Beat the Fall Rains: Your Central Vermont Driveway & Drainage Checklist

Beat the Fall Rains after a Dry Summer: Your Central Vermont Driveway & Drainage Checklist

If you’ve felt like the rain just hasn’t shown up this summer, you’re not imagining it. As of August 31, 2025, Montpelier logged 0.62" of rain for the entire month (the normal is 3.81"). Since June 1, Montpelier is 6.84 inches below normal. Burlington tells a similar story: August totaled 1.66" (normal 3.54", a deficit of 1.88").

Dryness isn’t just a feeling! You can see it in dusty drives, shallow creeks and low lake levels.

Zooming out, the U.S. Drought Monitor currently shows roughly 54% of Vermont in Moderate Drought (D1) and 46% Abnormally Dry (D0). Local coverage has even flagged historic low water levels and the state drought task force reactivating in late August.

There is some cautious good news: the Northeast drought update notes that seasonal outlooks favor improvement or removal of drought in Vermont as we move through fall. That’s welcome, but it also means the first leaf‑clogged, soaking storm will test every culvert and driveway crown that went untouched all summer.

Why Fall Prep Matters in a Dry Season

After long dry stretches, culvert inlets fill with leaves and fines, driveway crowns flatten, and vegetation creeps into ditches. The first October or November soaker can turn small issues into washouts, especially in hill towns and along long camp roads.

If 2023 taught us anything, it’s that Vermont can flip from quiet to damaging quickly; in July 2023, 3-9 inches of rain fell in 48 hours, producing catastrophic flooding across central Vermont.

A Local Checklist for Barre, Montpelier, Waterbury, Northfield, Waitsfield, Moretown, Randolph, Bradford, Chelsea & Topsham

Re‑establish the crown on gravel drives. Water should shed to both sides. If your drive puddles after a sprinkle, the crown is gone. A light regrade before leaves drop is often the cheapest, highest‑return fix (best with a Bobcat T66).
Clear ditches and the first 10-20 feet at culvert inlets/outlets. Pull sediment, sod, and brush. If nothing else, hand‑clear the inlets; a single plug is what causes over‑top failures during that first big storm.
Add turnout ditches on long runs. Every 100-200 feet on slopes, give water an exit so it isn’t concentrated at one low point.
Armor “trouble spots.” Where water concentrates (inside curves, low dips) place larger stone and stabilize outlets with fabric and rip‑rap so you’re not rebuilding after the first 2-3" event.
Cut a shallow interceptor swale upslope of the driveway. On hillsides (think Mad River Valley), a small swale above the drive captures hillside flow before it hits the surface (often quick Bobcat E40 work).
Extend downspouts and daylight foundation drains. After a dry spell, foundations can still take on water during leaf‑clogged downpours. You should push roof water out and away.
Stage material while soils are firm. Even in drought, turf gets beat up when you’re moving base. Stage stone now, and use a mini track loader (MT100) for tight backyards without tearing up the lawn.
Walk the site in a rain (or right after). Note where water actually runs. That 30‑minute walk will save hours of rework.
Contact utilities before you dig. Vermont law requires contacting Dig Safe (811) at least 72 hours in advance (excluding weekends/holidays). See: Dig Safe timing (72 hours)
If you’re near streams or mapped flood areas, check the rules. Vermont’s Flood Hazard Area & River Corridor standards may apply to work in/near waterways. If your project touches potable water or septic, state wastewater rules may also apply—ask a licensed designer. Review: Flood Hazard Area & River Corridor rule and Wastewater & Potable Water Supply guidance

What to Rent (and the Best Bobcat for the Job)

Bobcat T66 Track Loader: Re‑crowns drives, cleans ditches, spreads and compacts gravel; forks for pavers/pallets.
Bobcat E40 Mini Excavator: French drains, shallow interceptor swales, culvert inlet/outlet work, precise trenching.
Bobcat MT100 Mini Track Loader: Turf‑friendly material shuttling to backyard pads/gardens where trucks can’t go.

Get Started

Book your E40, T66 or MT100 online today. We deliver across Central VT: Barre, Montpelier, Berlin, Northfield, Waterbury, Waitsfield, Moretown, Randolph, Bradford, Chelsea, Topsham and neighboring towns.

Need a hand matching machine to task? Tell us the town, slope, and access (gate widths, turnaround room), and we’ll recommend E40 vs. T66 vs. MT100 and any attachments.

We’re family‑owned, our fleet is new, and we make it simple: online booking and delivery so you can get in, get it done, and move on to the next job.