Passumpsic River Watershed
The Passumpsic River Watershed drains 507 square miles and is one of the largest tributaries of the Northern Connecticut River, reaching into thirteen of the seventeen towns in Caledonia County. The East and West Branch Passumpsic Rivers combine to make the main stem of the Passumpsic in Lyndon. The river flows for 34 miles through Lyndon, St. Johnsbury, part of Waterford and lastly, Barnet where it meanders around Nine Mile Islands and empties into the Connecticut River.
In June of 2002, the Passumpsic River and its tributaries flooded and inundated Lyndonville and parts of St. Johnsbury, becoming the second largest flood on record for the watershed. The flood caused serious scour and erosion on the East Branch Passumpsic and impacted surrounding towns. After this flood, a study was completed by Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, Inc. for the town of Lyndon in 2004 and strongly suggested more asssessment on the upper tributaries. Since 2004, the Caledonia County NRCD has completed stream geomorphic assessments on the East Branch, West Branch and Miller's Run Rivers.
East Branch Passumpsic River
The East Branch Passumpsic watershed drains approximately 80 square miles, with its headwaters originating in the town of Brighton in Essex County. Northern tributaries of the East Branch drain a large portion of the town of Newark and a small portion of Westmore. The main stem runs generally along Route 114 through Newark and into the town of Burke. One of its main tributaries, Dishmill Brook, drains Burke mountain, occupied by the Burke mountain ski area, and flows into the East Branch in East Burke village just upstream of the East Burke dam. The East Branch then flows south to Lyndon where it combines with the West Branch at the southern end of Darling Hill.
West Branch Passumpsic River
The West Branch Passumpsic River drains 66 square miles, beginning from its headwaters in the town of Westmore in Orleans County. The main stem flows along Route 5a and 5, flowing breifly through the town of Newark, through Sutton and Burke, and finally into Lyndon where it combines with the East Branch. Its main tribuataries are Sutton River, Roundy Brook and Calendar Brook.
Miller's Run River
The Miller's Run River drains 48.5 miles. Its headwaters are in Sheffield, flowing southeasterly through Sheffield, Wheelock and into Lyndon where it drains into the Passumpsic River. The river was originally named for the number early sawmills and gristmills on the river. The Miller's Run is less steep and more sinuous than the East and West Branches and features two sharp drops in elevation in the villages of Sheffield and Wheelock. The Miller's Run River is flanked by Route 122 and is influenced by Interstate 91.
What about the rest of the Watershed?
The Passumpsic is a very large watershed and the Conservation District has not assessed all the tributaries yet. Much of our work has been focused on the Upper Passsumpsic Watershed, however we would like to continue assessments on the Sleepers River, Joe's Brook, Moose River and others. Please contact us if you would like to prioritize stream geomorphic assessments and project development in a different part of the watershed.
Report listings
Click here to link to the state's report listings and scroll to the following reports
East Branch Passumpsic Corridor Plan
West Branch Passumpsic Corridor Plan
Miller's Run River Corridor Plan
Lyndon Flood Study (pdf)
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