About the Dog River

A major tributary of the Winooski River, the Dog originates in Roxbury, Vermont, and flows north approximately 20 miles, through the towns of Northfield and Berlin, before entering the Winooski River in the Vermont capital city of Montpelier. The Dog River drains an area of 94 square miles, and its major tributaries include Felchner Brook, Bull Run, Stony Brook, Sunny Brook, Union Brook, Cox Brook, and Chase Brook. The river is an important cold-water fishery resource that supports population of wild trout including brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Since 2000, the densities of fish have fluctuated, partly due to impacts from Tropical Storm (TS) Irene, and the river’s “Test Waters” designation was extended through 2018 to investigate this concern as the Dog River is not on the state’s list of impaired waters.

The river’s water quality has experienced the negative impacts of storm events such as TS Irene and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). And, the river’s geomorphology is transforming under the influence of invasive species, including knotweed. Recently, various initiatives, including property buyouts following TS Irene, development of a flood-resilient park on Water Street, installation of several green stormwater infrastructure projects, and other initiatives, are changing the character of the Dog River. Therefore, we believe, it is important that people around the area are able to connect to the issues of the Dog River and by extension, all of Vermont’s waters.

DRC’s Educational Mission:

The Dog River Conservancy is a call for community stewardship on issues that extends beyond the water quality and geomorphology to its fish, culture, and history. Educating the community on these issues, by engaging K-12 students and the university in partnerships that involve nearby communities, is woven into Norwich University’s mission of education, action, and service.

DRC’s Outreach Portal

Our series of educational and outreach modules are focused on five Dog River-related themes:

(1) History

(2) People

(3) Geomorphology

(4) Water quality

(5) Dog River: A field laboratory

Support from:

Lake Champlain Basin Program

SAMPLE STUDENT PROJECTS

Dog River Water Quality Testing
Polhemus, Andon, Peary
Video

Road Salt and the Dog River
Lavoie, Ross, Jordan

Septic Tanks vs. Sewage Systems
Smith, MacNeil