Moon Brook General Information

 

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and the City of Rutland have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which the City challenged the Agency’s determination that Moon Brook fails to meet Vermont Water Quality Standards due to stormwater runoff. The City contended that the problem stems from heating of the brook, largely by Combination and Piedmont Ponds. In the settlement, the parties agreed to work on both issues, focusing on temperature first.

As part of that agreement the City has retained the services of Milone & MacBroom consulting engineers to evaluate alternative modifications to these ponds that could improve the water temperature and stormwater pollution situations. That study also includes a series of five public meetings to solicit input from parties interested in the future of these ponds and the streams. Please check this web page for information and documents associated with this study.

Combination and Piedmont ponds moving to final design

Between 2016 and 2019 the City worked with neighbors and others concerned about the future of Combination and Piedmont ponds to find a solution to elevated summer water temperatures in Moon Brook. The result of that process was a plan developed by Milone and MacBroom Engineers that was supported by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and the stakeholders involved in the process. The City has secured $670,000 for the plan’s implementation and is seeking an additional $126,000 is state support to finalize the design and compete the permitting. The City has re-hired Milone and MacBroom to prepare the semi-final and final designs, complete the permitting and prepare the construction documents, potentially allowing work to begin in the second half of 2021. As has been the case throughout the process, the development of the final design will include outreach and engagement with landowners and other stakeholders. Specifically, there will be an initial kick-off meeting with representatives of the City and other project stakeholders; up to two (2) public meetings to share semi-final and final design information with participants of the previous outreach meetings, and private meetings with landowners directly influenced by the project to review details of the semifinal design. This next phase of public outreach will begin in January and conclude in April, 2021. Notices of outreach meetings will be sent directly to all parties involved in the planning process, posted to social media and on the City’s Ponds web page.

The fifth of five public meetings concerning the future of Piedmont and Combination Ponds was held:

Fifth Public Meeting Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

at Rutland High School on Stratton Road

This was the fifth and final public meeting of this process, although attendees were advised that one-on-one meetings were still available.

Agenda

7:00 – 7:15      Piedmont Pond – Welcome, introductions, and review of past information

7:15 – 7:45      Piedmont Pond – Review preliminary design

7:45 – 8:00      Piedmont Pond – Public comment

8:00 – 8:15      Combination Pond – Welcome, introductions, and review of past information

8:15 – 8:45      Combination Pond – Review preliminary design and dam safety analysis

8:45 – 9:00      Combination Pond – Public comment

The PowerPoint for the Piedmont Pond meeting is HERE.

The PowerPoint for the Combination Pond meeting is HERE.

Notes from the presentation and discussion are available HERE.

Fourth Public Meeting Thursday, November 30th, 2017

at Rutland High School on Stratton Road

This was the 4th of 5 public meetings to identify a preferred alternative for improving water quality on Moon Brook.  Photo-simulations of the preferred alternatives at Combination and Piedmont Pond were presented.

Agenda

7:00 – 7:10 Piedmont Pond: Welcome and introductions

7:10 – 7:20 Piedmont Pond: Review photo simulations of alternatives

7:20 – 8:00 Piedmont Pond: Public comment on preferred alternative

8:00 – 8:10 Combination Pond: Welcome and introductions

8:10 – 8:20 Combination Pond: Review photo simulations of alternatives

8:20 – 9:00 Combination Pond: Public comment on preferred alternative

The goal of this meeting is to seek consensus on the preferred alternative to begin the design process.

The PowerPoint for the Piedmont Pond meeting is HERE.

The PowerPoint for the Combination Pond meeting is HERE.

Notes from the presentation and discussion are available HERE.

Third Public Meeting Monday, July 24th, 2017

at Rutland High School on Stratton Road

The third public meting was held on Monday, July 24, 2017 in the lecture hall at Rutland High School on Stratton Road. The agenda was set up to consider Piedmont first and Combination second:

Agenda

7:00 – 7:10      Piedmont Pond: Welcome and introductions

7:10 – 7:20      Piedmont Pond: Review modeling of alternatives

7:20 – 8:00      Piedmont Pond: Public comment on results

8:00 – 8:10      Combination Pond: Welcome and introductions

8:10 – 8:20      Combination Pond: Review modeling of alternatives

8:20 – 9:00      Combination Pond: Public comment on results

Consultants presented the results of stream temperature modeling for various options selected in the second meeting. Most of the options satisfied the temperature targets according to the model. Participants voted on which options should proceed to photo simulation.

The PowerPoint for the Piedmont Pond meeting is HERE.

The PowerPoint for the Combination Pond meeting is HERE.

A press release summarizing the meeting is HERE.

For more information call 802-773-1813

Second

Resources

• Moon Brook Assessment RFP Documents