Press Release: July 2024 Flooding in the Intervale

July 11th, 2024

Burlington, VT: Heavy rain on July 10th through the 11th, combined with rising waters in the Winooski River resulted in major flooding in the Intervale and also across parts of Vermont. 

Due to the flooding, the Intervale is closed to the public until further notice. Please help us during this time by not recreating in the Intervale even as flood waters recede, as we need space to assess and document damage alongside farmers. 

The Intervale Center manages 360 acres of farmland, forest, and recreational trails at the Intervale, located a mile from downtown Burlington and adjacent to the Winooski River. On July 11th, the Winooski River had risen to 20.48 feet, flooding significant parts of Intervale farms and trails – we don't yet know the full extent of the damage.  

Early season frost, hazardous air quality, and unprecedented floods are signs that our climate is in crisis and that we need climate action now. The Intervale Center will continue to steward the Intervale in ways that mitigate environmental impact and serve as a model for food and farm organizations working to create a more sustainable food system for all.   

“We are seeing accelerated impacts from climate breakdown right now, and we need to take action,” says Mandy Fischer, Director of Programs at the Intervale Center. “On every scale – local, regional, national, and international – we need real policy, investment, and action to build climate resilience in ways that prioritize food and farmers because food security is climate security.” 

Thanks to calls for volunteers on Thursday morning, Vermonters turned out in droves to help both the Intervale Center and Intervale farms to harvest before waters rose. We will announce when the area is back open and when we are ready for more volunteer support. Stay tuned for more updates. 

Our mission is to strengthen community food systems. 

For 35 years, the Intervale Center has led a community food revolution that sustains farms, land, and people. We work in Vermont to address massive challenges, including food security, farm viability, water quality, and climate change. We have pioneered farm and food innovations in local food development, commercial composting, land access ecosystem restoration, farm business development, food access, and food hub development.  

Learn more about Intervale Center programs and history.  

For media inquiries please contact Maddy Traynor, Communications Manager: (802) 660-0440 ext. 103 or maddy@intervale.org