The Vermont portion of the three rivers which comprise this drainage have the unique distinction of being the only watersheds within Vermont that are part of the larger Hudson River regional basin. The Batten Kill, Walloomsac River and Hoosic River have their origins in the southwest corner of Vermont and collectively comprise what is referred to as Basin 1.  The watershed area of the Batten Kill in Vermont is about 200 square miles.  The Walloomsac River in Vermont drains a watershed of about 139 square miles.  The watershed area of the Hoosic River in Vermont is about 89 square miles.  The Taconic Mountains, Vermont Valley and Southern Green Mountains make up the three biophysical regions that play an integral part in the dynamic nature of the 428 square mile Basin 1. 

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) began a watershed initiative with the hiring of a new Watershed Coordinator in the winter of 2006-2007.   Watershed Coordinators initiate a comprehensive planning process that will identify and prioritize state and local water quality issues and implement on-the-ground watershed protection and restoration projects. The purpose of the basin plan that is developed as part of the initiative is to protect the values of high quality water resources, and restore the waters which do not meet the Vermont Water Quality Standards. The DEC Watershed Coordinator will collaborate with state, federal and municipal organizations, local conservation groups, businesses, and a variety of landowners and interested citizens to develop the water quality management plan for waters in Basin 1.

For more information about this important effort, one may contact DEC's basin 1 watershed coordinator Joshua Gorman (phone 802-447-6501).

• Completed Basin Plan Example: White River Basin (pdf, 1.4 MB)

• Guidelines for Watershed Planning (pdf, 374 KB)

• DEC's Batten Kill, Walloomsac, Hoosic Rivers Water Quality Assessment Report (August 2002) (pdf, 773 KB)

• Map of Vermont's 17 River Basins

• Vermont Clean and Clear Action Plan

• Vermont DEC River Management Program
• Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions

• Bennington County Regional [Planning] Commission

• Bennington County Conservation District
• Batten Kill Watershed Alliance
• Batten Kill Conservancy
• Hoosic River Watershed Association
• Southwestern Vermont Chapter of Trout Unlimited

• Vermont League of Cities & Towns

• Vermont Water Quality Standards

• Watershed & Lake Associations of Vermont (pdf, 371 KB)

Updated: July 2007