Engineering Services – Preliminary Design & Feasibility for Removal of Three Low-Head Dams, Castleton River

PMNRCD is seeking qualified engineering consultants to complete a preliminary engineering design and feasibility assessment for the potential removal of three low-head dams on the Castleton River in Fair Haven: the Shirt Factory, Slate Factory, and Water Street Dams. The project will use a corridor-based systems approach to evaluate the cumulative hydraulic, geomorphic, ecological, infrastructure, and community impacts of dam removal across the project reach. The study will assess existing conditions and potential removal alternatives, including retention, partial or complete removal, phased removal, and failure scenarios. Preliminary design will evaluate dam safety, sediment conditions, site access and constructability, hydraulic and geomorphic conditions, aquatic habitat and organism passage, water quality, flood resilience, infrastructure risks, public safety, and potential impacts to adjacent properties and public assets. The project will also investigate dam ownership and legal responsibilities, permitting and regulatory requirements, and potential archaeological and historic resource considerations in coordination with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. The work will include stakeholder coordination, site investigations, and hydrologic and hydraulic modeling as necessary. The selected consultant will develop conceptual engineering recommendations and 30% preliminary designs for each of the three dams, providing PMNRCD, the Town of Fair Haven, Vermont DEC, and project partners with the technical information needed to evaluate feasibility, benefits, constraints, and readiness for future implementation and final design. The project is anticipated to run from August 2026 through October 2027, with $60,000 in available project funding through the WUV Enhancement Dam Removal Design and Implementation Block Grant (DIBG).