Invest in a clean, accessible White River!
We invite you to make a tax-deductible donation in any amount to help us protect and improve clean water in and recreational access to the White River.
About the WRP
The White River Partnership (WRP) is a membership-based, 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization formed in 1996 by a group of local people who shared common concerns about the long-term health of the White River and its watershed. The WRP envisions a White River watershed in which individuals and communities work together to make informed decisions that protect …
Learn MoreAnnual Volunteer Events
To promote long-term stewardship of the White River watershed, we organize numerous seasonal opportunities for people of all ages to do something good for their communities and their river. May: Green Up the White cleanup To kick off the river recreation season, the WRP coordinates a river cleanup event in conjunction with Vermont’s Green Up …
Learn MoreGet Involved
The WRP depends on volunteers, members, and donors to accomplish much of our important work. Here are a few ways that you can get involved and support our work: Learn more The WRP posts information about clean water projects, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and more on Facebook and Instagram. We invite you to “Like” or “Follow” …
Learn MoreAbout the White River
Vermont’s White River is the heart of a picturesque working landscape, rushing down forested hillsides, bubbling along farm fields, winding under covered bridges, and rolling through historic villages before joining the Connecticut River in White River Junction. The river’s largely rural watershed contributes to cold, clean water, making the White River a popular recreational destination, and warm weather brings thousands of residents and visitors alike to enjoy tubing, swimming, paddling, fishing, wildlife viewing, and more.
The White River watershed encompasses 710 square miles, draining portions of Addison, Orange, Rutland, Washington and Windsor Counties, including 50,000 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest. The White River originates in the Town of Ripton on the slopes of Battell Mountain, then flows southerly and easterly before merging with the Connecticut River in the Town of Hartford. The 56-mile main stem of the White River has 5 major tributaries: the First Branch, the Second Branch, the Third Branch, the West Branch, and the Tweed River. Follow this link to view a map of the watershed.
The White River is significant for being one of the last free-flowing rivers in the State of Vermont, and is the longest un-dammed tributary to the Connecticut River, which was the first designated National Blueway.
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Upcoming events
Summer 2023 flood response
Rain ending on Tuesday, July 11 resulted in the sixth highest flood on record in Vermont and heavy rainfall continued through August and September.
Here are some resources for folks in the White River valley who have been impacted by flooding or who want to help:
–Impacted individuals: Call 211 to report flood damages. Also check out the FEMA Individual Assistance Program information on the VT Emergency Management website and the 504 Housing Repair Program on the USDA Rural Development website.
–Impacted agricultural producers: Check out these resources on the Agency of Agriculture website. In addition, check out these grants available to eligible, flood-damaged farms: VCF Farm Disaster Relief Fund, NOFA-VT Farmer Emergency Fund and Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program.
-Impacted businesses, nonprofits, and manufactured homes: Check out these resources on the Agency of Commerce & Community development website.
–Impacted towns: Check out this “Municipal Guidance for Flood Emergencies in Vermont” for specific information about emergency recovery. In addition, the following sites provide sector-based guidance: VT Agency of Natural Resources flood recovery resources, VT Emergency Management flood resources, and VT League of Cities & Towns flood resources for municipalities.
–Folks who want to help out: We know there will be plenty of trash to remove in and along the river into 2024. If you see trash in or along the river, please report the location using the form at this link. If you clean-up trash on your own, please follow this guidance from the Agency of Natural Resources. Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved in river cleanups next year!
Stay posted: WRP e-newsletter
The WRP distributes a regular electronic newsletter to share information about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, project updates, and more. We invite you to sign-up to receive our e-newsletter by completing the form on the right-hand side of this webpage.
Stay posted: WRP social media
The WRP posts information about on-the-ground watershed improvement projects, events, and volunteer opportunities on Facebook and Instagram. We invite you to “Like” or “Follow” us in order to stay posted on our work to improve the long-term health of the White River and its watershed.
Support us: Get involved
The WRP depends on volunteers and stewards to accomplish much of our important work. Follow this link to learn more about opportunities to get involved and to help improve the health of the White River!
Support us: Make a donation
The WRP depends on contributions of time and money to support our on-the-ground work to improve the White River. Please support our good work by making a donation today!
Select the “Donate” button on the right-hand side of this page to donate via credit card or PayPal.
Or print and return our WRP Membership Form with a check.
Contact us: For more information
Please contact us for more information about our projects, upcoming events, or other ways to get involved!
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River trash report
We need your help to cleanup the White River following the recent flooding.
We invite you to report any trash you find in or along the White River. We’ll use your reports to focus our cleanup efforts over the coming weeks.
How to Get Involved
Do you know the location of trash in or along the White River? Please follow the steps below to submit the location of the trash:
- Identify trash along the river – we are looking for the following types:
–Flood-related trash – from large items in the river that require an organized effort to remove (gas tanks, home appliances, large pieces of metal, etc) to small piles washed-up on the banks
–Tires – one tire or piles of tires
–Trash dumps – recent or historic trash piles
- Complete the Trash Report Form
- We will follow up with additional details and clean up plans based on your submission
Questions?
Please contact Christian Pelletier with questions: christian[at]whiteriverpartnership.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Green Up the White on May 6!
We invite you to help us Green Up the White on Saturday, May 6, 2023!
To kick off the river recreation season, the WRP is coordinating a river cleanup event in conjunction with Green Up Day to remove as much trash from the White River and White River Water Trail access sites as possible.
In order to maximize our collective cleanup efforts, we have created a system that interested volunteers can use to sign-up to cleanup a specific White River site – see more information below.
How to Get Involved
Interested in helping us Green Up the White? Please follow the steps below to sign-up for a specific river cleanup site:
Step 1: Find a cleanup site – Please open the Green Up the White Sites List to find a list of river access sites in need of cleaning-up.
Step 2: Sign-up – Complete the Green Up the White Sign-Up to share your river cleanup plans. We will use the cleanup site information you provide to update the Green Up the White Sites List.
Step 3: Find Green Up Day resources – Visit this link to find more information about your town’s Green Up Day plans, including free trash bag pick-up locations, trash disposal locations, and more.
Step 4: Green Up the White – Visit your Green Up the White site on May 6 and dispose of the trash you collect at the nearest drop-off location (see town-specific Green Up Day info on this link).
Step 5: Share your results – Help us measure success by reporting your Green Up the White trash collection totals via the Green Up the White Trash Collection Report. We will tally the amount and weight of trash collected, and share the totals to celebrate our collective success!
Other ways to get involved
Got a new site? If you have identified a site along the White River that requires trash collection, but does not appear on the Green Up the White Sites List, please contact us: christian[at]whiteriverpartnership.org. We can add the new location to the List.
Questions?
Please contact us with questions: christian[at]whiteriverpartnership.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2022 White River Water Quality Report
The White River Partnership’s 2022 Water Quality Report is now available. The report summarizes data collected by WRP staff and trained volunteers at 22 sites during summer 2022.
THANK YOU to our 2022 water quality monitoring volunteers, to the businesses and partners who stored water samples, and to Vermont Water Quality Division staff and partners who help us analyze our data and plan for the upcoming sampling season!
For more information, please visit our Water Quality Monitoring Program page.
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White River Map & Guide on TrailFinder
The WRP’s White River Watershed Recreation Map & Guide is now available on Trail Finder, an online trails database for Vermont and New Hampshire.
The WRP released the White River Watershed Recreation Map & Guide in 2019. The map was the result of several years of work with partners to create a printed, waterproof map that highlights access points, paddling trips, tubing routes, fishing tips, hiking trails, and more along the White River and its five major tributaries: First Branch, Second Branch, Third Branch, West Branch, and Tweed River – nearly 110 miles of river exploration!
The online map includes a different link for five areas highlighted on the printed map, including:
White River main stem – Granville to White River Junction
First Branch – Chelsea to the White River
Second Branch – Kingsbury Covered Bridge to the White River
Third Branch – Riford Brook Road to the White River
Tweed River – Pittsfield village to the White River
Follow this link for more information about the White River Water Trail and stewardship opportunities in 2020!