Bartlett Brook Stormwater Treatment System

Location

Shelburne Road and Bartlett Bay Road, behind Shearer Chevrolet.

Problem

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff was causing erosion and high levels of phosphorous, nitrogen and bacteria pollution in Bartlett Brook, an impaired waterway.

Description

On a piece of un-buildable commercial land with a degraded stream in a culvert, a state-of-the-art stormwater treatment facility was built, transforming the land into a vegetated, restored stream corridor and constructed wetland that is keeping pollution out of Bartlett Brook and Lake Champlain. The Bartlett Brook Stormwater Treatment System demonstrates how a constructed wetland can be designed and sited for effective use in urban stormwater treatment situations.

bartlett brook schematic
Bartlett Brook project schematic
Barlett Brook construction site
Project site during construction

 

Benefit

This project is showing excellent environmental results, with phosphorous, nitrogen and bacterial removal well above Vermont standards for stormwater systems. It also reduces flood hazards to a neighborhood downstream.

Technical Advisors

Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Lamoureux & Dickinson Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Best Management Practices

Detention Basin
Constructed Wetland
Stream Channel Restoration
Plant-based biofiltering
Creates Offsets

Funding Sources

Vermont Agency of Transportation Enhancement Grant $112,600
Champlain Water District $21,000
City of South Burlington (cash) $5,000
City of South Burlington (labor) $11,000
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Section 319 & Watershed Improvement Grant $72,000
Lake Champlain Basin Program $33,500
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation EPA 5 Star $10,000
Waterwheel Foundation $7,500
Lintillhac Foundation $6,000
Bartlett Brook Supplementary Environmental
Project $1,000
Shearer Chevrolet Easement Donation $203,900
Volunteer work and in-kind services provided by Vermont Commons School of South Burlington, and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.

Acknowledgements

Bill Shearer of Shearer Chevrolet

Last Updated: 11/2009