvert Little Otter Creek Summary Report
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.15901 Latitude
NewHaven Town
450feetWNWofJctwithNorthStreet Location M12 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType PLANKRD Paved
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
50
7
16
General
Upstream
structure
700
Downstream
heights
No
Entirely
SteppedFooters 1.5ft.
Maximumpooldepth 2.2ft.
Waterdepthinculvert(atoutlet)
Culvertoutletinvert
BackwaterLength(measuredfromoutlet)
1.3
Entirely
Backwatered
55
No
BackwaterLength(measuredfromoutlet) 0
Wooddebris
No Channelized
Straight
FollowRoad
Culvertslopeascomparedwithchannelslopeissignificantly Same
Culvert
Right
VegitationBand-Right No
VegitationBand-Left
Herbaceous/Grass
No No
Upstream
Herbaceous/Grass
No
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
MaterialPresentthroughout
Gravel Gravel
No
Mid-channel None
Upstream
Gravel
No
None
Yes
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
None Low
Intact
None None
No No
None
0
Comments None
44.1571 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Timber
Numberofbridgepiers/arches 0
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
Bridge Little Otter Creek Summary Report
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.16634 Latitude
Monkton Town
fieldinbroadvalleybetweenLimeKilnRd(towest)andNorthSt
(toeast)
Location M11 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType Trail
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
12
2
27
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
Poolpresentimmediatelydownstreamofstructure No
heights
No
Partially
PoolDepthatpointofstreamflowentry No
0ft.
0
No
None
No Naturally
Straight
CrossRoad
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
Herbaceous/Grass
No No
Upstream
Herbaceous/Grass
No
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Sand Sand
No
None None
Upstream
Sand
No No
None
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
None None
None
None None
Yes No
None
0
44.17645 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Comments Farmequipmentbridge-possiblesnowmobilebridge-betweenmostlyfallowfields.Timberdecking,
steelbeams,noabutments.Turtlespresentoutsideofstructure.
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Concrete
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
63 No ChannelWidth
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.17738 Latitude
Monkton Town
1250feetSofJctwithMonktonRd. Location M09 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType LIMEKILNRD Gravel
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
18
7.1
25
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
heights
No
Entirely
0ft.
0
No
None
No SharpBend
CrossRoad
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
Herbaceous/Grass
No No
Upstream
DeciduousForest
Yes
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Gravel Gravel
No
None Delta
Upstream
Gravel
No No
None
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
None None
None
None None
No Yes
Intact
700
44.18482 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Comments threeoverflowculverts(6ftdiameter)immediatelysouthofbridgespanwithapprox.Length=40ft.RB,
DS'delta'ofsedimentfromroadditch.usedcurvemeasureofbankfullbecausereachupstreamand
segmentdownstreamarewetlands.
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Concrete
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
58 No ChannelWidth
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.18479 Latitude
Ferrisburg Town
500feetSWofjunctionwithDeanRd Location M09 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType MONKTONRD Paved
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
25
11
65
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
heights
No
Entirely
0ft.
0
No
None
No MildBend
CrossRoad
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
MixedForest Shrub/Sapling
MixedForest
Yes Yes
Upstream
Herbaceous/Grass
No
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
SmallMammal Deer-Sighting
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Cobble Cobble
No
None None
Upstream
Cobble
No No
None
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
None None
Intact
None None
No No
Intact
0
Comments yearbuilt:1951
44.18568 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Timber
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.19562 Latitude
Ferrisburg Town
AtterminusofformerEchoRd.500feetSEofJctwithWingRd Location M07 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType Trail
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
6
8.4
42
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
heights
No
NotSignificant
0ft.
0
No
None
No Naturally
Straight
CrossRoad
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
MixedForest MixedForest
MixedForest
No Yes
Upstream
MixedForest
Yes
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Bedrock Bedrock
Yes
None None
Upstream
Bedrock
Yes Yes
None
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
None None
None
None None
Yes No
None
0
Comments bedrockgorge
44.19576 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Concrete
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.19699 Latitude
Ferrisburg Town
1.06mileseastandnorthalongWingRdfromjunctionwith
MiddlebrookRd.
Location M07 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType WINGRD Gravel
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
19
10.8
28.4
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
heights
No
Entirely
0ft.
0
Yes
None
No Naturally
Straight
CrossRoad
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
MixedForest Herbaceous/Grass
MixedForest
No No
Upstream
DeciduousForest
No
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Cobble Cobble
No
None None
Upstream
Cobble
No No
None
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
None None
Intact
None None
No No
Intact
0
44.20356 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Comments Timberdeck,steelbeams,concreteabutments/wingwalls;vtransinventorytablenotesstructurebuiltin
1919.Activepastureus/ds.measuredbankfullwidth(49.6ft)islessthansegmentmeasuredwidth(68
feet)duetoshortsectionofNCchannelimmediatelyupstreamofbridgeinotherwisenarrowconfinement
valleysetting.
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Concrete
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.21204 Latitude
Ferrisburg Town
1500feetNNWofJctwithWingRd Location M05 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType MIDDLEBROOKRD Paved
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
26
10
65
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
heights
No
Entirely
0ft.
0
No
None
No Naturally
Straight
CrossRoad
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
Herbaceous/Grass
No No
Upstream
Herbaceous/Grass
No
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Sand Sand
No
None None
Upstream
Sand
No No
None
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
Low Low
Intact
None None
No No
Intact
0
44.19902 Longitude
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Comments steelI-beam,concretedeck,concreteabuttmentshighonbanks.plaquereads1965,VThighwaydept
brassbenchmarkdiscreads:TF23/1964,onLBUSabuttment.measuredbankfulwidth(38.7ft)isless
thanreferencebankfull(69.9ft)sincereachisE5-R/Dstreamtype.
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Skewedtoroadway? No
Concrete
Material
BridgeClearance
Bridge/ArchSpan
BridgeWidth
Information
VOBCIT
struct_num
-73.21014 Latitude
Ferrisburg Town
870feetsouthofjunctionwithWingRd Location T2.01 ReachVTID
RoadName RoadType MIDDLEBROOKRD Paved
HighFlowStage
GeneralInformation
35.8
6.85
29.4
General
Upstream
structure
Downstream
heights
No
Entirely
PoolDepthatpointofstreamflowentry Yes
0ft.
0
Yes
None
No SharpBend
Unsure
Bridge
Right
VegitationBand-Left
Herbaceous/Grass DeciduousForest
Herbaceous/Grass
No Yes
Upstream
DeciduousForest
Yes
Species
Wildlife
OtherInformation
Roadkill
None None
None
Photostaken? Yes
Vegetation
BedrockPresent
DominantBedMaterial
bankfull
No
Gravel Gravel
No
Side Point
Upstream
Gravel
No No
Side
No No
HardBankArmoring
structure
BankErosion
Low Low
None
None None
No No
None
0
44.19255 Longitude
StreamName MudCreek
Vermont.gov
July, 17 2011
Comments yearbuilt1950accordingtovtransinventorytable.measuredbankfull(26.7ft)islessthancurve(34.6
ft)becausechannelisareferenceEchannelanddominatedbywetlandconditionsinalowersegment.
Appendix C: Valley Wall Updates Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)

APPENDIX C

Valley Wall Updates

Appendix C: Valley Wall Updates Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)

South Mountain Research & Consulting (SMRC) updated the Phase 1 valley wall shape file and created a
Phase 2 valley wall shape file solely for the purpose of defining reference (Phase 1) and existing (Phase 2)
stream types after Rosgen (1996) and Montgomery & Buffington (1997). This appendix provides a summary
of the adjustments performed to accomplish this update, and a notation of potential uncertainties in the
valley wall delineation. This valley wall delineation relied on remote sensing resources (USGS topographic
maps, published soils data, published surficial geologic data) and limited visual observations. No detailed
assessments were conducted to define valley walls or human encroachments within the valley, such as
subsurface geologic investigations, geotechnical evaluations, licensed land surveys, or similar, intensive field-
based assessments.

While SMRC was not contracted to evaluate fluvial erosion hazard boundaries, SMRC is aware that these
updated Phase 1 and Phase 2 valley walls may be utilized by others in the process of defining what are
termed Fluvial Erosion Hazard (FEH) corridors or areas, following procedures prescribed by VT Agency of
Natural Resources. The updated Phase 1 and Phase 2 valley wall shapefiles prepared by SMRC do not
necessarily represent lateral extents of fluvial erosion hazard along these Little Otter Creek reaches.

Starting Point: shape file valleywall_qa.shp that was registered in the SGAT project delivered by
River Management Program.

Deliverables (see Project CD):
loc_ph1_vw.shp - the updated Phase 1 (reference) valley wall, based on field observations.

loc_ph2_vw.shp - a documentation of human-caused change in valley width as per Phase 2
protocols (2007), Step 1.5. Generally, these include roads or railroads that encroach within the
Phase 1 valley width and are oriented subparallel to the reference valley wall and which are elevated
to a degree above the floodplain, such that a portion of the natural valley floodplain has been cut off
by this artificial valley wall. This encroachment delineation is offered without a classification of
major or minor and without regard for whether the feature will ultimately be identified by the
community as an Encroachment worthy of FEH-area modification as prescribed on page 13 of the
November 12, 2008 Technical Appendix to the Vermont River Corridor Protection Guide published by
the VT Agency of Natural Resources.

Appendix D: Quality Assurance Documentation Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)

APPENDIX D

Quality Assurance Documentation


MEMORANDUM

TO: Kristen Underwood

FR: Shannon Pytlik, Agency of Natural Resources,
River Management Section

DATE: July 2011

RE: Little Otter Creek Phase 2 QA

QA response comments from Kristen Underwood, SMRC, noted in blue, 26 July 2011.

General Comments:
It seems that there might have been more straightening than is documented. This is just based on the visual
observation of the ortho photos that many sections look like they may have been straightened. Yet I see in your
comments that you reviewed the 40 & 60s ortho photos and the channel was in the same location. I wonder if
because there is good floodplain access if the river just has remained stable though some sections were straightened.
Its possible that some additional sections may have been straightened prior to the earliest photo-
documentation (1942). I believe that bedrock controls (and/or close valley confinement controlled by
underlying bedrock) explain the linear pattern in some reaches: for example, M13-B, M09-C, M09-B, and
M07-B. Upon further review, I have added some sections of inferred straightening (in segments T2.01-B,
M08-A, M11-B and M11-A) where a linear planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the
channel width and where current or historic cultivated fields were located in close proximity to the
channel. Straightening in these channel sections has not been independently confirmed (through historic
documentation or orthophoto records). Despite possible historic straightening, these sections are not
incised below the floodplain. It is possible that cohesive sediments in the channel boundaries and/or very
low valley gradients may have moderated the potential for vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments in
response to inferred straightening. The FIT files have been updated and re-uploaded to the DMS. Notes
were added to Step 5 for the appropriate segments.

M04 No grade controls yet DII STD?
A channel evolution stage (CES) of IIc[D] was preliminarily assigned to reflect the fact that a lateral
stream type departure (from C to E) was apparent in the reach (due to observed signs of widening and a
width/depth ratio that exceeded 12 for a reference E stream type). In other words, theoretical enhanced
scour energies (from cumulative increases in stormwater flow due to field-ditch, road-ditch and tile-
drainage networks) seem to be manifesting in lateral adjustments rather than leading to incision. Since
presence of bedrock grade controls appears to be required under VTDEC guidance to classify a channel in
IIc[D], (and there were no bedrock grade controls indexed in reach M04), I have corrected the CES to
I [F].

M05 Typo in start of Step 05 notes Reached should be Reach.
Thanks for catching that. Ive corrected it in the DMS.

M06 None

M07 A None

M07 B None

M08 A Do you think the lower section was straightened? It does look very straight in comparison to the rest of the
system.

Its possible, due to the length of the linear planform (greater than 20 times channel width) and proximity
(historically) of cultivated fields. I could find no independent documentation of straightening. I have
indexed a portion of the lower end of this reach as straightened, and re-uploaded the FIT file to the DMS.

Notes state the river has ample floodplain access on the other side. Do you think this might be better stated as
river corridor? To know if the road is affecting the floodplain access I think we would need a model.
I changed the wording in Step 5 Comments to channel has unconstrained access to the floodplain in
the left-bank corridor.

M09 A - None
M09 B - None
M09 C None
M10 None
M11 None
M12 None
M13A In location says lower quarter and notes say lower third. Not a big deal just figured I would mention it.
OK, thanks. I have resolved this inconsistency with edits to the DMS. Should be lower third.

T2.01 C Wow what a mess. It is a good spot in the watershed for an alluvial fan to form. Why D STD was there
grade controls?
Even though access to T2.01-C was not possible on the assessment date, a majority of the segment is
visible from Middlebrook Road and was observed during frequent Spring and Summer sampling events
for ACRWC. During bankfull or some sub-bankfull storm conditions, multiple channel threads fill with
water throughout the dairy pasture. ACRWC maintains a water quality monitoring station at the
Middlebrook Road bridge, and it consistently has elevated E.coli levels. Section 2.8 of the Phase 2 report
provides Summer sampling results for 2010. Since we didnt access this upper segment (or the reach
above it), I cannot be sure that it is an alluvial fan. I did, however, index it as an alluvial fan using FIT
to capture the significant decrease in channel gradient and valley confinement revealed through remote-
sensing. It may have been a location of more intense sediment deposition in past climate regimes (post-
glacially). In the present climate and hydrologic regime, sediment deposition is relatively minor possibly
because the river network is generally not bedload-dominated.

For downstream segment T2.01-B, a CES of IIc[D] was preliminarily assigned to reflect the fact that a
lateral stream type departure (from C to E) was apparent in the reach (due to observed signs of widening
and a width/depth ratio that exceeded 12 for a reference E stream type). In other words, theoretically
enhanced scour energies (from cumulative increases in stormwater flow due to field-ditch, road-ditch and
tile-drainage networks) seem to be manifesting in lateral adjustments rather than leading to incision.
Since presence of bedrock grade controls appears to be required under VTDEC guidance to classify a
channel in IIc[D], (and there were no bedrock grade controls indexed in the reach), I have corrected the
CES to I [F].

Appendix E: Reach Segmentation Little Otter Creek watershed

APPENDIX E

Reach Segmentation

Appendix E: Reach Segmentation Little Otter Creek watershed

Total Reach Segment Elevation Segment Reach
Reach Segment Feature Point Length (ft) Lengths (ft) (ft) Slopes Slope
M13 d/s end reach 280
A segment break A/B 1,095 295 1.4%
B u/s end reach 4,180 3,085 331 1.2% 1.2%
B u/s end reach 4,501 632 280 0.3% 0.2%
B u/s end reach 10,177 6,013 270 0.2% 0.1%
A segment break A/B 871 243 1.3%
B segment break B/C 678 249 0.9%
C u/s end reach 2,538 989 252 0.3% 0.8%
B u/s end reach 8,162 1,872 232 0.2% 0.1%
B u/s end reach 4,453 2,099 225 1.9% 1.3%
T2.01 d/s end reach 160
B segment break B/C 1,749 165 0.2%
C u/s end reach 5,689 1,151 177 1.0% 0.3%

Appendix F: Reach Narratives Little Otter Creek Watershed

APPENDIX F

Reach Narratives


TABLE OF CONTENTS

M13................................................................................................................................................. 1
M12................................................................................................................................................. 4
M11................................................................................................................................................. 7
M10............................................................................................................................................... 10
M09............................................................................................................................................... 12
M08............................................................................................................................................... 16
M07............................................................................................................................................... 18
M06............................................................................................................................................... 23
M05............................................................................................................................................... 25
M04............................................................................................................................................... 28
T2.01 ............................................................................................................................................ 32

South Mountain RCS F- 1

M13

Reach M13 is 0.8 mile in length, running from southeast to northwest along the southwest side of Plank
Road (town of New Haven) from the vicinity of a farm road crossing downstream to the North Street
culvert crossing (Figure 1). The region surrounding reach M13 is underlain by glaciolacustrine sediments.
In the direct stream valley, there are glacial tills exposed in the upstream end and alluvial and
glaciofluvial sediments in the downstream end (USDA). Wetlands are mapped contiguous to the channel
for nearly the entire reach (VSWI). Within reach M13, the Little Otter Creek is passing through a local
valley pinch point at the southern end of the northeast-trending Monkton ridge. (This reach forms the
higher-relief terrain underlying The Watershed Center). In upstream reaches, M14 and M15, the Little
Otter Creek flows through a very large wetland complex known as the Cedar Swamp.

Reach M13 was assessed by foot on 14 May 2010. Flow conditions were low on this day (41 cfs
measured at the Route 7 USGS gage).

Reach M13 was segmented to capture a difference in valley confinement (upstream Semi-confined and
downstream Broad), as well as an apparent difference in incision status. In the upstream two-thirds of
the reach, the channel is Narrowly- to Semi-confined by high terraces of till and glaciolacustrine
sediments with heights far exceeding 3 times the thalweg depth of the channel. Negligible incision is
apparent; the channel has access to the surrounding (although quite narrow) floodplain. Valley
confinement relaxes with distance downstream, and a set of lower terraces comprised of unconsolidated
materials becomes evident in the downstream third of the reach. The channel appears incised
(historically and/or post-glacially) below these terraces that range from approximately 1.5 to 3 times the
thalweg depth of the channel. The segment break is roughly coincident with the transition from glacial till
/ lacustrine sediments to alluvial / glaciofluvial sediments (as mapped by USDA). The D50 of bed
material was also measured to decrease from cobbles in the upstream half to coarse gravel at the
downstream end of the reach.

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
B 3,085 Bc3-riffle/pool
A * 1,095 C4- riffle/pool
* Subreach

Segment B

Segment B comprises the upper two-thirds of the reach running along the southwest side of Plank Road
(New Haven), from a farm road crossing downstream to a point approximately 1000 feet upstream from
the North St culvert crossing.

Valley confinement varies from Narrowly-confined to occasionally Narrow, but averages Semi-confined
overall. Where valley confinement relaxes, flood chutes or occasional bifurcated sections of the channel
have developed.



Figure 1. Reach M13 segmentation, Little Otter Creek.
LEGEND
Base image: 2006


An old road grade passes within the right-bank corridor, but is coincident with or above the elevation of
the right valley wall, except where it crosses the channel. No bridge remains, but remnants of historic
bridge abutments are collapsed in the channel. This historic road is visible on the Beers Atlas (1871)
and the 1905 USGS topographic map (Middlebury, VT 15-Minute quadrangle). An iron ore furnace and
casting house, and a distillery were operating upstream of the Plank Road / North Street intersection in
New Haven during the early to mid 1800s (Farnsworth, 1984). Beers Atlas (1871) shows an
impoundment upstream in reach M14, known locally as the Steam Mill Pond (Bessette, 2009). A sawmill
is referenced associated with this impoundment (Farnsworth, 1984). The date of pond breaching is
unknown; the 1905 USGS topographic map does not show a pond in this location.

Riffle / pool bedform is weak. (Upper end of the segment has more of a E dune-ripple appearance,
transitional from the upstream reach [M14]). Pools are reasonably deep (up to 6 feet) but riffles are
comprised of subangular boulders and cobbles, which are likely related to the boulder-rich lacustrine
deposits that underlie the area - left when fines were winnowed out. Very few depositional bars close
confinement of valley walls yields little space for the development of bars, also minimal upstream sources
of sediment (little in reach erosion within the segment, and upstream reach is wetland channel.

Near the downstream end of the segment, the channel has impinged upon the valley wall exposing till
deposits and unconsolidated, possible glaciofluvial sediments. Entrainment of large woody debris and
debris jams have contributed to localized bank erosion and lateral adjustments. A steep riffle noted near
the downstream end of the segment appears aggradational, related to a recent debris jam / mass failure
event perhaps occurring during the 2004 flood. (Mass failures appear between 2003 and 2006 based on
review of orthophotographs).

Stormwater input from road, gully. Also drain tile inputs to right bank corridor from hay field across
Plank Road

Segment A

Segment A is the downstream third of reach M13 consisting of approximately 1095 feet of channel
upstream of the North Street culvert crossing.

Historic channel management is evident in vicinity of the North Street culvert crossing at the downstream
extent of the reach. A linear planform is evident extending downstream into reach M12. A degree of
historic incision (IR
RAF
= 1.6) was measured in segment M13-A. It is possible that channel management
extended upstream of the North Street crossing, and/or incision worked headward from segment M12-B
(when the North Street crossing was a bridge rather than an instream culvert). Generally, the degree of
historic incision decreases with distance upstream to segment M13-B where the channel once again has
access to a (Narrow to Semi-confined) floodplain (IR
RAF
= 1.1). Resistant boundary conditions including
generally cohesive soils, limited armoring, and tree cover in M13-A have moderated lateral adjustments in
the channel. Segment M13-A has persisted in this historically-incised condition. A channel evolution
stage of II [F] is inferred.

Segment A is also the site of a temporary flow gaging station (paired with ACRWC water quality station
LOC14.4 in downstream reach M12).



M12

Reach M12 extends from the North Road culvert crossing, under a Plank Road culvert crossing to the
northwest and ends just upstream of the left-bank confluence of a major tributary. Reach M12 is a short,
transitional reach, with a very small incremental drainage area. It has a wider (Unconfined) valley setting
and lesser gradient (0.2%), than upstream reach, M13 (Semi-confined, 1.2% gradient).

Except for the upper 360 feet of the reach (less than 10% of the reach length), the valley confinement is
Very Broad (> 10 times the channel width). Plank Road is elevated above the floodplain and follows the
left corridor in the upstream half of the reach; however, this encroachment does not substantially change
the confinement ratio (Very Broad) or status (Unconfined) of the reach.

The reach is underlain by hydric soils of glaciolacustrine origin (USDA), except for isolated pockets of
hydric, alluvial soils and glaciofluvial soils that are mapped along the upstream half of the reach.
Wetlands (VSWI, NWI) are mapped contiguous to the reach.

Reach M12 was assessed by foot on 12 August 2010. Flow conditions were low on this day (40 cfs
measured at the Route 7 USGS gage) despite a storm yielding approximately one inch of rain from 8 to
10 August. The reach was segmented to capture an inferred subreach of alternate reference stream
type at the upper end of the reach that has undergone a significant degree of historic channel
management and encroachment:

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
B * 632 C4- plane bed
A 3,869 E5- dune/ripple
* Subreach

Segment B

Upper end of the reach, extending from just upstream of the North Road culvert crossing, to just
downstream of the Plank Road culvert crossing. This section of the Little Otter Creek is transitional from
an upstream Semi-confined to Narrow valley setting underlain by alluvial sediments, to a downstream
unconfined, lesser-gradient, sinuous channel in cohesive sediments.

Plank Road has encroached along left bank downstream of the Plank Road crossing. Residential
development is present along the RB between Plank Road and North Street crossings (although up on the
valley wall), and along LB (though outside of the river corridor).

ACRWC water quality monitoring site (LOC14.4) located just below the Plank Road culvert (left bank).
Paired with temporary flow gaging site just upstream of the North Street culvert crossing (reach M13).



LEGEND
Base image: 2006


This upper end of reach M12 between the North Street and Plank Road culverts was historically
straightened and bermed according to Earl Bessette (local landowner and longtime resident; Bessette,
2009, p.69). This section of the stream previously had a more meandering planform similar to the rest of
the reach, as revealed on a 1942 aerial photograph. It had been straightened by 1962.

A subreach of C-riffle/pool reference stream type is inferred from the valley setting and from the
planform of the pre-straightened channel evident on the 1942 aerial photograph. Given the
channelization, inferred dredging and berming, this segment has undergone a moderate departure to a
C4-plane bed channel with moderate incision below the right-bank floodplain (IR
RAF
= 1.65);
entrenchment of the channel is enhanced by presence of the left-bank berm at a thalweg height of 7.8
feet).

The two culvert crossings of North Street and Plank Road within Segment M12-B are undersized (43%
and 46% of bankfull, respectively). Scour pools have developed below each culvert, and aggradation is
evident above the Plank Road culvert.

Segment A

Segment A of M12 extends from the Plank Road culvert crossing downstream to the left-bank confluence
of a fourth-order, unnamed tributary.

Agricultural fields (crop and hay) are present in the right-bank and left-bank corridors, especially in the
upper half of the reach. Recent excavations and work in the RB corridor observed during the Summer of
2010 indicate that drain tiles were installed in the crop field to the east of the channel. One very recently
installed tile drain outlet was observed mid way along the reach during assessments on 12 August 2010
(Figure 3). Boulder rip-rap armoring was also recently installed along the RB adjacent to this field.

(a) (b)
Figure 3. Tile drain newly installed in fields north of Plank Road and west of North
Street; outletting to the Little Otter Creek in segment M12-A, 12 August 2010. (a)
recent field excavations for installation of tile drain; (b) tile drain outlet at right bank of
Little Otter Creek.


Plank Road is elevated above the floodplain and follows the left corridor in the upstream half of the
segment; however, this encroachment does not substantially change the confinement ratio (Very Broad)
or status (Unconfined) of the segment. Generally, the bedform was transitional from riffle/pool in the
upstream half to dune-ripple in the downstream half. Overall, the stream type was a sand-dominated E
stream type, with occasional sections of somewhat wider and shallower cross section with a W/D ratio
greater than 12 (e.g., cross section XS-1).

Measured stream type, E5-dune/ripple, is consistent with reference. Moderate aggradation from
upstream and in-segment erosion. Minor planform adjustment (flood chutes, bifurcations, meander
extension) possibly in response to change in flows (ditches, tile drains) and/or flood of 2004.

M11

Reach M11 extends from the left-bank confluence of a major tributary (unnamed) just north of Plank
Road and meanders downstream through a very broad valley setting to a location just north of the New
Haven / Monkton town line. The tributary which joins the Little Otter Creek channel at the upstream end
of this reach is considered a forth-order tributary by the methods of Strahler (1957) and Horton (1945).
It drains portions of New Haven village and New Haven Junction along South Street and Route 7 as far
south as Hunt Rd (6 miles) and Campground Rd (5.5 miles to the south of the confluence with Little Otter
Creek). On approach to its confluence with Little Otter Creek, this tributary crosses under Quarry Road
bridge and Plank Road just east of the Elgin Spring Farm - almost one half mile to the west of the Little
Otter Creek crossing. The unnamed tributary drains approximately 11.8 square miles of land, accounting
for 90 % of the direct drainage to reach M11 (and 46% of the total upstream drainage area to reach
M11). The remainder of the direct drainage to M11 consists of small tributaries that have been
extensively ditched through agricultural fields (row crops and hay fields) along the western and eastern
halves of the valley between Lime Kiln Road and North Street.

Reach M11 of the Little Otter Creek is underlain by hydric soils of glaciolacustrine origin. Wetlands
(VSWI) are mapped contiguous to the channel on either end of the reach, separated by acres of prior-
converted row crops and hay fields. Valley walls marked by Lime Kiln Road to the west and North Street
to the east are comprised of glacial till sediments (USDA) with shallow bedrock (Calkin, 1965).
Residential and agricultural buildings are sparse and concentrated along the roads at the valley edges.
Miles of field ditches (and ditched tributaries) drain agricultural fields within the direct subwatershed to
reach M11.

Reach M11 was assessed by foot (and the extreme lower end by kayak) on 12 August and 13 August
2010. Flow conditions were low on these days (40 and 19 cfs measured at the Route 7 USGS gage,
respectively) despite a storm yielding approximately one inch of rain from 8 to 10 August. The reach
was segmented due to wetland conditions encountered during assessment. Wetland conditions were
evident along the lower half of the reach, including standing water present in the fields along the right
bank where vegetation appeared mostly fallow.

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
B 6,013 E5- dune/ripple
A 4,164 Not Evaluated;
Wetland-dominated



LEGEND
Base image: 2006


Segment B

Segment B represents the upper half of reach M11, extending from the confluence of the forth-order
tributary just north of Plank Road downstream to a location approximately 3,000 feet south of the New
Haven / Monkton town line. Wetlands (VSWI) are mapped contiguous to the channel on either end of
the reach, separated by acres of prior-converted row crops and hay fields. Valley walls marked by Lime
Kiln Road to the west and North Street to the east are comprised of glacial till sediments (USDA) with
shallow bedrock (Calkin, 1965). Residential and agricultural buildings are sparse and concentrated along
the roads at the valley edges. Crop fields (corn) are abundant in the left corridor. Hay and some crop
fields are extensive in the right corridor. One small timber bridge spans the channel near the middle of
the segment, coincident with an equipment ford providing access to the fields. Two other equipment
fords were observed within the segment. The timber footbridge was a minor structure comprised of a log
with wooden hand rail probably functions as LWD or a DJ during high flows, without significant
constriction of the channel. For this reason, a Bridge & Culvert Assessment was not completed. One
beaver dam was observed near the downstream end of the segment, with a control height above the
water surface of approximately 0.5 foot. The length of channel impounded by this beaver dam was
difficult to discern, given the low gradient of the channel overall but estimated at 800 feet. Several
field ditches convey field drainage (from corn fields) directly to the channel. Also, three points of
concentrated overland flow from field edges to the channel were observed.

The channel in Segment B has a similar planform on 1962 and 1942 aerial photographs. One pre-1995
neck cutoff is apparent. Two short sections of possible straightening (apparently pre-1942) were indexed
within the segment, where a linear planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the
channel width in close proximity to cultivated fields. Straightening has not been independently confirmed
(through historic documentation). Despite possible historic straightening, these sections are not incised
below the floodplain. It is possible that cohesive sediments in the channel boundaries and/or very low
valley gradients may have moderated the potential for vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments in
response to inferred straightening.

A reference E stream type is suggested by the unconfined valley setting, very low gradient (0.2%), and
low width/depth ratio. The measured stream type was consistent with reference. Minor widening
(moderated by cohesive sediments and reasonably wide, intact tree buffers). Potential for latera and
vertical channel adjustments also probably moderated by the very low gradient and nearby (downstream)
wetland conditions.

Segment A

Segment A of reach M11 consists of the downstream half of the reach, extending from a point
approximately 3,000 feet south of the New Haven / Monkton town line to a location approximately 1,000
feet north of the town line. Wetland-dominated conditions: very deep pools, extremely mucky bottom
precluded assessment on foot (walked along the banks and viewed the channel at breaks in the
vegetation). Small beaver dam near the downstream end of the segment with a control height above the
water surface of approximately 0.3 foot. The length of channel impounded by this beaver dam was
difficult to discern, given the wetland flow characteristics and very low gradient of the channel overall,
but was estimated to impound an estimated 500 feet of channel. Large woody debris count likely
underestimated, since some LWD was submerged and water clarity was poor. The channel has a very
similar planform on historic aerial photographs (1974, 1962, 1942). A section of possible straightening
(apparently pre-1942) was indexed at the lower end of the segment, where a linear planform was
present for a distance greater than 20 times the channel width in close proximity to historic fields.
Straightening has not been independently confirmed (through historic documentation). The linear
planform may be at least in part a result of linear bedrock features exposed in the hill to the direct west


of the channel. It is also possible that the channel was forced into a linear path along the base of this
left valley wall at some time prior to 1942 to facilitate farming activities within the valley. Despite possible
historic straightening, this section is not incised below the floodplain. It is possible that cohesive
sediments in the channel boundaries and/or very low valley gradients may have moderated the potential
for vertical (and lateral) channel adjustments in response to inferred straightening.

Hay fields along the right bank appear to be reverting to fallow condition. Standing water was present in
the fields along the right-bank corridor near the downstream end of the segment. Multiple ditches or
ditched tributaries contribute stormwater and field drainage to the segment. Timber footbridge (log with
a hand rail) near upstream end of segment provides access between fields on either side of the channel.
This minor structure probably functions as LWD or a DJ during high flows, without significant constriction
of the channel. Second bridge crossing near the downstream end of the segment (comprised of steel
girders with timber decking) appeared mostly abandoned, with surrounding fields in fallow vegetation.
Structure is a bankfull-constrictor (83% of the bankfull width). Possibly used for snowmobile trail in
winter. Bridge & culvert assessment was completed for this more substantial bridge structure, but not
the timber footbridge.

M10

Reach M10 extends from just downstream of the New Haven / Monkton town line, downstream nearly to
the Lime Kiln Road bridge. Valley walls marked by Lime Kiln Road to the west and North Street to the
east are comprised of glacial till sediments (USDA) with shallow bedrock (Calkin, 1965). The region is
underlain by hydric soils of glaciolacustrine parent material with isolated pockets of organic soils (peat) in
the valley bottom to the east of the channel (USDA). Extensive wetlands (VSWI, NWI) are mapped
contiguous to the channel. Very low gradient and wetland conditions are related to the downstream
valley pinch point below Lime Kiln Rd crossing (reach M09).

Residential and agricultural buildings are sparse and concentrated along the roads at the valley edges.
Lower-lying fields along the upper end of reach M10 did not appear to have been worked recently.
Somewhat higher-elevation fields more distant from the channel appeared to be in hay or alfalfa.
Moderately-sloped fields to the north and south of the channel near the downstream end of the field
were cropped. Miles of field ditches (and ditched tributaries) drain agricultural fields within the direct
subwatershed to reach M10.

Reach M10 was assessed by kayak on 13 August 2010. Flows were low on the assessment date (19 cfs
measured at the Route 7 USGS gage). A storm yielding over an inch of rain occurred from 8 to 10
August. Several ditches were substantially more turbid than flow in the main channel on the assessment
date.

Wetland conditions dominated the reach. Channel and bank vegetation dominated by rushes, sedges,
cattails, pond weed, with the occasional willow tree or silver maple along the banks. Given the wetland
conditions, a RGA and RHA were not performed, consistent with protocols.
A quick cross section performed mid-reach revealed a bankfull with of 58 ft, and max depth of 5.8 ft,
suggesting a low width/depth ratio. A similar planform was evident on 1974, 1962 and 1942 photos.

Abundant wildlife sited within the reach including beaver, turtles (painted), gray heron, and bittern. One
mostly breached beaver dam noted on the assessment date.



Figure 5. Reach M10, Little Otter Creek.
LEGEND
Base image: 2006


M09

Reach M09 extends from the Lime Kiln Road bridge crossing in Monkton, downstream to the Monkton
Road bridge crossing in Ferrisburgh. This is a short reach, approximately one half mile in length, where
the Little Otter Creek cuts across a northeast- trending ridge comprised of more-resistent bedrock
(Calkins, 1965). While no bedrock grade controls were observed in the reach, it is likely that shallow
bedrock controls the local topography, creating a valley pinch point along the channel network. Overall,
the reach is Semi-confined by close valley walls. Soils of glaciolacustrine parent material are mapped in
the reach, with glacial till-derived soils mapped further to the north and south of the channel in vicinity of
the ridge-line. Soils at either end of the reach are hydric in nature.

The reach was assessed by foot on 25 June 2010; flow conditions were relatively low (29 cfs at the USGS
Route 7 gage) despite a storm yielding nearly an inch rain on the previous day (as measured at
Burlington airport).

Reach M09 was segmented due to observed differences in flow status, valley confinement, and incision
status. The upper end of reach is dominated by wetlands in an unconfined valley setting, with flow and
channel characteristics similar to the immediately upstream reach, M10. The middle third of the reach is
a short segment of channel Narrowly-confined between steep, forested valley walls. These high valley
walls pull away from the channel in the lower third of the reach (Segment A) to yield at Semi-confined to
Narrow valley setting with a degree of incision below moderately-high stream terraces.

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
C 989 Not Evaluated;
Wetland-dominated
B 678 Bc3- riffle/pool (IRraf = 1.0)
A 871 Bc3- riffle/pool (IRraf = 1.7)

Segment C

Segment C represents the upper third of the reach, extending approximately 989 feet downstream of the
Lime Kiln Road bridge (Monkton). This segment is wetland-dominated and similar in flow and channel
characteristics to the immediately upstream reach, M10. The segment has a somewhat more relaxed
valley confinement (Narrow) than the remainder of the reach (Semi-confined to Narrowly-Confined). A
beaver dam with a control height to the water surface of approximately 1.5 feet was observed near the
downstream end of the segment on the assessment date. This beaver dam impounded perhaps 600 feet
of the channel, although it was difficult to discern the impoundment length, given the wetland flow
characteristics of the region. Very low gradient and wetland conditions are related to the downstream
valley pinch point (segment M09-B).



LEGEND
Base image: 2006


Encroachments within the segment are limited to the vicinity of the Lime Kiln Road crossing. There is a
concrete bridge span accompanied by three, large-diameter smooth-metal overflow culverts within the
left-bank road approach which divert water through the crossing at flood stage. The present structure
was constructed in 1967 (Boehmler & Medalie, 1997). It is a bankfull constrictor (44% of the bankfull
width). Since wetland conditions dominate and the channel gradients are so low upstream and
immediately downstream of the bridge, there is little apparent scour at the site or associated concrete
abutments. A short length of berm with an approximate thalweg height of 9 feet was observed along the
left bank immediately downstream of the bridge. A stormwater input (road ditch runoff) with small
delta of sediment was observed along the right bank just downstream of the bridge site. There is a
historic water quality monitoring site maintained by the Addison County River Watch Collaborative
downstream of the bridge along the right bank (LOC11).

Water was highly turbid; which interfered with observation of submerged features such as LWD and bed
forms, particularly in the deeper pools. Abundant algae growth and pond weed were also observed.

Figure 7. Lime Kiln Road bridge, view downstream to bridge inlet, 13 August 2010

Segment B

Segment M09-B represents the middle third of the reach, located upstream of the Monkton Road crossing
(Ferrisburgh) and downstream of the Lime Kiln Road crossing (Monkton).This is a short segment of
channel Narrowly-confined between steep, forested valley walls. A reference Bc stream type is suggested
by the confined setting and moderate gradient (0.9%). Measured stream type was consistent with
reference.

Segment A

Segment M09-A is the downstream third of the reach, extending approx 871 feet upstream from the
Monkton Road crossing. Valley walls pull away from the channel in Segment A to yield a Semi-confined
to Narrow valley setting. A reference Bc stream type is suggested by the confined setting and moderate
gradient (1.3%).


Within the valley, the channel is partly incised below two sets of terraces. The higher terrace is along the
right bank at an approximate elevation of 2.5 times the max depth of the channel. The lower terrace
along left bank is approximately 1.6 times the max depth. Based on the absence of head cuts, and
actively collapsing banks, incision is inferred to be historic in nature and may even be attributed (at least
in part) to post-glacial incision occurring several thousands of years before present.

A history of Addison County notes that a forge and saw-mill operated just above the Monkton Road
crossing in the late 1700s and early 1800s (Smith, 1886). Monkton Road straightened between 1942 and
1962 according to historic aerial photos (Figure 8). The crossing was moved to its current site from a
position further to the north. The present bridge was constructed in 1951 according to the VTrans bridge
and culvert inventory. Little Otter Creek was channelized through the new bridge site, leaving
abandoned meanders north of the channel on the east side of the road, and south of the channel (also
on the east side of the road). Berms were constructed on either side of the channel in discrete locations
east of the bridge to keep the channelized river in its new planform. A short, lower-relief berm is also
evident along the right bank downstream of the bridge.

A moderate degree of incision (IR
RAF
= 1.7) was measured in this B3c-riffle/pool channel upstream from
the bridge site. Entrenchment of the channel has been enhanced local to the bridge by presence of the
left-bank and right-bank berms at a thalweg height of 6 ft though in each case, limited floodplain
access is available on the opposite bank. Generally, the degree of historic incision decreases with
distance upstream of the cross section site. In the next upstream segment (M09-B), the channel once
again has access to the floodplain (IR
RAF
= 1.0), although the width of the floodplain is very limited as the
channel is Semi-confined by steep, bedrock-controlled valley walls.

It is possible that incision worked headward in Segment M09-A as a direct result of the (post-1942 and
pre-1962) channelization, berming and inferred dredging of the channel. There is also the possibility of a
degree of post-glacial incision in this channel segment, in the thousands of years following the last glacial
stage. More detailed surficial geologic assessments would be required to determine the timing of
channel incision with greater certainty. Resistant boundary conditions including cohesive soils, limited
streambank armoring, and tree cover, have moderated lateral adjustments in the channel. Segment
M09-A persists in this historically-incised condition, although some limited widening is suggested by
observed erosion of the berms and a measured width /depth ratio of 24.4. An early channel evolution
stage of III [F] is inferred for segment M09-A.

Water quality monitoring site (LOC10) is located downstream of the bridge along the right bank. This
segment is also the site of a temporary flow gaging station operated by ACRWC (2010 - 2011).

Figure 8. Vicinity of Monkton Road crossing, Ferrisburgh: (a) 1942; (b) 1962.
(a) (b)


M08

Reach M08 is 1.5 miles in length, begins just downstream of the Monkton Road crossing in Ferrisburgh,
and extends nearly to the bedrock falls at the former crossing of Echo Road. The reach is in a wide, low-
gradient valley underlain by glaciolacustrine sediments. Extensive hydric soils and wetlands (VSWI, NWI)
are mapped throughout the reach.

Reach M08 was assessed by kayak on 10 September 2010. Flows were quite low on the assessment date
(daily mean flow of 5.4 at the USGS gage at Route 7), although small rain events had preceded the
assessment date on September 7 and 9. This reach was segmented to capture an upstream subreach of
alternate reference stream type.

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
B * 1,872 C6- riffle/pool
A 6,290 Not Evaluated;
Wetland-dominated
* Subreach

Segment B

Segment M08-B is a subreach of C-riffle/pool stream type with boulder/ cobbles intermixed with silt/clay
substrates. The segment begins just downstream of the Monkton Road crossing and extends approx one
third of a mile downstream. Possible channelization of the upper end of the segment associated with re-
channelization at the Monkton Road crossing between 1942 and 1962 (see reach M09).

Based on pebble count, estimated reach gradient (not surveyed), and Mannings coefficient derived from
the pebble count, the cobble and boulder sediments revealed in the stream bed far exceed the threshold
grain size. Thus, these cobbles/boulders are likely not mobile in a bankfull event. This assumption is
supported by the subangular nature of these clasts; they do not exhibit the rounded surfaces
characteristic of clasts that have been transported long distances in a river environment.

More intensive encroachment by agricultural fields was apparent in past decades (e.g., depicted on the
1942 and 1962 orthophotos). In more recent decades, land uses appear to have reverted to fallow
vegetation. A seldom-used ford provides channel access along the left bank mid-way near the
downstream end of the segment.

(Later observed at high flow conditions from Monkton Road bridge, that water flows to a left-bank flood
chute and partially bypasses the main channel at the cross section site. This may account for smaller-
than-predicted cross-sectional-area at the cross section site.



LEGEND
Base image: 2006


Segment A

Segment M08-A begins approx one-third of a mile downstream of the Monkton Road crossing and
extends downstream nearly to the bedrock falls (Walker's Falls) at the former Echo Road crossing (now
abandoned) east of Wing Road.

Encroachment by Dean Road along the RB along a majority of the segment. Only slightly more
constraining than the natural valley wall, and the channel has unconstrained access to the floodplain in
the left-bank corridor. Therefore, no significant modification to valley confinement type (Very Broad) or
status (Unconfined).

More intensive encroachment by agricultural fields in past decades (e.g., depicted on the 1942 and 1962
orthophotos). A section of possible straightening was indexed within the lower end of the segment,
where a linear planform was present for a distance greater than 20 times the channel width and where
historic fields/pasture were located in closer proximity to the channel. Straightening has not been
independently confirmed (through historic documentation). Despite possible historic straightening, this
section of the channel is not incised below the floodplain. It is possible that cohesive sediments in the
channel boundaries and/or very low valley gradients may have moderated the potential for vertical (and
lateral) channel adjustments in response to inferred straightening. In more recent decades, land uses
appear to have reverted to fallow vegetation.

Wetland conditions dominate the segment. Very low gradient is related to downstream bedrock grade
control at former Echo Rd crossing (upstream end of reach M07) - historically known as Walker's
Falls.Two active beaver dams at the upstream and downstream extents of the segment. One was
observed near the upstream end of the segment on 9/10/2010 with a control height to the water surface
of approximately one foot and impounded approximately 900 feet of the channel. A second was
observed at the very downstream end of the segment, with a control height to the water surface of
approximately 0.3 foot, impounding approximately 500 feet of channel. Evidence of breached beaver
dams was noted elsewhere in the segment.

Deep pools and entrained large woody debris offering good epiphaunal substrates, as well as the
occasional boulder, particularly in the upstream end of the segment. Several turtles were observed in the
segment.

Small "delta" of sediment at confluence of RB tributary mid-segment possible sediment from Dean
Road.

M07

Reach M07 is less than one mile in length, beginning in the vicinity of the former Echo Road crossing and
continuing to the north and west under the Wing Road bridge crossing. Within this section, the Little
Otter Creek crosses a ridge of erosion-resistant Monkton quartzite. A short bedrock gorge is present near
the upstream end of the reach in vicinity of the former Echo Road crossing. A short distance downstream
is a bedrock waterfall, historically known as Walkers Falls. From this point the channel flows through a
Semi-confined valley setting with steep forested walls and gradually into a more unconfined setting of
lesser gradient. The reach is underlain by glaciolacustrine sediments, with glacial tills exposed on the
northeast-trending ridge line to the northeast and southeast of the channel. Soils derived from glacial till
deposits are also mapped along the valley walls close to the channel in a couple of locations. Along the
stream valley are isolated pockets of hydric soils and wetlands (VSWI).


LEGEND
Base image: 2006


Reach M07 was assessed on foot on 19 August 2010. Flows were quite low on the assessment date
(daily mean flow of 6.9 at the USGS gage at Route 7); no rain had been recorded at the Burlington
airport or nearby New Haven River USGS station in the previous week.

The reach was segmented to capture variation in valley width from Narrowly-Confined to Semi-Confined
in the upstream half (with bedrock exposures, i.e., short gorge) to generally unconfined (Narrow to
Broad) in the downstream half, with the exception of a short section (495 ft) of Narrowly-Confined
channel.

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
B 2,099 Bc3- riffle/pool
A * 2,354 C3- riffle/pool
* Subreach

Segment B

Segment B begins just upstream of the bedrock falls (Walkers Falls) east of Wing Road and ends
approximately 1,350 feet upstream of the Wing Rd bridge crossing. In this upper half of reach M07, there
is a short section of naturally-impounded water followed by a short bedrock gorge (historically, known as
Walkers Falls [Smith, 1886]). Below this waterfall, the channel flows through a Narrowly-confined to
Semi-confined valley for a length of approximately xxx feet. Bedrock lateral grade controls are present
along the RB near the downstream end of the segment. A very narrow forested floodplain is available at
low-flow conditions, but would be inundated at high-flow conditions. A reference Bc stream type is
suggested by the Semi-confined valley setting and gradient (1.9 %).

A History of Addison County (Smith, 1886) notes that a forge and a sawmill operated in vicinity of
Walkers Falls in the early 1800s, but were long ago abandoned. Today, encroachments along the
channel are fairly minor, limited to one bridge crossings and sparse residential and farm buildings along
the high valley walls. The floodplain throughout Segment B is utilized for livestock pasture (dairy cattle).

Historically, Echo Road crossed over the channel at the head of the bedrock gorge. This is a Class 4
road, and is no longer maintained as a through road between Wing Road and Dean Road. Instead this
Figure 11. Bedrock falls in
reach M07-B, historically
known as Walkers Falls. A
history of Addison County
(Smith, 1886) notes that a
forge and a sawmill operated
in vicinity of Walkers Falls in
the early 1800s, but were
abandoned long ago.


gravel road terminates at the west side of the bedrock gorge, where a covered wooden footbridge
provides access to a gravel path and a private residence on the east side of the river. A pair of old laid-
up stone abutments is located just downstream of the covered bridge, at the location of the former Echo
Road crossing. The span of this covered bridge and the distance between the old abutments are
technically less than the measured bankfull width of Segment B (66% and 41% of the bankfull width,
respectively). However, the span between the vertical bedrock walls of the gorge itself is much narrower
than the measured bankfull width of the segment (28%). This fact, along with the fact that the covered
bridge and old Echo Road bridge abutments are elevated well above the Little Otter Creek channel on the
walls of the gorge, means that these structures are likely not a significant constrictor of the bankfull
channel.

Figure 12. Covered footbridge at the top of the bedrock gorge near the
upper end of Segment M07-B, view downstream, 10 September 2010.

Some stormwater and sediment inputs in the form of road runoff to the vicinity of the footbridge crossing
near the head of the gorge, as well as road runoff which has developed into a small gully with erosion
along the left bank of the channel just downstream of the bedrock falls.

Livestock have at least occasional access to the channel and floodplain in this narrow valley, as evidenced
by fecal material and trampled ground. However, vegetative growth suggests infrequent grazing relative
to downstream pastures (segment M07-A and reach M06).

Subangular cobbles and boulders, suggesting minimal fluvial transport. It is likely that these boulders
have been derived from nearby bedrock sources and have been revealed in the bed of the stream as
finer-grained sediments have been winnowed out over time (Figure 13). Weak riffle/pool bedform. Pools
are sparse and quite shallow. The upper extent of the segment above the bedrock gorge is wetland-like.


Channel is somewhat overwidened at the base of the bedrock gorge (W/D ratio of 37 at XS-3), likely due
to a reduction in stream competence at the lesser slope. However, there no side or point bars, and only
one diagonal bar due to the very close confinement of valley walls.

Segment A

Segment M07-A spans Wing Road, beginning approx 1350 feet upstream of the bridge crossing and
ending approx 1000 feet downstream of the crossing. Valley confinement ranges from Narrowly-confined
to Broad, averaging Narrow. A short section (495 ft) of Narrowly-Confined channel is located
immediately upstream of the Wing Road bridge - too short to segment. In this general location, the
Little Otter Creek passes through beds of more erosion-resistant bedrock, and it is likely that the
underlying geology has contributed to the very narrow valley geometry. A cross section (XS-1) was
conducted in this short section to document conditions, but was deemed Not Representative of the
segment. Cross section XS-2 near the upper end of the segment was representative of the overall
segment.

Wing Road bridge crossing is a bankfull constrictor (57%) with a downstream scour pool. One
equipment ford was indexed within the segment. Dairy cattle have direct access to the channel and
floodplain in pasture areas on both sides of the river; two separate locations (general) were indexed to
indicate livestock access both upstream and downstream of the Wing Road bridge.

ACRWC maintains a water quality monitoring site (LOC8) on the downstream side of the Wing Road
bridge along the left bank.

A reference C stream type is suggested by the dominantly unconfined valley setting and moderate
gradient (0.7%). Measured channel and valley dimensions at cross section XS-2 near the upper end of
the segment confirmed an existing stream type consistent with reference.

Weak riffle/pool bedform. Some pools quite shallow, one very deep pool, a wetland upstream of the
bridge. Scour pool downstream of the bridge.

Figure 13. Segment M07-B, view
downstream, 19 August 2010.


M06

Reach M06 is a short reach (0.3 mile), located downstream (west) of the Wing Road crossing; the
downstream end of this reach is approximately mid-way between Wing Road and Middlebrook Rd. M06
is transitional between the Semi-confined upstream reach and downstream wetland-dominated reaches
M05 and M04. Valley confinement within reach M06 varies from Semi-confined (at the upstream end) to
Very Broad, with an average confinement of Broad. The reach is underlain by glaciolacustrine sediments
(USDA); soils are hydric throughout, but wetlands are not mapped (VSWI, NWI), possibly due to the
prior-converted status of long-term active pasture for dairy cattle. A reference C stream type is
suggested by the dominantly unconfined valley setting and gradient (0.2%).

No human infrastructure (buildings, bridges, roads) encroaches within the river corridor. For a majority
of the reach beginning at the upstream end livestock have had uncontrolled access to the channel for
several years, based on review of historic aerial photographs. Buffers are dominantly less than 25 feet in
width. Based on historic aerial photographs (1942, 1962, 1974) - the channel has had a very similar
planform over at least the last 70 years.

A USGS water quality monitoring station (#04282634) was formerly located near the downstream end of
this reach, paired with a downstream station (#04282636) located at the Middlebrook Rd crossing in
downstream reach M05.

The reach was assessed on foot on 19 August 2010. Flows were quite low on the assessment date (daily
mean flow of 6.9 at the USGS gage at Route 7); no rain had been recorded at the Burlington airport or
nearby New Haven River USGS station in the previous week.

Vegetation is often closely-cropped along the banks of the channel. Either livestock are infrequently
pastured or they have been excluded from the parcel surrounding the channel in this reach in the last
year or two - as pasture lands are starting to appear fallow in nature. One equipment ford was noted
mid-reach. One mass failure in glacial tills was observed along the right bank where the channel
impinges on the valley wall; erosion at this site has been exacerabated by a lack of tree or shrub buffers.

Two cross sections were measured in the reach; both demonstrated a cobble-dominated C-riffle/pool
stream type. A dominantly riffle/pool bedform is punctuated by a deep pool with wetland appearance at
the apex of the two meanders in the reach. Channel dimensions were somewhat narrower and deeper
than are typical for a C stream type. This finding may be related to the transitional nature of this reach
(between C stream type upstream and E stream types downstream) and may also be related to the
cohesive nature of the glaciolacustrine sediments comprising the bed and banks.

Figure 14. Reach M06, view
upstream from cross section site,
23 September 2010.


LEGEND
Base image: 2006


M05

Reach M05 is 1.8 mile in length and spans Middlebrook Road. The upstream end is half way between
Wing Road and Middlebrook Rd; the downstream end is just upstream of the Mud Creek confluence west
of Middlebrook Road. Reach M05 is transitional between upper reaches of somewhat closer valley
confinement and steeper slope (M06, M07) and the downstream wetland-dominated reach in a Very
Broad, low-gradient setting (M04). Valley width varies within the reach from approximately 470 feet wide
near the upstream end to 2,040 feet wide in the downstream half. If compared to the measured bankfull
width (38.7 feet), the valley width yields a confinement ratio that is consistently above 10 (Very Broad).

The reach is underlain by sediments of glaciolacustrine origin, predominantly hydric in nature (USDA).
Extensive wetlands are mapped surrounding the channel and floodplain (VSWI, NWI) downstream of
Middlebrook Road (Figure x). The corridor upstream of this road crossing may have been considered
prior-converted, due to a long history of pasture and crop use closer to the channel. A reference E
stream type is suggested by the unconfined valley setting, moderate sinuosity, cohesive nature of the
channel sediments, and very low gradient (0.05%).

Reach M05 was assessed by kayak on two separate dates. Upstream of Middlebrook Road was assessed
on 19 August 2010; flows were quite low on this date (daily mean flow of 6.9 at the USGS gage at Route
7); no rain had been recorded at the Burlington airport or nearby New Haven River USGS station in
the previous week. The portion of M05 located downstream of Middlebrook Road was assessed on 28
October 2010; flows were moderate (101 cfs daily mean flow at the Route 7 USGS gaging station).

Very slight encroachment by Middlebrook Road was evident for a short section of the reach downstream
of the bridge crossing. This encroachment results in a localized reduction of the valley width, but is not
significant enough to result in a change in valley type (Very Broad) or status (Unconfined). The bridge
span is a flood-prone-width constrictor (168% of the bankfull width). Road ditches (which also receive
field and barnyard drainage) direct stormwater runoff to the channel on both left bank and right bank at
the upstream side of this bridge.

Agricultural fields (crop, hay) encroach within the left- and right-bank corridors along the full length of
the reach, up to 50 feet from the channel, and occasionally within 25 feet. Field ditches and ditched
tributaries direct stormflow from crop and hay fields to the channel, particularly along the north side.
One right-bank ditch near the downstream end of the reach was running very turbid on 28 October 2010.
An excavator was later observed in the field south of Middlebrook Road adjacent to this ditch. A length
of barbed wire fencing near downstream end of reach (right-bank) was collapsing into the channel.
Pasture vegetation appeared fallow. Several recent tree plantings (blue tubes, brush blankets) were
evident along both banks upstream and downstream of Middlebrook Road crossing. Some tree seedlings
were collapsing into the channel, undermined by lateral erosion of the channel on the outside of meander
bends.

A longterm ACRWC water quality monitoring station (LOC7.8) is located at the Middlebrook Road bridge.
This is also the location of a former USGS streamflow gaging and water quality station (#04282636)
designed to monitor the effectiveness of Best Management Practices implemented at an upstream farm
(Medalie, 2007). This former station was paired with an upstream station (#04282634) located
approximately 4,150 feet upstream near the lower end of reach M06.

Oxbows and old meander scars are visible on historic aerial photographs (1942, 1962). Based on historic
aerial photographs (1942, 1962, 1974) - the channel has had a very similar planform over at least the
last 70 years. One post-1962, pre-1974, neck cutoff was noted in the upper half of the reach.



LEGEND
Base image: 2006


A cross section completed near the downstream end of reach M05 confirmed a sand-dominated
E-dune/ripple bedform. The pebble count was an estimate based on visual observations and the nature
of sediments probed with the survey rod. Performance of an actual pebble count was precluded by the
depth of the water (up to 4.5 feet) which would have required snorkeling.

The channel has a fairly low sinuosity for an E stream type (1.26). The abandoned oxbows visible on
historic aerial photographs suggest a much higher sinuosity at times in the past (prior to 1942). It is
possible that straightening did occur historically (prior to 1942) but no documentation of it was found,
and linear channel sections are less than 20 times the channel width. It is possible that historic neck
cutoffs have reduced the overall sinuosity of the reach in response to changing flow or sediment
conditions.

The channel has ample connection to the surrounding floodplain, particularly downstream of the
Middlebrook Road. The region surrounding this channel floods widely during bankfull and higher flood
stages. Old meander scars and oxbows are inundated during rain and snowmelt events, and collect local
field runoff to return drainage to the main stem (Figure 17).

Near-bank vegetation consists of grasses, sedges, shrubs, saplings and the occasional deciduous or
coniferous tree (e.g., willow, cedar). Vegetation in the left and right corridors is shrub/sapling (fallow
pasture or wetland vegetation). Canopies are largely open except for the shade of these occasional
trees. Four channel-spanning debris jams and 23 large woody debris were documented within this 1.8-
mile reach. There was ample evidence of beaver activity in the reach (beaver siting, bank dens, bank
slides, dams on tributaries).

Figure 17. Aerial view, Reach M05, 25 March 2010 during a bankfull flow event,
view to the southeast.


M04

Reach M04 is 1.8 miles in length and extends from the Mud Creek confluence west of Middlebrook Road
downstream nearly to the bedrock falls near the Satterly Road crossing (historically, known as Birketts
Falls). This downstream bedrock grade control and valley pinch point contributes to the very shallow
gradient (0.03%) and high sinuosity (2.3) of the channel. The reach is underlain by sediments of
glaciolacustrine origin, predominantly hydric in nature (USDA). Extensive wetlands are mapped
surrounding the channel and floodplain (VSWI, NWI). A reference E stream type is suggested by the
valley setting, bed and bank sediments, and high sinuosity of the channel.

With the addition of the Mud Creek subwatershed (9.1 square miles) the upstream drainage area of Little
Otter Creek increases from 45 to 57.4 square miles within reach M04. This section of the Little Otter
Creek was assessed by kayak on 28 October 2010; flows were moderate (101 cfs daily mean flow at the
Route 7 USGS stream flow gaging station).

Encroachment by roads or other human infrastructure is very minor within the reach. A power line
crosses near downstream end of the reach. Agricultural fields encroach on the channel to the north.
Several tributaries to the reach appear straightened and serve as ditches for field drainage. Four field-
ditch stormwater inputs were indexed within the reach, directed from crop and hay fields outside the
corridor to the north and south of the channel. Historically, equipment fords are evident on the aerial
photographs. One ATV ford was observed during assessments on 28 October 2010. A short length of
barbed wire fencing was observed along the left bank of the channel near the mid-point of the reach.
Since 1942, setbacks to active fields appear to have increased somewhat. Town of Ferrisburgh tax parcel
maps indicate that several parcels on both sides of the channel are in wetland conservation or have
easements.

Based on historic aerial photographs (1942, 1962, 1974) the channel has had a very similar planform
over at least the last 70 years. It is a highly sinuous channel several oxbows are visible to the north
and south of the channel. The region surrounding this channel floods widely during bankfull and higher
flood stages. Reach M04 is hydrologically connected to a vast forested wetland to the south and east
along Middlebrook Road.

One beaver dam was noted within the reach near the downstream reach break, impounding
approximately 4,600 feet of the channel. The length of impoundment was difficult to discern due to the
very low gradient of the channel outside the influence of this beaver dam. The control height of the dam
above the water surface was approximately 1.0 foot, and above the downstream channel thalweg was
approximately 2.5 feet.
Figure 18. View
downstream,
reach M04,
28 October 2010.


LEGEND
Base image: 2006


While reach M04 was dominated by wetland-like conditions, there was a somewhat distinct single-thread
channel near the downstream end of the reach where a cross section could be measured. Cross section
dimensions generally confirmed a reference stream type of E6-dune/ripple. The pebble count was an
estimate based on visual observations and the nature of sediments probed with the survey rod.
Performance of an actual pebble count was precluded by the depth of the water (up to 5 feet), and
would have required snorkeling. A somewhat greater than expected W/D ratio was evident (17), possibly
indicating active widening within the reach. The W/D ratio may also be other than expected due to the
dominantly wetland nature of the reach.

It should be noted that this cross section site was within the influence of the downstream beaver dam.
However, it is likely that beaver dams such as the one encountered on the assessment date are transient
in nature, being washed out by higher-stage flows. Bankfull dimensions of the channel are formed at the
annual to 2-year frequency flow stages when beaver dams are not likely to be a factor.

Vegetation in the far left and right corridors is herbaceous (fallow pasture). Near-bank vegetation
consists of sedges, rushes, shrubs, saplings and the occasional deciduous trees (e.g., willows). Canopies
are largely open except for the shade of these occasional trees. Two channel-spanning debris jams and
32 large woody debris were documented within the reach.

Figure 20. Aerial view, Reach M04, 25 March 2010 during a bankfull flow event
(snowmelt), view to the southeast.


Figure 21. Comparison of historic planform, reach M04 (a) 1942 aerial photograph;
(b) 1995 orthophotograph.


T2.01

Reach T2.01 is the downstream-most reach of Mud Creek that extends from a dairy pasture east of
Middlebrook Road and south of Wing Road to cross under Middlebrook Road and join the Little Otter
Creek west of Middlebrook Road. The reach is 1.1 mile in length. This section of Mud Creek is underlain
by hydric soils of glaciolacustrine parent material. Wetlands are mapped contiguous to the channel
(NWI). (Figure 23, next page)

In the upper end of the reach, Mud Creek is somewhat steeper than the remainder of the reach,
transitioning from a more confined channel to a very broad valley setting. This portion of the reach was
segmented to reflect the somewhat different reference stream type, and due to land use differences.
The reach was further segmented to capture a mid-reach area of E stream type, upstream from a
multithread channel flowing through mapped wetlands that often is inundated during wet conditions.

Segment
Approximate
Length (ft)

Stream Type
C * 1,151 Not Assessed; No access
B 1,749 C4- dune/ripple (departed from E4-D/R
reference stream type)
A 2,789 Not Evaluated; Wetland-dominated

Segment C

Segment C represents the upper fifth of reach T2.01, located upstream (east) of the Middlebrook Road
bridge crossing. This segment flows through an active pasture area where dairy cows have direct access
to the stream. Segment T2.01-C was not evaluated due to limited access. A braided channel pattern is
evident, especially at bankfull flow conditions (see Figure 22). It is unclear whether this multithread
channel represents a reference channel type (D stream) or whether a history of pasture use (and
livestock trampling) has contributed to the braided pattern. A long-term water quality monitoring station
(MDC1.2) is maintained at the Middlebrook Road crossing just below the downstream end of this
segment.

Figure 22. Segment C
of T2.01, Mud Creek.
View upstream from
Middlebrook Road,
1 October 2010.


Figure 23. Reach T2.01 segmentation, Mud Creek, Little Otter Creek watershed.
LEGEND
Base image: 2006


Segment B

The middle third of reach T2.01 extends approximately 1,749 feet downstream of the Middlebrook Road
bridge crossing. A reference E stream type is suggested by the unconfined valley setting, high sinuosity,
and very low gradient (0.2%).

Other than the Middlebrook Road bridge crossing, there are no infrastructure encroachments within the
segment. Middlebrook Road encroaches along the right bank for a very short section of the channel on
approach to the bridge crossing. The encroachment was not significant enough to classify it as a human-
caused change in valley width (St 1.5). The bridge span is somewhat constricting of the flood prone
width (110% of the measured bankfull width), and a sharp approach angle directs flow to the left-bank
concrete abutment. Crop and hay fields encroach within the southern (left-bank) corridor, within 50 feet
of the channel.

Segment T2.01-B was assessed on foot on 19 August 2010 at low flow condition (6.9 cfs mean daily flow
at the Route 7 USGS stream flow gaging station). A measured cross section indicated a gravel-
dominated C-dune/ripple channel. This segment is transitional between an inferred C (or possibly D)
channel upstream (Segment C) and wetlands downstream (Segment A). While the short cross overs
between meander bends (occasionally) and a couple of bars (especially near the upstream end of the
segment) contained fine to coarse gravel, the majority of the segment was characterized by silt/ sand
bed and silt banks with a weak dune-ripple form.

While the measured channel width and depth are similar to predicted channel dimensions (VTDEC, 2006),
the cross sectional area was much less than predicted. This may have to do with the fact that the VT
Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves are developed for C and B channels, and not for E channels. Also,
this other-than-expected result may have to do with the wetland-dominated nature of the channel.
When bankfull flows prevail in the river network, the location of T2.01 and the vicinity of its confluence
with reach M05 are broadly inundated (see Figure 20 flyover pic in M04 section).

Two beaver dams were indexed within Segment T2.01-B; both were recently, mostly breached resulting
in minimal impoundment effects. Near-bank vegetation consists of sedges, rushes, shrubs, saplings and
the occasional deciduous trees (e.g., willows). Canopies are largely open except for the shade of these
occasional trees. Vegetation in the far left and right corridors is herbaceous (fallow pasture). Five
channel-spanning debris jams and 20 large woody debris were documented within this third of a mile
segment.

Figure 24. Segment T2.01-B,
Mud Creek, view downstream,
19 August 2010.


Segment A

Segment A of T2.01 represents the lower half of the reach, located west of the Middlebrook Road
crossing, ending at the confluence of Mud Creek with the Little Otter Creek main stem. The segment has
a very low gradient (0.03%), high sinuosity and multithread channel.

Wetland conditions including deep pools and very mucky bed substrates precluded assessment on foot on
19 August 2010. Assessors continued downstream along the crop fields to the south of the channel and
viewed channel conditions at periodic breaks in the buffer vegetation, including a wide ditch that passed
between corn fields and entered the channel mid-way along the segment (Figure 25). This segment was
later viewed by kayak from the confluence with Little Otter Creek on 28 October 2010. However,
upstream progress on this later date was prevented by multiple channel-spanning debris jams.

Figure 25. Ditch draining runoff from corn
fields directly to Mud Creek, reach T2.01.
Significant algae growth in the base of the
ditch. View to the south, 19 August 2010.
Appendix G: Flow Accumulation Maps Little Otter Creek Watershed (Addison County, VT)

APPENDIX G

Flow Accumulation Grid Maps

prepared by:

Reed Sims
USDA-NRCS
Geographic Information Systems
ph: 802.951.6796 x243
Reed.Sims@vt.usda.gov

FERRISBURG
L
i
t
t
l
e

O
t
t
e
r

C
r
e
e
k
M
u
d
C
re
e
k
M
u
d

C
r
e
e
k
M
0
5
M
0
4
T
2
.0
1
T
2
.
0
2
M
0
3
M
0
6
Flow Accumulation Grid Calculated for Agricultural Lands
Little Otter Creek M04, M05 reaches
0 0.08 0.16 0.04 Mil es
Notes:
Flow accumulat ion derived
from HydroDEM elevat ion
dat a layer with 10m resolution.
Light er colors or red areas are
calculated areas of flow
concentration on f ields, leading
to outlet points. Stormwat er runoff
follows these channels and outlets.
Forested and other non-cropland
areas appear as green f rom t he
underlying photo. Flow accum-
ulat ion dat a were limited t o mapped
agricultural lands.
vhdcarto_l_vt
StreamRiver
Connector
town_a_vt
e911rds_l_vt007
flowacc_crop
Value
High : 800
Low : 0
subshed_little_otter
I
MONKTON
NEW HAVEN
FERRISBURG
L
i
t
t
l
e

O
t
t
e
r

C
r
e
e
k
M
1
1
M
1
0
M09
M
1
2
M
0
8
Little Otter Creek M10, M11 reaches
0 0.075 0.15 0.0375 Mil es
Not es:
Flow accumulation derived
areas appear as green from the
ulat ion dat a were limited to mapped
agricultural lands.
vhdcarto_l_vt
StreamRiver
Connector
town_a_vt
e911rds_l_vt007
flowacc_crop
Value
High : 800
Low : 0
I
FERRISBURG
NEW HAVEN
WALTHAM
M
u
d

C
r
e
e
k
T
2
.
0
3
T
2
.
0
2
T
2
.
0
4
Little Otter Creek T2.03 Mud Creek reach
0 0.075 0.15 0.0375 Mil es
Not es:
Flow accumulation derived
areas appear as green from the
ulat ion dat a were limited to mapped
agricultural lands.
vhdcarto_l_vt
StreamRiver
Connector
town_a_vt
e911rds_l_vt007
flowacc_crop
Value
High : 800
Low : 0
I
Appendix H: Stressor Table, Reach-Scale Little Otter Creek Watershed

APPENDIX H

Stressor Tables, Reach-Scale


Abbreviations used in the following tables:

BFL Bankfull
FPW Flood Prone Width
RB Right Bank
LB Left Bank

I Increase (of Stream Power or Boundary Resistance)
D Decrease (of Stream Power or Boundary Resistance)

Text in blue denotes a natural stressor or modifier.
Text in black indicates a human-caused modification.

Reach /
Segment
M13-B
I Depth
Stormwater: flow increases from stormwater outfalls (tile
drains, road ditches) - RB
I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments
D Slope
Apparent flood-related mass failures (flood of August 2004);
localized reduction in stream capacity.
I Banks Forested buffers
M13-A
I Slope Historic channelization and/or incision (post1942, pre1974) I
Bed,
Banks
I Depth
Stormwater: flow increases from stormwater outfalls (road
ditches) - LB
I Banks Forested buffers
D Slope
Apparent flood-related mass failures (flood of August 2004);
localized reduction in stream capacity.
M12-B
I Slope Historic channelization (post1942, pre1974) I Bank Armoring (limited to culvert sites)
I Slope Encroachment: berm, LB I
Bed,
Banks
I Slope
Local flow increase resulting in scour pool downstream of
Plank Rd cuvlert (BFL-constrictor).
D Bank
Removal of woody vegetation related to residential &
agricultural use.
I Slope
North Street culvert (bankfull constrictor).
I Depth
Stormwater: flow increases from stormwater outfalls
(residential pipe) - RB
D Slope
Localized aggradation upstream of Plank Rd culvert (BFL-
constrictor)
D Slope
Local reduction in slope (and possible stream competence)
at this transition point from steeper-gradient, confined
channel sections upstream to lower-gradient, unconfined
channel downstream.
M12-A
I Depth
Stormwater: flow increases from stormwater outfalls (tile
drains, field ditches, ditched tributaries) - LB, RB
I Bank Armoring (limited, RB)
I
Bed,
Banks
I Banks Tree Buffers
M11-B
I Depth
(multiple field ditches, ditched tributaries) - LB, RB
D Bank Localized bank destabilization at ford crossings.
D Depth Beaver dams (transient, localized, but cumulative) I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments; narrow but intact tree
buffers
M11-A
I Depth
I
Bed,
Banks
D Depth Beaver dams (transient, localized, but cumulative) I Banks Forested buffer (majority LB)
M10
I Depth
I
Bed,
Banks
D Slope
Moderate constriction at downstream end of reach as
channel transitions from Very Broad to Semi-Confined
(bedrock-controlled) confinement.
D Depth Beaver dams (seasonal, local)
M09-C
I Depth
Stormwater: localized flow increases from stormwater
outfalls (road ditch, RB)
I Bank Armoring (limited to bridge vicinity)
I Slope
Lime Kiln Rd bridge crossing (BFL).
I
Bed,
Banks
I Slope Encroachment: berm, left bank
D Slope
(bedrock-controlled) confinement.
D Depth Beaver dams (transient, localized, but cumulative)
M09-B
I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments; wide, continuous forested
buffers; LB bedrock exposure.
Reach-Scale Stressors
Stream Power Boundary Resistance


Reach /
Segment
M09-A
I Slope Historic channelization (post1942, pre1962) I Bank Armoring (limited to bridge vicinity)
I Slope Encroachment: berms, LB, RB I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments; wide, continuous forested
buffers.
I Slope
Monkton Rd bridge crossing (FPW).
M08-B
D Slope
at this transition point from steeper-gradient, Semi-confined
channel sections upstream to very-low-gradient, unconfined
channel downstream.
I
Bed,
Banks
M08-A
I Depth
Stormwater: localized flow increases from tributaries ditched
through agricultural fields, one road runoff input) - LB, RB
I
Bed,
Banks
D Depth Beaver dams (transient, localized, but cumulative)
D Slope
Moderate constriction at downstream end of segment as
channel transitions from Very Broad to Narrowly-Confined
bedrock gorge; downstream bedrock vertical grade control
at Walker's Falls.
M07-B
I
Bed,
Banks
Bedrock exposures; forested buffers
M07-A
I Slope
Wing Rd bridge crossing (BFL).
D Bank
Removal of woody vegetation related to agricultural use
(pasture).
I Bank Armoring (limited to bridge site)
I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments; limited tree buffers.
M06
D Bank
(pasture).
I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments; tree buffers (some).
D Bank Localized bank destabilization at ford crossing.
M05
I Depth
outfalls (road ditch runoff, field ditches) - LB, RB, minor.
D Bank
(cropping and pasture); livestock excluded in recent years
from pasture upstream & downstream of bridge site.
I Slope
Local (minor) flow increase resulting in scour pool
downstream of Middlebrook Rd bridge crossing (FPW).
I Bank Armoring (limited to bridge site)
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments..
M04
I Depth
Stormwater: flow increases from stormwater outfalls (field
ditches, ditched tributaries) - LB, RB
D Bank
Removal of woody vegetation related to historic
agricultural use.
D Slope
(bedrock-controlled) confinement; downstream bedrock
vertical grade control at Birkett's Falls.
I
Bed,
Banks
Cohesive bed/ bank sediments; relatively wide shrub
buffers.
D Depth Beaver dams (transient, localized)
T2.01-C
D Slope
at this transition point from steeper-gradient, confined
channel sections upstream to lower-gradient, unconfined
channel downstream.
D Bank
Removal of woody vegetation and trampling related to
pasture use.
I
Bed,
Banks
T2.01-B
I Slope
Middlebrook Rd bridge crossing (BFL).
D Bank
(minor, LB).
D Slope
Middlebrook Road bridge is BFL constrictor; minor upstream
deposition.
I Bank Armoring (limited to bridge crossing)
Bed,
Banks
buffers.
T2.01-A
I Depth
outfalls (field ditches, ditched tributaries) - LB, RB
D Bank Removal of woody vegetation related to agricultural use.
Bed,
Banks
buffers.
Stream Power Boundary Resistance
Reach-Scale Stressors

Appendix I: Departure Analysis Table Little Otter Creek Watershed

APPENDIX I

Departure Analysis Table


Abbreviations used in the following table:

BFL Bankfull
FPW Flood Prone Width
RB Right Bank
LB Left Bank
WWTF Waste Water Treatment Facility

H Human-constructed Constraint
N Natural Constraint

X Significant
(X) Somewhat Significant

Reach /
Segment Vertical Lateral Natural Converted Natural Decreased Increased Asset
M13-B X
M13-A X X
M12-B H: North St culvert (BFL) X X (X)
H: Plank Rd culvert (BFL)
H: berm, LB
H: residential homes, LB, RB
M12-A H: Plank Rd, LB (X) X
H: agricultural fields, LB, RB
M11-B H: agricultural fields, LB, RB
(X)
X
M11-A H: agricultural fields, LB, RB (X) X
H: equipment bridge (BFL)
M10 H: agricultural fields, LB, RB (X) X
M09-C H: Lime Kiln Rd bridge (BFL)
(X)
X
H: berm, short section, LB
M09-B N: Lateral bedrock exposure, LB X
M09-A H: berms, discrete sections, LB, RB X X
H: Monkton Road bridge (FPW)
Decreased valley
confinement
Due to historic channelization,
armoring, incision, floodplain
encroachment (berms, bridge
relocation).
Enchanced locally by beaver
dams
dams
Constraints Transport Attenuation (storage)
Due to historic channelization, incision.
Due to upstream sediment
sources.
Wetland-dominated;
Above valley pinch point
Wetland-dominated;
Above valley pinch point
Wetland-dominated
dams
dams
Locally, above Plank Rd
culvert.
Slope reduction and
decreased valley
confinement.
Due to historic channelization,
armoring, incision, floodplain
encroachment (berm, culverts).


Reach /
Segment Vertical Lateral Natural Converted Natural Decreased Increased Asset
M08-B X
M08-A H: Dean Rd, RB (minor) (X) X
M07-B
N: Bedrock exposures, both banks
X
H: Bridge - covered footbridge (BFL)
H: Old Abutment pair (BFL)
M07-A H: Bridge - Wing Rd (BFL) (x)
H: Livestock pasture, LB, RB
M06 H: Livestock pasture, LB, RB
M05 H: Middlebrook Rd bridge (FPW) X
H: Middlebrook Rd (RB, minor)
H: agricultural fields (distant LB, RB)
M04 H: agricultural fields (distant LB, RB) (X) X
T2.01-C H: Livestock pasture, LB, RB X
H: Middlebrook Rd (RB, minor)
T2.01-B H: Middlebrook Rd bridge (BFL) (X) X
H: agricultural fields (distant LB)
T2.01-A H: agricultural fields (distant LB) (X) X
Attenuation (storage)
Bedrock
Falls /
Gorge
Slope reduction and
decreased valley
confinement.
Wetland-dominated;
valley pinch point in
downstream reach M03
dams
Wetland-dominated;
Slope reduction and
decreased valley
confinement.
Wetland-dominated;
dams
Wetland-dominated;
dams
Wetland-dominated;
downstream valley pinch
point at bedrock gorge.
dams
Slope reduction and
decreased valley
confinement.
Constraints Transport

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