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Hartford Local Protection Project

The Hartford Local Protection Project is located on the White River at its confluence with the Connecticut River, in the White River Junction section of Hartford.

The White River is subject to ice-jam flooding, particularly in the reach that passes through the business and industrial center of White River Junction. In 1964, an ice jam raised water levels upstream of the Hartford Bridge an estimated 10 feet before the jam released, resulting in a downstream surge that destroyed the bridge. The Corps project reduces the threat of ice-jam flooding and subsequent damage to White River Junction’s business area.

The project was completed between June-November 1970 at a cost of $332,000. It was built as a small project under Section 205 of the Continuing Authorities Program, and is operated and maintained by Hartford.

The project extends along a two-mile reach of the White River beginning at a point immediately upstream of its confluence with the Connecticut River. The work consisted of:

  • Rock removal in three areas upstream of the Hartford Bridge, which is located about 1.5 miles from the junction of the White and Connecticut Rivers;
  • Rock removal and channel excavation of sand and gravel deposits in three areas downstream of the bridge;
  • Rock removal immediately upstream of the U.S. Route 91 Bridge, located about .9 mile from the junction of the rivers; and
  • Channel excavation on each side of the railroad bridge, located several hundred feet above the rivers’ junction. The White River, 58 miles in length, rises on the northeast slope of Battell Mountain in Ripton and flows five miles easterly to Granville and 19 miles southerly through Hancock, Rochester, and Stockbridge. The river then changes direction and flows nine miles northeasterly to Bethel, seven miles easterly to Royalton, and 18 miles southeasterly through Sharon to its confluence with the Connecticut River at White River Junction in Hartford.