Slope and erosion
Water must be moved without cutting an unstable channel, washing out soil or directing flow toward another property.
Underhill, Vermont · Chittenden County
Basement waterproofing and foundation repair in Underhill, VT
Underhill projects can add slope, seasonal access and longer discharge paths to basement and crawlspace work. Excavation, structural needs and winter timing should be considered when the repair plan is prepared. Homes in Underhill Center and on the hillsides above it often have different water problems.
Request service in UnderhillLocal conditions
What shapes basement water in Underhill.
Underhill sits along the Browns River and Mill Brook in the higher ground below Mount Mansfield, with rural parcels and significant elevation change. Deeper seasonal frost and steeper terrain make drainage outlets and freeze protection more prominent considerations than they are lower in the valley.
Neighborhoods and places in Underhill include Underhill Center, Underhill Flats and Mount Mansfield.
Local conditions on record
What the public record says about Underhill.
Underhill's natural soil is very limited for basements across about 80% of the town, and a seasonal high water table reaches within 20 inches under 36% of it.
The Jeffersonville weather station records about 57.79 inches of precipitation a year, far more than the Burlington airport. Rain and snowmelt running off Mount Mansfield's slopes reach Underhill basements hard in spring.
In Underhill, 12.5% of radon-tested homes reached the EPA action level. Only 2.1% of the town is in the 100-year flood zone, along its streams. Spring melt is the peak.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Precipitation per year (Jeffersonville) | 57.79 in |
| Land in the 100-year flood zone | 2.1% in zone |
| Named settlements | Stevensville, North Underhill and Underhill Center |
| Named rivers | Browns River, Seymour River and Lee River |
| Numbered highways | VT 15 |
| Tested homes above radon action level | 12.5% above |
| Soils very limited for basements | 80% limited |
| Bedrock within 40 in | 36% shallow |
| Soil that often floods | 2% floods |
| Water table within 20 in | 36% wet |
Underhill's 2021 Town Plan says its All Hazards Mitigation Plan identifies a significant number of existing homes, culverts, bridges and utility poles located within the town's Special Flood Hazard Area.
High groundwater in Underhill Center and the Browns River
Underhill's town plan, amended in January 2019, points at one spot by name. The plan says this creates special problems, due to a high ground water level and vulnerability to flooding. One spot is named.
The plan lists a Special Flood Hazard District and mapped Fluvial Erosion Hazard areas. It also warns that more runoff from roofs, driveways and parking lots raises the severity of flooding downstream.
The plan asks the Planning Commission to check that zoning covers erosion and pollution controls. It also calls for vegetative buffers and erosion control along rivers, streams and lakes, to protect buildings. Regrading near a brook in Underhill Center can meet those rules.
In Underhill Center, expect groundwater to be part of a wet-basement diagnosis. Ask whether the water rises from the floor. Ask how high it stood last spring. A sump with a battery backup is a common answer in that setting. Vermont DEC's river corridor and floodplain guidance shows the mapped corridors. Ask about spring.
Services in Underhill
Complete basement and foundation work
Planning a project in Underhill
What can change the work and the price
Exterior project timing
Frozen or saturated ground can affect excavation, compaction, membrane installation and landscape restoration.
Structural access
Bowing walls, crawlspace supports and settlement repairs need room for equipment, anchorage, temporary support and inspection.