Natural Resources
Soils and Topography
Soil characteristics impact farming, forestry, mineral extraction, and commercial development. Prime agricultural soils that are rated high for crop production potential are very limited in the region and are located primarily in the river valleys. Since most primary agricultural soils are flat and well drained, they are also desirable for many other uses. Soils suitable for sand and gravel extraction, found primarily in the Connecticut River Valley, are also limited. Many of the region's soils are shallow, unstable, highly erodible, wet, and/or poorly drained. Wet soils may cause basement flooding and failure of footings, foundations, underground piping, and septic systems. Road construction on wet sites can be damaging and prohibitively expensive. Drainage of excessively wet soils is often not an acceptable solution because of expense, rate of failure, and potential for environmental damage. Any of these features alone, or in combination with steep slopes and/or high elevations, are potentially critical factors in determining appropriate land use in the region.
prime agricultural soils
Vermont soils are mapped based on their physical characteristics through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are three levels of classification that have an impact on development on these soils. These soils are classified as “prime,” of “statewide significance,” or of “local importance.” Within the Windham Region, prime agricultural soils are primarily located within the Connecticut River Valley. Agricultural soils are both a vital and limited resource in this region, and for that reason must be protected from development pressures either through conservation or effective mitigation practices. If a development project is subject to Act 250 jurisdiction and contains soils that are mapped by NRCS as of “prime”, “statewide”, or "local" importance, the VT Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets will review and provide recommendations.
sewage disposal
Development in the region has traditionally been encouraged on soils suitable for in-ground sewage disposal systems; however, because permeable soils are often closely associated with sites having high potential for aquifer recharge, their development may result in pollution of subsurface and surface waters. The “travel time” of liquid wastes, the rate of absorption, and the location of groundwater and surface waters are all important factors to consider when planning development on permeable soils. Installation of public waste water systems, especially in villages located in close proximity to rivers and streams, would help alleviate this issue.
mineral resources
Mineral resources in the Windham Region include deposits of sand, gravel, and other minerals, such as granite, slate, limestone, sulfide, uranium, iron ores, and ultramafics (sulfide, talc, soapstone, and serpentine). With the exception of sand and gravel operations, extractive industries have steadily declined in the region. This decline and abandonment of mining industries is primarily due to decreasing demand, changes in economic value, and local opposition to mining operations, rather than to exhaustion of the region's reserves. Public and private interests often are in conflict over extraction of mineral resources, making the balance between the need to use these resources with public’s right to minimize potential nuisances an increasingly visible issue.
Sand and gravel deposits of varying quality are scattered throughout the region and are the principal mineral resources being extracted. Sand occurs in good quality deposits, with large reserves along the Connecticut River and near most of its larger tributaries. Deposits of good quality gravel, however, are usually small. The region's good quality, accessible gravel reserve is low.
Sand and gravel are economically important regional resources and significant portions of them occur in only a few towns: Brattleboro, Dummerston, Vernon, Halifax, Guilford, Newfane, and Jamaica. Few towns own and operate their own gravel pits, even though they experience a steady demand for highway construction and maintenance of unpaved roads. During the reconstruction period following Tropical Storm Irene large quantities of gravel were trucked in from out of state, supplemented by gravel extraction from impacted streams as local gravel pits could not keep up with demand. As the region grows, sand and gravel deposits will continue to be extracted for construction, fill, erosion control, and highway maintenance.
In recent years, the limited availability of aggregate, in the form of gravel, sand, and stone, has drawn the attention of State, as well as town highway officials. Rising costs and the future prospect of decreasing availability impacts maintenance and construction costs of all road improvements, whether paved or unpaved. In our region, towns farther from the aggregate sources in the Connecticut River Valley are often the hardest hit. In coming years, a significant issue in land use planning may be standards, regulations, and community acceptance of new or expanded aggregate facilities.