July 23, 2024 | By Lisa Scagliotti

UPDATE Aug. 1: Swimmers are welcome at the day-use area, but the grassy beach remains cordoned off to allow the lawn to recover from being underwater during the July flood. A path to the water is marked and park staff ask visitors to use the open grassy areas for chairs and blankets.

Less than two weeks after the latest flood filled the Waterbury Reservoir to its brim, Waterbury Center State Park has reopened for visitors – but the beach area and swimming are still off-limits.

Vermont State Parks announced the reopening on Monday with the condition that the public steer clear of the beach area that’s cordoned off since water levels in the reservoir have gone down, revealing yet again dead grass in the picnic and swimming area.

Such was the case for a good part of summer 2023 after the July flood last year that saw water levels even higher than the recent storm.

*July 21: Little River below the Waterbury Dam. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti*

On July 10 this year, state officials operating the dam closed the floodgates ahead of the storm that brought new flooding to Vermont. But by Friday evening on July 12, they gradually began reopening the gates to slowly let reservoir levels begin to recede.

On Tuesday evening, July 16, Dam Safety Engineer Benjamin Green issued an update that the reservoir was back to its normal level. “The floodgates were lifted to the full open position. Accordingly, flood operations at Waterbury Dam for this event have concluded,” it said.

Chad Ummel, operations manager for state parks in the region including the parks in Waterbury, said the reservoir crested at just over 601 feet, slightly lower than last July. Damage to the park grounds seemed less extensive than last year as well, he said.

For now, the park is open for boat launching, fishing from shore, hiking, and picnicking in the areas not taped off by the water’s edge. Remote camping sites were also being reopened. As of Tuesday morning, all sites except 23 and 24 were open with those two expected to be reopened by the end of the week, according to the state parks website.

*The park is open, but the swimming area is closed. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti*

Once again, though, the heavily used section near the water will need attention and time to recover. “We will need to rehabilitate the grassy beach and make any other necessary repairs,” Ummel said.

Park visitors are asked to pay attention to signs noting the closed sections.

Waterbury’s other state park, Little River State Park, has remained open this month for camping, hiking, biking, etc., but its swimming beach also is closed to allow for beach grass rehabilitation after the high-water event.

For questions about park access and use, check vtstateparks.com or contact Waterbury Center park staff at 802-244-1226 and Little River State Park at 802-244-7103.

One other local state park note: Camel’s Hump Road in Duxbury is closed and limited to just residential traffic due to storm damage. The closure affects access to the Monroe Trailhead in Camels Hump State Park. Hikers are asked to choose other routes. The Green Mountain Club is a good source of local hiking trail conditions and information. It website lists current trail closures and has recommendations for hikes on routes that were not affected by the recent storms.