MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Montpelier was among Vermont communities caught in the crosshairs of last year’s catastrophic flooding. The Capital City has a centuries-old history of flooding, but leaders are hoping to overcome those challenges to make the community more resilient.
Montpelier wants to turn the page on a difficult chapter in its history.
When the floodwaters subsided last year, historic State Street looked like a battlefield.
“Last summer was difficult. We were all in survival mode,” said Karen Williams, the owner of Woodbury Mountain Toys. She has pumped over $100,000 into the business, including moving to a new space across the street. “It’s hard to say what’s going to happen but I love Montpelier and I think its a beautiful town and I’m hoping that we can work around our water problem.”
It’s a dilemma that will take time, money, and determination to solve. Montpelier sits below the floodplain in a geographic bowl at the confluence of the North Branch, Dog, and Winooski Rivers. Short of raising utilities out of basements — a new federal flood insurance requirement — or filling them with cement, there aren’t many options.
Jason Messier and his dad, Norman, move buildings out of floodplains or dangerous situations. That includes an auto garage in Barre which sits on a precipice above the Stevens Branch.
“We have 120 pounds of main support in it. Set the jack, brace it, and up it goes,” Norman explained.
Moving homes is a key strategy state lawmakers earmarked millions for this year in Central Vermont. But questions remain about brick buildings in Vermont’s historic downtowns. “There are methods you can do to cross brace and do all sorts of things. Unfortunately, it does raise the cost. Brick is doubly expensive of any other type just because you have to support it more often. The steel required is more expensive,” Jason said.
Taking down derelict dams could also play a role. “Restoring natural function to our river system, and these rivers are our best defense for the future,” said Arina Dailey with the Vermont Natural Resources Council, who is among those discussing the removal of four dams in order to lower the flood elevation level and mitigate risk downstream. “We have increased frequency duration and intensity of storm events and we need rivers to be able to handle those loads of stormwater, particularly in built environments.”
To better prepare flood-prone cities for the risks of climate change and severe weather, state lawmakers this year also passed sweeping regulations on emergency communications, dam regulation, and restrictions on building in the floodplain.
CAPITAL CITY BUSINESSES FACE ONGOING CHALLENGES
Businesses in Montpelier continue to struggle financially after being dealt a number of punches.
The pandemic and switch to remote work for state office workers have continued to starve restaurants and other businesses of foot traffic. The flooding compounded the problem, sinking many businesses into debt.
Montpelier Mayor Jack McCullough says the community is moving forward and they are open for business, but he acknowledges the strain on businesses and the city’s tax base. “I would really like to see a commitment from the state government to bring more people back into work, and if they’re not going to be doing that then I’d like to see some action from state government on what else can be done with those building,” he said. McCullough says turning empty offices into housing is one option.
The city is also still waiting for a full-time post office to reopen.