Geomorphic Assessments for Québec and Vermont Segments of the Rock River

Joe Bartlett, Fitzgerald Environmental Associates, (2025). Geomorphic Assessments for Québec and Vermont Segments of the Rock River. Technical Report # 110, Grand Isle, VT. Lake Champlain Basin Program.

The Rock River drains a watershed of approximately 146 km2 that spans the Vermont/Québec border. The headwaters of the river are located in Highgate and Franklin, Vermont. The river flows north into Québec through Saint-Armand, before turning south back into Vermont and draining into Missisquoi Bay. The watershed is dominated by agricultural land uses and is known to contribute high phosphorus (P) loads into Lake Champlain (USEPA, 2016). In addition, the Missisquoi Bay watershed is a critical focus area for water quality improvement work in the Lake Champlain Basin. The Bay’s watershed, which includes the Rock River, has been the subject of several studies and mitigation projects to reduce P loading and improve water quality. The Lake Champlain Basin Program’s (LCBP) Opportunities for Action lists the Missisquoi Bay watershed as a focus area for 1) better understanding nutrient loading to the Bay by assisting partners in monitoring and assessment work; 2) supporting partners in the protection of riparian areas in the Bay; and 3) facilitating education and outreach among partners in the Missisquoi River watershed (LCBP, 2017).

A stream geomorphic assessment study was completed in 2007 for the Vermont portion of the watershed, additional assessments following similar methodology have been completed for portions of the watershed in Québec. This study represents a unique opportunity to complete an integrated assessment using consistent methodology and protocols.