State Says Many Culverts Can't Handle Debris From Floods

(Host) State officials say they've learned from Tropical Storm Irene that many of the state's culverts may not be big enough to handle debris from floods.

Culverts are the pipes that channel water under roads. They're often overlooked as part of the transportation infrastructure unless they fail.

Mary Russ of the White River Partnership told lawmakers at a recent hearing that culverts big enough to withstand major floods are more expensive but can save money in the long run.

She told about a culvert in Royalton that was too small. It jammed up with debris, and flooded a town road. That caused $250,000 in damage.

The state Agency of Transportation says culverts under town roads should be able to handle a 25-year flood. The Department of Environmental Conservation recommends culverts twice as large.

And Russ wants lawmakers to consider adopting that standard.

(Russ) "So it's a meaningful standard in the sense that those culverts are then flood resilient."

(Host) But one big question for town officials is whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse towns for the cost of installing the larger, more expensive culverts.