University of Vermont researchers are warning Burlington officials that slopes along the Winooski River need to be shored up to prevent a destructive landslide.
There are a number of areas in Vermont’s largest city with slopes that cascade towards the Winooski River or Lake Champlain.
University of Vermont researchers are studying the area along Riverside Avenue and found that landslides have occurred at least 20 times over the past 70 years. Each time the area has been filled with sand, gravel and other unstable materials.
Co-researcher PhD student Bella Bennett says more frequent and heavier rainstorms are creating a greater risk of landslides.
The researchers recommend that reforestation of the area, as recommended in the city’s 2021 Slope Stability Report, would be the most efficient and least costly solution to prevent residential or business damage.