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Saxtons River Local Protection Project

The Saxtons River rises in Windham and flows southeasterly for 20 miles before joining the Connecticut River in Rockingham, approximately 22 miles north of Brattleboro and eight miles south of Springfield. The project is located on the north bank of the Saxtons River in the Saxtons River section of Rockingham, about 4.4 miles upstream of the rivers’ confluence.

The high velocities of the Saxtons River during periods of flooding were causing erosion and frequent damage to an earth and gravel access ramp extending from a town road to the Saxtons River. The river is used as a water source by the fire department, and the access ramp, located at a primary pumping site, allowed firefighters ingress to the river. Because the ramp was not adequately protected to withstand the river’s high velocities, it had to be repaired and maintained annually.

To protect the access ramp from further erosion damage, the Corps constructed a 175-foot-long retaining wall made of pre-cast concrete blocks along the riverbank. The Corps also placed 260 feet of stone slope protection along the bank. Construction of the project began in September 1983 and was completed in January 1985 at a cost of $140,500. It is a small project, built under Section 14 of the Continuing Authorities Program.