Flooding from Hurricane Irene dealt two bad hands to residents of the RiverHouse Condominiums on Route 100 at the confluence of Folsom Brook and the Mad River.
Folsom Brook seriously eroded the northern bank of the RiverHouse, cutting close to the septic system for the condos and threatening, at a minimum, the deck supports for the southernmost unit.
The Mad River, upstream of the condos, gouged a huge swath through the neighboring LaVanway property and upstream of that parcel, changing the course of the river so that the next high water event will send the river straight at the condominiums.
Residents of the condos have received permission to repair the Folsom Brook damage along with an estimate of $24,000 to repair the damage. They have also applied to the Mad River Valley Community Fund for help funding the Folsom Brook repairs.
They face a conundrum, however, as to what – if anything – they can do to prevent future Mad River flooding from having a direct hit on their property. While the properties’ owners have looked to the town for assistance in securing federal or state funds to repair the damage, it is unclear whether the town can use public funds to repair private property, and in any case, the federal Natural Resource Conservation Service administrators have found that the RiverHouse situation is not exigent enough to deserve funding.
Bob Hennessey, president of the condominium’s board of directors, in emails to the town of Waitsfield lays out their dilemma.
“As we all know there is extensive work that needs to happen upstream from us to ensure the erosion is stopped and the river re-routed to its proper course, otherwise any river bank repairs we attempt will be a complete waste and probably wash down the river eventually anyways along with all of the Riverhouse condos,” Hennessey wrote.
The Waitsfield Select Board this week discussed the RiverHouse issue and will continue to explore whether a Hazard Mitigation Grant can be obtained to assist with work to make sure the Mad River doesn’t hit the condos with the next flood. The issue with such a grant is that it would not be awarded until next February with the earliest work beginning next spring/early summers.
And Vermont Agency of Natural Resources river management personnel have been asked to look at the situation upstream of the LaVanway parcel to determine what work, if any, might be appropriate. After that determination is made, provisions need to be made to fund the repairs.
{loadnavigation}
