Geology topics

Research about Bennington, Vermont

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Bennington, Vermont.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2023

Four-dimensional characterization of a PFOA-contaminated fractured rock aquifer (FRA) in Bennington, Vermont, U.S.A

Between 2016 and 2019, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation discovered that groundwater from over 50% (355/628) of wells and springs in the Bennington area had perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations > 20 parts/trillion (ppt) (Vermont action level). The distribution of contaminated wells was complex, with very different PFOA concentrations in closely-spaced wells (<100 m apart). PFOA was introduced into the environment by a factory that produced Teflon™-coated fabrics from about 1978–2002. Manufacturing involved PFOA expulsion from smokestacks followed by atmospheric transport, deposition, and downward leaching to the aquifer system. The fractured rock aquifer was characterized through physical components (geologic mapping, spatial analysis of wells, and geophysical logging) to build a Three-dimensional conceptual model and then map the spatial distribution of chemical groundwater tracers (PFOA, major and trace elements, stable isotopes, and and recharge ages), adding a fourth temporal dimension. The field area consists of four imbricated metamorphic rock slices bounded by thrust faults. The dominant fracture sets that overprint these slices control the N-S and E-W topographic “grain.” Geophysical logging divided wells into those completed internal to or on the margins of thrust slices. Major and trace element analysis shows that groundwater can be spatially discriminated into carbonate (TDS, Ca, Mg, HCO 3 ), shaly (Sr, U, SO 4 ), and siliceous (K, Si) groups. Depleted H 2 O stable isotope signatures characterize the siliceous group. Recharge-ages determined from CFC11, 12, and 113 and tritium correlate with geochemical groups and were divided into “older” (~1953–73) and “younger” (1963–88), which predate and are synchronous with factory operation, respectively. Our conceptual model shows recharge from highlands to the west and east flowing toward the Bennington valley where it is locally tapped by wells along thrust faults or fracture zones. This water has older recharge ages and anomalously low PFOA concentrations (<6.7 ppt in 12 of 15 samples, mean = 7.9 ppt) compared to the majority of wells in this region, which are completed in the internal portions of thrust slices. These wells contain groundwater with younger recharge ages and high PFOA concentrations (mean = 290 ppt) and occurrence (>20 ppt in 28/36 samples), indicating mixing of younger and older waters.

Vermont↗

USGS1997

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 42 (BENNCYSCHL0042) on School Street, crossing Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BENNCYSCHL0042 on the School Street crossing of the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in southwestern Vermont. The 30.1-mi 2 drainage area is a predominantly rural and forested basin. The bridge site is located within an urban setting in the Town of Bennington with buildings and residences on all overbanks. In the study area, the Walloomsac River has a straight channel with constructed channel banks downstream of the bridge. The channel is located on a delta and has a slope of approximately 0.02 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 37 ft and an average bank height of 6 ft. The predominant channel bed material is cobble with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 132 mm (0.435 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on August 6, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable. The School Street crossing of the Walloomsac River is a 36-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 33-foot concrete span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, December 13, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately zero degrees to the opening and the opening-skew-to-roadway is also zero degrees. Scour countermeasures at the site include type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) along both upstream banks and upstream wingwalls. Downstream banks are protected by stone walls extending from the downstream wingwalls to more than 100 feet downstream. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour computed for all modelled flows was 0.0 ft. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 9.4 to 10.2 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 2.7 to 5.7 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

USGS1997

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 2 (BENNCYPARK0002) on Park Street, crossing Furnace Brook, Bennington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BENNCYPARK0002 on the Park Street crossing of Furnace Brook, Bennington, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in southwestern Vermont. The 12.8-mi 2 drainage area is a predominantly rural and forested basin. The bridge site is located within an urban setting in the Town of Bennington with buildings, homes, lawns, and pavement on the overbanks. In the study area, Furnace Brook has a mildly sinuous channel located on a delta and has a slope of approximately 0.01 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 35 ft and an average bank height of 4 ft. The predominant channel bed materials are gravel and cobble with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 58.4 mm (0.192 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on August 6, 1996, indicated that the reach was unstable. However, in the immediate vicinity of the bridge the reach has been stabilized with bank protection. Upstream of the protection, there is bank cutting and channel scour. The Park Street crossing of Furnace Brook is a 29-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 26-foot concrete span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, December 14, 1995). The width of the bridge opening parallel to the downstream bridge face is 25.3 feet. The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with no wingwalls. The upstream channel is skewed approximately 45 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is 10 degrees. Scour countermeasures at the site include type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) on the right banks upstream and downstream of the bridge and type-3 stone fill (less than 48 inches diameter) on the upstream left bank. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. There was no contraction scour computed for any of the modelled flows. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 2.5 to 5.6 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500- year discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 5.6 to 8.4 ft. with the worst- case scour also occurring at the 100-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured- streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle- size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

USGS1997

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 43 (BENNCYDEPO0043) on Depot Street, crossing the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BENNCYDEPO0043 on the Depot Street crossing of the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in southwestern Vermont. The 30.1-mi 2 drainage area is a predominantly rural and forested basin. The bridge site is located within an urban setting in the Town of Bennington with buildings and parking lots on overbanks. In the study area, the Walloomsac River has a straight channel with constructed channel banks through much of the reach. The channel is located on a delta and has a slope of approximately 0.02 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 48 ft and an average bank height of 6 ft. The predominant channel bed material is cobble with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 108 mm (0.356 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on August 5, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable. The Depot Street crossing of the Walloomsac River is a 46-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 40-foot concrete span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, December 13, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 5 degrees to the opening and the opening-skew-to-roadway is 15 degrees. Scour countermeasures at the site include type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) at the upstream end of the upstream right wing wall and type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches diameter) along the base of the upstream left wing wall. Downstream banks are protected by concrete and stone walls. The upstream right bank is protected by alternating type-2 stone fill and masonry walls. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour computed for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 4.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 2.9 to 13.4 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 5.6 to 16.3 ft. with the worst-case scour also occurring at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

USGS1997

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 49 (BENNCYHUNT0049) on Hunt Street, crossing the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BENNCYHUNT0049 on the Hunt Street crossing of the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in southwestern Vermont. The 34.1-mi 2 drainage area is a predominantly rural and forested basin. The bridge site is located within an urban setting in the Town of Bennington with buildings and parking lots on overbanks except for the downstream left bank which is covered by trees and brush. In the study area, the Walloomsac River has a straight, incised channel. The confluence of the Walloomsac River and Roaring Branch is 140 feet downstream. The channel has a slope of approximately 0.01 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 54 ft and an average bank height of 6 ft. The predominant channel bed material is cobble with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 76.8 mm (0.252 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on July 31, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable. The Hunt Street crossing of the Walloomsac River is a 51-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 49-foot steel span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, December 13, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments. The right abutment has a spill-through slope along its face. The channel is skewed approximately 25 degrees to the opening and the opening-skew-to-roadway is 20 degrees. Scour countermeasures at the site include type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) on the spill through slope on the right abutment and along the base of the left abutment. Type- 2 stone fill also protects the channel banks upstream and downstream of the bridge for a minimum distance of 17 feet from the respective bridge faces. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour computed for all modelled flows ranged from 0.9 to 5.0 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 15.3 to 16.5 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 6.0 to 8.7 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

USGS1997

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 10 (BENNUS00070010) on U.S. Route 7, crossing the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BENNUS00070010 on U.S. Route 7, also known as North Street, crossing of the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in southwestern Vermont. The 30.1-mi 2 drainage area is a predominantly rural and forested basin. The bridge site is located within an urban setting in the Town of Bennington with buildings, parking lots, lawns, and a playground on the overbank areas. In the study area, the Walloomsac River has a straight channel with constructed channel banks through much of the reach. The channel is located on a delta and has a slope of approximately 0.02 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 37 ft and an average bank height of 5 ft. The predominant channel bed material is cobble with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 96.0 mm (0.315 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on August 5, 1996, indicated that the constructed reach was stable. The U.S. Route 7 crossing of the Walloomsac River is a 53-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 50-foot steel span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, September 27, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The wingwalls are angled in toward the channel because the widths of the upstream and downstream constructed channel banks are narrower than the bridge opening. The channel is skewed approximately 5 degrees to the opening and the opening-skew-to-roadway is 10 degrees. Scour countermeasures at the site include masonry and stone walls on both the upstream and downstream banks. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour computed for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.1 ft. The worstcase contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 5.9 to 6.8 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Computed right abutment scour for all modelled flows was 6.8 ft. Total scour depths for all modelled flows did not exceed the depth of the abutment footings. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗