Unsung Heroes: The Culvert Crawlers
In the quiet moments after a storm, when the rain has passed and the roads are left to bear the brunt of nature's fury, there's an unsung army of volunteers who crawl through the underbelly of Vermont's infrastructure. These are the Culvert Crawlers, a group of dedicated individuals who understand the critical role of culverts in protecting our roads and communities.
What's a Culvert?
A culvert, often overlooked, is a humble yet vital structure. It's a tube, usually made of corrugated metal, that runs beneath our roads, allowing water to flow beneath, rather than over, the surface. This simple design element is the difference between a resilient road network and one vulnerable to the forces of nature.
Vermont's Culvert Challenge
Vermont, with its vast network of state and town roads, boasts over 100,000 culverts. These culverts are the unsung heroes, quietly doing their job day in and day out. However, with climate change intensifying rainfall, the state's roads are facing an increasing threat. Clogged or failing culverts can lead to road damage, isolating communities and incurring costly repairs.
Enter the Crawlers
This is where the Culvert Crawlers step in. This community-driven project mobilizes local residents to monitor the state's culverts, providing much-needed support to overworked road crews. By equipping them with information about culvert conditions, the Crawlers help prioritize maintenance efforts, ensuring that the most vulnerable areas receive attention first.
A Community Effort
The Culvert Crawlers initiative was born out of necessity, following the devastating 2023 flood. Kelly Stettner, a resident of Springfield, and Margo Caulfield, a long-time organizer in Cavendish, recognized the need for community-led action. They understood that while recovery efforts were essential, proactive measures were equally crucial to build resilience against future floods.
Tracing the Flood's Origins
As they delved deeper into the causes of flood damage, their attention turned to culverts. When culverts fail, water overflows the roads, causing erosion, damage, and sending sediment downstream. By focusing on culverts, they aimed to address a critical factor contributing to flood damage.
A Collaborative Approach
The Culvert Crawlers project is a collaborative effort, bringing together community members, researchers, and students. Charis Boke, a Dartmouth researcher and a native of the Black River area, has been a key partner. The team developed an accessible platform for community members to record culvert conditions, making it easy for anyone to contribute to the monitoring effort.
The Impact
The data collected by the Culvert Crawlers is invaluable. It provides a detailed map of culvert conditions across the state, helping highway departments identify and prioritize maintenance needs. Town Manager Rick Chambers of Cavendish has praised the program, acknowledging the challenge of monitoring every culvert with limited resources. The extra set of eyes provided by the Crawlers is a welcome addition, helping to prevent problems before they occur.
Looking Beyond Monitoring
While monitoring and maintenance are crucial, the state's culverts face a more fundamental challenge: many are too small to handle the region's increasingly intense rains. Replacing these culverts with larger versions is a costly and statewide effort. The Culvert Crawlers program, by bringing community volunteers into the fold, helps identify these vulnerable areas, ensuring that resources are directed where they are needed most.
A Broader Perspective
The Culvert Crawlers initiative is not just about culverts; it's about community resilience and preparedness. Margo Caulfield and Kelly Stettner, through their efforts, have demonstrated the power of community-led action. By taking proactive measures, they are ensuring that their communities are better equipped to face the challenges posed by climate change. As Margo Caulfield puts it, "People always ask me why you want to live in a godforsaken place that floods like this. No matter where you go, you're going to be dealing with climate change. Better to stay where you are, with the people you know and love, where you know you can deal with it."
Final Thoughts
The Culvert Crawlers project is a testament to the power of community action and the importance of local knowledge. By bringing attention to the often-overlooked culverts, they are not only protecting our roads but also building a more resilient future for Vermont's communities.
