Vibrant. Green. Connected. Competitive. CHAPTER 4 Watersheds and Water Quality Statement of Purpose The availability and quality of water are critically important to community growth. The twin issues of water supply and water quality can enable or cripple any proposed residential or business development. The loss of water supply or diminished water quality can also threaten existing communities. It is therefore the goal of this Plan to encourage and support efforts that recognize the importance of water quality and quantity to the prosperity of the region. CHAPTER 4 43 REGIONAL PLAN of CONSERVATION and DEVELOPMENT Current Conditions Introduction Water resource planning is built upon the concept There are ten regional basins in the Capitol Region. of the watershed as the primary planning unit. A Eight of these basins, including most prominently watershed is simply defined as the area that drains to the Farmington River, drain into the Connecticut a common point, and can be established at numerous River. The Willimantic River Basin and a small area in scales. A watershed can be as small as a parking lot, Stafford in the Quinebaug River Basin, drain into the draining to a storm sewer, or the area from Montana Thames River Major Basin. to Louisiana, draining into the Mississippi River. The primary scale at which watersheds are defined Current Issues geographically is the “major basin,” Several water quantity and water quality problems which in turn is composed of are significant in the Capitol Region’s basins. Water A watershed can be as small as a “regional basins.” Because watershed quality is directly related to development and land parking lot, draining to a storm boundaries are not consistent with use characteristics, such as: type of land use; extent political boundaries, watershed of impervious surface; stormwater and sediment sewer, or the area from Montana management is an intermunicipal, controls; and condition of stormwater and sewer interregional, interstate, and infrastructure. The impact of such features in one to Louisiana, draining into the occasionally an international issue. municipality affects the quality of water in other Mississippi River. The Capitol Region is almost entirely municipalities in the watershed. Intervention requires within the Connecticut River Major a coordinated response across towns and states, and Basin, which extends from the among nonprofit organizations and agencies. Canadian border south to Long Island Sound. The portion of the Connecticut River in Connecticut and Long Island Sound is constantly affected not only by central Connecticut’s land use decisions and pollution, but also by those of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. 44 Capitol Region Council of Governments Vibrant. Green. Connected. Competitive. Water Quality Measures meets criteria for designated uses, more intensive efforts are required; such watersheds are considered Water quality measures are developed at the state in need of “restoration.” In the Capitol Region, the level. In Connecticut, the State Department of DEEP has designated the Farmington, Salmon, and Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Willimantic Rivers as being “in need of protection.” developed Water Quality Standards in conjunction The other six rivers are designated “in need of with the principles of the federal Clean Water Act. restoration.” Thus, the water quality of six watersheds The standards incorporate a range of data, and are in the Region does not meet DEEP goals for defined for surface and ground water. The Water designated uses. Currently all ten towns in the Salmon Quality Standards establish designated uses for River Watershed including Bolton, Glastonbury, surface and ground waters and identify the criteria Hebron and Marlborough are working with The necessary to support those uses. Each stream or Nature Conservancy (TNC) to develop stormwater water body has two classifications: one for existing management best management guidelines, land use use, and one for designated use. The designated use regulations and public works practices to maintain and classification is also known as the water quality goal, improve the quality of the Salmon River Watershed or what the water could be used for if programs are which is one of the most undisturbed watersheds in implemented and water quality goals are achieved. The the State of Connecticut. DEEP seeks to bring every water body in the state to a classification of “B” or better, which would not be suitable for human consumption without treatment, but could be suitable for recreational use, fish and wildlife habitat, agricultural and industrial supply, and other legitimate uses including navigation. A simpler method of assessing water quality involves compiling a range of indicators to assess whether a watershed is in need of protection or restoration. For watersheds that meet established water quality goals, the current water quality needs only to be maintained; such waters are considered in need of “protection.” For watersheds where the water quality no longer CHAPTER 4 45 REGIONAL PLAN of CONSERVATION and DEVELOPMENT Combined Sewer Overflows of untreated sewage into natural waterways. The MDC will expend more than $2 billion to improve Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) refers to the area’s water quality and help protect the health stormwater systems in which the stormwater flow and and safety of citizens during storm events. The sanitary sewer flow are carried in the same conduit Clean Water Project formally addresses a federal destined for a wastewater treatment facility. Such consent decree and a Connecticut DEEP consent systems cannot handle the water volume from large order to achieve Federal Clean Water Act Goals. storms, and the result is that a mix of stormwater In Massachusetts, the communities of Springfield, and sewage overflows the system directly into rivers Holyoke, and Chicopee are addressing the problem and streams. While it is difficult to measure the in conjunction with the Pioneer Valley Planning full impact of such flows, they are identified as the Commission (PVPC), but much work remains to single largest negative factor influencing the water be done. Nearly $400 million is needed to redress quality of the Connecticut River. Significant capital the problem there, and State funding has been well investment is required to separate such systems. In below the amount the communities need to address the Connecticut River Basin, overflows come from the problem expeditiously. The U.S. Environmental Enfield and Hartford, Connecticut; small towns Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued compliance in New Hampshire and Vermont; and Springfield, orders to the Massachusetts communities to submit Chicopee, and Holyoke, Massachusetts. The a long-term CSO plan in relation to the Clean Water overflows have substantial negative interstate impacts. Act. The Connecticut River Watershed Council and These impacts are obvious in the Capitol Region, Connecticut DEEP reviewed the plan and submitted where Suffield and Enfield experience degraded water responses. They agreed with some of the mitigation quality from sewer overflows originating in Springfield. strategies, but recommended a shorter time frame In addition, overflow from all these communities to than the proposed twenty-year schedule. the Connecticut River has a negative impact on the water quality of Long Island Sound. These interstate problems require a coordinated, interstate response. The greater Hartford area is making significant progress toward separating its combined sewer overflow system through the Hartford Metropolitan District (MDC) Clean Water Project, a 15-year plan designed to control and reduce the overflow 46 Capitol Region Council of Governments Vibrant. Green. Connected. Competitive. Nonpoint Source Pollution Development and Water Supply Nonpoint source pollution or “polluted runoff” is the As land in the region is converted from rural to other major contributor to declining water quality urban uses, water consumption increases. Whether in the Connecticut Major Basin. Nonpoint source the water is used for drinking, cooking, bathing, or pollution comes from rainwater that accumulates washing a car, more people mean higher total water contaminants and sediment from driveways, consumption. In urban, suburban, or other areas roads, agricultural tracts, and lawns (especially with public water and sewer lines, regulated aquifer heavily fertilized lawns); failing septic systems and protection areas and protected water utility-owned infrastructure; and poorly contained waste disposal lands help to maintain the necessary water supply sites. for the region. In smaller towns or developing areas, Nonpoint source pollution is more prevalent in urban however, centralized water supply wells or reservoirs and more developed communities, although there can may not be in place, and water is supplied by individual also be significant impacts from agricultural operations on-site wells. The construction of streets, driveways, in rural communities that have not implemented best parking lots, and other impervious surfaces, as well management practices. Less developed communities as the associated storm sewer systems, typically have an opportunity to implement best management impair an area’s water supply. By preventing rainwater practices to reduce the impact of future development from entering the soil and instead routing it directly on water quality. Best management practices can to a stream, groundwater recharge is reduced, thus also