Vermont floods raise concerns about future of state’s hundreds of aging dams

Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — This week’s flooding in Vermont is adding fresh urgency to concerns about the hundreds of dams in the state. The deluge resulting from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl wasn’t as bad for the dams as last year’s floods when five failed and nearly 60 overtopped. But the second bad flood in a year raises concerns about the viability of many of the dams, a third of which are a century old. The state is investing more money in repairs and has added staff to its dam safety program. The challenge facing dams in Vermont is playing out across the country as more dams overtop or fail during heavy rains.