SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (WCAX) - A dilapidated Springfield dam is being torn down.

The Valley Street Dam was originally built in 1939 to create a swimming hole out of Mile Brook, but the town shut it down a decade and a half later because of health concerns.

The Connecticut River Conservancy is now leading the effort to remove the structure. When complete, the conservancy’s Ron Rhodes says the waterway will see many improvements. “These old dams trap sediment upstream, which is bad for water quality. This was a 14-foot-high dam, and there was 13 feet of sediment trapped upstream. So, by removing the dam and all that sediment that’s trapped, we are improving water quality,” he said.

The dam removal also creates better fish habitat for brook trout and makes the entire area more flood resilient.

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