Londonderry residents continue debate over future of Williams Dam

By Cynthia Prairie
©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

For years, Londonderry residents have been arguing over the dam at the Williams River at Route 11, which for some is a much needed fire pond as well bucolic spot. The state, town government and other residents, however, see it as a festering problem that is best addressed by razing it.

On Saturday, during the latest session over the future of the dam, Todd Menees, a river management engineer with the state, returned to Londonderry Town Hall to explain why the state favors dam removal as the best course of action. Later, Menees told The Telegraph that six state reports over three decades have found that the dam has been getting progressively worse and has continued to be a “significant hazard.”

Speaking to an audience of about 40, Menees noted that so far, Vermont has had more than 70 dams removed. “This is not just Vermont,” Menees said. “This is a global movement.”

That movement began in 1977 under the Carter administration when President Jimmy Carter issued an executive order to have the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspect all U.S. dams following the deadly Kelly Barnes Dam failure at a creek in Georgia, resulting in 39 deaths and $2.8 million in damage. A three-year study found deficiencies in a majority of non-federal dams. Later studies found insufficient state oversight, laws and program addressing dam safety.

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Previous articles on the dam 

• April 27, 2022: Derry voters seek answers as they consider future of Williams dam
• May 5, 2022: Derry Town Meeting scuttles dam article
• Oct. 21, 2021: Derry board revisits future of Williams Dam
• Jan. 28, 2019: O’Keefe seeks direction on Williams Dam
• Jan. 15, 2019: Derry continues to mull future of Williams Dam
• Oct. 17, 2018: Derry board OKs engineering study on Williams Dam

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As time went on, states and the federal government also began adopting a philosophy of river management that involves less management of rivers amid more understanding that rivers cannot be “managed,” but that damage can be mitigated by moving human activity away floodplains and floodways. The Vermont effort sped up following devastating and deadly statewide flooding from Tropical Storm Irene.

Menees went on to describe a variety of Vermont dams, their construction and age and what happened to the areas once they were removed that included calm streams and returning wildlife. He also said the state favors retaining historical portions of a dam and allowing nearby landowners to offer input into plantings around the resulting river or stream.  He called dam removal a “win-win” situation.

“If the dam is no longer serving a useful purpose and we still have flooding, why would we keep them?” he asked.

However several residents said that the Mill Pond currently attracts owls, ducks, osprey, possum and other wildlife and expressed concern that they would disappear. One even suggested taking a survey of the animals prior to dam removal, an idea that Menees thought was valuable.

Derry Select Board chair Tom Cavanagh spoke of the studies that have been done concerning the dam, including one from DuBois & King about the cost of repairing or replacing the dam and one on getting federal funding to repair the dam. But since it is a mill dam and not a flood-control dam, no funds are available for replacement or repair.

Menees explained later that a flood-control dam is “supposed to be empty most of the time” and that prior to a large storm, the Army Corps of Engineers will empty their dams. The two flood-control dams in the area are in Springfield and Jamaica. To pay to replace or repair the dam, the town would have to approve a bond issue, estimated at $5 million.  However, money is available to take the dam down, at no direct cost to Londonderry taxpayers.

The latest study looked at the effects upstream and downstream from removing the dam.

One woman who lives right by the dam expressed concern that by removing the dam, “we as a town are giving up a natural water source” to help fight fires in Londonderry. “As of right now, the dam is viable because we have that water source,” she said, referring back to Menees’ comment about viability.

Menees said that during the long statewide drought this year, “We need 9 inches of rain to get the water levels back up.”

But the resident contended that the 3 or 4 inches of rain that we have gotten more recently filled the pond back up. Menees again emphasized that he wasn’t there to tell the residents of Londonderry whether to keep the dam or take it down.

Replying to an audience question, Select Board chair Cavanagh said the town has no timeline for making a decision or implementation.

On Monday, Menees told The Telegraph that said the entire town should be involved in the conversation.