Stormwater

Welcome to the Stormwater Informational Page for the Town of Rutland. This page provides a jumping off point for Rutland Town residents and landowners to find information related to both Town and State stormwater initiatives.

Stormwater management is important because of what stormwater runoff carries when rainstorms occur. Stormwater that hits and flows across roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and rooftops picks up any nutrients or debris that maybe present there, including road salt, sand, car fluids, and trash. These pollutants can be quickly swept into our streams, rivers, and lakes, creating negative effects downstream.

With the intensity of rain events increasing in recent years, stormwater management is more crucial than ever. In addition to promoting clean and healthy waterways, storing and controlling the flow of stormwater also reduces the risk of erosion and flooding. Stormwater projects can also serve to improve wildlife habitat quality, provide aesthetic benefits, and create opportunities for the community to get involved.

Stormwater solutions can range in complexity and cost, but there are many options for homeowners, to developers, to city planners. Some stormwater projects are regulatory, or required by legislation, and may have to follow additional requirements; some are non-regulatory and can be completed on a voluntary basis to improve water quality at any level. Even small steps can go a long way in improving our local waters.

For individual homeowners, stormwater solutions can include:

- Rain gardens

- Rain barrels

- Buffer plantings

- Permeable pavers

Larger solutions can include:

- Gravel wetlands

- Bioretention areas

- Infiltration basins or chambers

- Riparian restoration

There are several important regulatory initiatives for Rutland Town.

Rutland Town is a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit holder. The MS4 permit is a federal permit issued by the State of Vermont, and it covers a publicly owned system of stormwater infrastructure. Rutland Town was designated in 2012 as a small MS4, as part of Rutland discharges to the stormwater-impaired Moon Brook. The Town has specific MS4 requirements to meet annually, including annual inspections and reporting, outfall monitoring, road erosion assessments, and investment into water quality projects. As of 2024, 4 grant-funded stormwater projects are being designed based on prior identification in the Moon Brook Flow Restoration Plan. As the MS4 compliance program continues, the Town of Rutland is seeking to collaborate on educational opportunities and community events. Updates regarding these events will be found on this page.

As of June 2025, 3 of the grant-funded stormwater projects have had 30% conceptual designs created. These 3 projects, titled the North End Drive Gravel Wetland, Nancy Lane Gravel Wetland, and the Carmel Place Gravel Wetland, are proposed in the VELCO right-of-way to the north and south of Killington Ave. The Nancy Lane and Carmel Place Gravel Wetlands both consist of a series of long detention basins culminating in a gravel wetland basin that will provide runoff storage and water quality treatment. The North End Drive Gravel Wetland consists of 2 gravel wetland cells that will discharge treated runoff.

Gravel wetlands improve water quality by mimicking the natural functions of a wetland by retaining and slowly filtering water through muck, gravel, and plant roots to separate out sediment, nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, and other pollutants.

However, these designs are strictly conceptual in nature and do not have VELCO approval to proceed at this time. They have been developed to further explore the feasibility of the water quality improvements previously identified in the Moon Brook FRP.

In addition to the local Stormwater Ordinance, State stormwater permitting is also necessary for both new and sometimes existing development. The General Permit (GP) 3-9050 is now required for new development, redevelopment, existing permit renewals, and for “three-acre sites” under the 3-Acre Rule. This permit requires compliance with the most recent 2022 Vermont Water Quality Standards and 2017 Vermont Stormwater Management Manual (VSMM). The list of eligible properties set forth by the State can be found here.

Maps & Documents

Interactive Stormwater Ordinance Map | Interactive Stormwater Map Instructions

FEMA Flood maps

2014 Water Wise Educational Brochure

2017 Moon Brook FRP - Town of Rutland

Landowner Resources

Guide to Stormwater Management for Homeowners and Small Businesses

Vermont Rain Garden Manual

Vermont Bioengineering Manual

Vermont Better Roads Manual

StreamWise

StormSmart