Whetstone Brook

Whetstone Brook is a tributary of the Connecticut River that runs through the heart of Brattleboro, Vermont, in the United States.

[1] The headwater for the brook is at Hidden Lake, which is 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level in the town of Marlboro.

[4] In 1990, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation identified oil leakage from an underground storage tank; the subsequent cleanup effort removed nearly 4,000 gallons of petroleum from the waterway and nearby soil, costing $440,000.

[5] As of 2007, the lower 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of the brook, along which there is significant development, is contaminated by E. coli and other bacteria.

[1] In 2011, a sewer interceptor pipe was ruptured during the landfall of Hurricane Irene, and nearly spilled sewage from the town of Brattleboro into the creek.

Whetstone Brook as it runs under the Main Street Bridge in downtown Brattleboro, VT
Whetstone Falls in 1907 near the connection with the Connecticut River . The falls and creek provided a supply of energy for mills in Brattleboro.
Whetstone Brook, Brattleboro, VT, circa 1869-1890