UPCOMING AERIAL SURVEYS OVER THE WINOOSKI RIVER
Whiteout Solutions has been contracted by Stone Environmental Inc. and the Town of
Washington to perform aerial surveys, tracing both forks of the Jail Branch through the
village center. The flightpath will cover a little more than 168 acres of the river corridor
and adjacent lands, from the old Hands Mill Dam site to the south to the Creamery
Road Bridge north. The data collected on this survey flight will help create high-
resolution elevation models and detailed 3D maps of the river. These maps and models
will be central to the scoping study that Stone Environmental and the Town will be
working on through next October with an aim to identify and address sites of particular
vulnerability in future flood events.
What to Expect:
- SURVEY PERIOD 10:30am on Wednesday, November 5th is the current scheduled flight
time. Because the sensors on the helicopter perform better in still, clear weather, the
time and potentially the day of the survey may be delayed if the forecast changes.
- FLIGHT METHODS The aerial survey will be conducted using a cherry red
helicopter equipped with topobathymetric LiDAR and high-resolution imaging systems.
The helicopter will fly about 380 feet above the ground at a speed of about 28 knots (i.e.
just over 30mph).
- PILOTS & FLIGHT TEAM All helicopter operations will be conducted by FAA Part 107
certified pilots. Field teams may also be visible in the area, placing or retrieving ground
control points.
- CONTROL POINTS You may notice some coned-off X's spraypainted on the roadsides
or small X's on pinned-sheets when not on asphalt. These will help Whiteout to orient
and confirm placement of the various data retrievals during the survey flight. All control
points are on public land, and should not be disturbed to ensure we get the best
possible data from the survey.
- FLIGHT DURATION The survey is expected to take about thirty-five minutes.
If you have questions or would like more information about the flight or data gathered,
you can contact White Out Solutions via email ( support@whiteoutsolutions.com ), by
visiting their website ( http://www.whiteoutsolutions.com ), or by calling them at 1-800-
388-0935 ext. 703.
If you have questions about the scope of the broader project this data will be used for,
you can contact the Town FEMA Administrator, Ben Tiefenthaler, at
ben.washingtonroads@gmail.com.