Vermont
Metal Detecting at Townshend Lake in Townshend, Vermont
Do not treat the whole reservoir project as open.
Answer first
Can you metal detect at Townshend Lake?
Conditional — exact USACE detector zone must be confirmed before use. Do not treat the whole reservoir project as open.
Permit/authorization: Usually no individual permit stated for qualifying §327.14 zone, but project-specific restrictions/authorization control — 36 CFR §327.14 allows metal detector use on designated beaches or other previously disturbed areas unless prohibited; the project-specific zone must be verified.
Evidence freshness: verified , Grade A, confidence 98/100. Recheck the official source before travel.
Current verified decision
What the current evidence actually allows
Evidence: Grade A · 98/100 · verified 2026-08-30 · freshness Current · revalidation due 2026-12-28 · source conflict none identified.
Map and public access reference
This record has a safe map query. Resolve it on demand to display a temporary provider search match without altering the verified dataset.
The map always renders with state/local context. Use Resolve this place on map to place a temporary provider search match on the map, or use the provider buttons directly. The temporary match is not written into the verified-coordinate dataset.
Legal status and controlling rule
Do not treat the whole reservoir project as open.
Where detecting is allowed
Only a designated beach or previously disturbed area where detector use is not prohibited by the District Commander/project posting and where separate resource protections are satisfied.
Restricted or prohibited areas
Posted/prohibited areas, archaeological/historic resources, and any area outside a qualifying designated/previously disturbed zone.
Permit and digging rules
Permit: Usually no individual permit stated for qualifying §327.14 zone, but project-specific restrictions/authorization control
36 CFR §327.14 allows metal detector use on designated beaches or other previously disturbed areas unless prohibited; the project-specific zone must be verified.
Digging: Do not excavate, probe, disturb soil, vegetation, structures or resources beyond the controlling land-manager rule. Vermont State Park detector probing, when in a currently designated area, is limited to a small hand tool and a maximum depth of three inches; all disturbed areas must be restored.
Water and artifact rules
Water detecting: Shoreline, lake, river and submerged-land ownership can differ from adjacent public access. Swimming, boating, fishing, beach access or a boat launch never establishes metal-detecting or recovery permission.
Historic/artifact rule: Do not disturb or remove archaeological, historic, burial or culturally protected resources. On State lands, archaeological field investigation and qualifying exploration are controlled by 22 V.S.A. §§ 762-764; State-derived artifacts remain State property.
Verification record
This page is published only after its legal and access evidence passes the project verification checks. Its current legal/access record is Grade A with a confidence score of 98/100 and was last checked on .
Map policy: every record has an in-page map plus external map-provider navigation. Verified pins remain canonical; query-only records can create a temporary provider search marker on demand, which is never promoted to verified geometry automatically. No map mode proves permission.
Official legal and place sources
Townshend Lake metal detecting FAQ
Can you metal detect at Townshend Lake?
Do not treat the whole reservoir project as open.
Is a permit or authorization required at Townshend Lake?
Usually no individual permit stated for qualifying §327.14 zone, but project-specific restrictions/authorization control 36 CFR §327.14 allows metal detector use on designated beaches or other previously disturbed areas unless prohibited; the project-specific zone must be verified.
Does the map show where detecting is legally allowed?
Yes. The page provides map context and address/name-based navigation even when an independently verified coordinate pin has not yet been published. Query navigation does not establish detecting permission.
How current is this Townshend Lake record?
The legal/access record was last verified on 2026-08-30 with verification grade A and confidence score 98/100. Recheck the cited official source before travel because rules and closures can change.
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