z z z Summer Fri-Sat (8-8) Year Round (8-4:30) Sat (8-noon), Sun (closed) Mon-Fri (8:30-4:30) May-Oct (8-5) Apr-Nov (7-8) Milford Landing Stratford Milford Connecticut DEP Boating Division US Coast Guard BOATING AND SAFETY CONTACTS z z z z z z z z z z z z z From the Land sensitive ecosystem! sources. Please respect all no-trespassing areas. Even leaving behind nothing but footprints can destroy parts of this Even tip-toeing in protected areas to get a closer look at wildlife is enough cause nest abandonment or loss of food Pesticides and herbicides 5. Chemicals down the drain 4. Human and animal waste 3. Storm Drains 2. Growing parking lots and roads 1. z z them into waterways that eventually drain into the Housatonic Estuary. picking up oil and grease, salt sand, fertilizers pesticides other pollutants carrying Natural runoff from rainfall or melted snow moves over and through the ground throughout watershed, enemy #1 — Housatonic Estuary Polluted runoff might see in the Houstonic Estuary are: any natural predators, they can outcompete native species and actually take over the home turf. Some of aliens you Invasive species are the unwanted guests that move in and forget to leave. Since these relative newcomers do not have cals or anything else into your neighborhood storm drain. Never ever dump garbage, animal waste, oil, other toxic chemi- disturbing land along the river. Always install and maintain silt sediment controls when Don’t litter. Properly dispose of pet waste. Change boat oil with precaution and avoid spills. Recycle used motor oil and antifreeze. Wash your car on the lawn and use vegetable soap. less often. Use fewer toxic pesticides Use less fertilizer on your lawn. Mulch leaves and yard waste into a compost area. riparianbuffers.htm plants between your lawn and the river.( Keep a small lawn and maintain native shrubs, trees and town for the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. Don’t pour household chemicals down your drain. Call nemo.uconn.edu/impervious_surfaces/planning_design.htm ( Pave less. Use lower impact development methods. pumped every two to three years. Make sure your septic system is working properly and ing your lawns and gardens The rule of thumb here is “less definitely more.” Overload- the estuary, can destroy large numbers of aquatic life. ize toxicity. These untreated chemicals, when discharged into to septic systems and sewers that are not designed to neutral- Dumping household chemicals down the drain can send them and fish/shellfish consumption advisories. parasites that can cause disease, and prompt beach closings wash down storm drains. This waste contains bacteria and Failed septic systems and pet waste can enter groundwater or Estuary and ultimately Long Island Sound. actually lead directly to waterways such as the Housatonic Storm drains don’t drain to sewer treatment plants. They the ground. into our waterways instead of first being filtered through Paved surfaces allow chemicals, silt and sand to wash directly animals. concentrations of these chemicals can kill aquatic plants and of your product and it www.lowimpactdevelopment.org and http:// Brewer Stratford Marina (203) 377-4477 (203) or VHF CH 68 Brewer Stratford Marina 381-2049 (203) (203) 378-9300 Stratford Boardwalk Marina (203) 874-1610 Boat Pumpout Town of Stratford 877-1475 (203) 895-7489 (203) Milford Harbor Marina Milford Harbor 874-1610 (203) Ross Hatfield Deputy Larry Bodick ) PUMP OUT FACILITIES HABORMASTERS hydroids and barnacles. crabs, snails, polychaetes, algae, juvenile mussels and oysters, green Rocky intertidal crab; will consume Asian Shore Crab lucrative shellfish industries. cal impact may potentially ruin current even other crab species. The economi- bivalves, shellfish, polycheates, and ing the balanced food-web. It feeds on It has the potential of seriously disturb- Green crab will And remember, please do not disturb . wash away in the next rain. High will not Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/ increase the effectiveness Susan Park, University of Delaware Spot a problem? Call . What can you do? What www.crjc.org/ Estuary invasives . The main culprits . (860) 434-8638 (800) 368-5647 http://cars.er/usgs.gov/ or VHF CH 68 or VHF C ans/greencrab.htm H 9 ) z z z z z z z z From the Water z z z Leaves and other green stuff 12. That perfect lawn 11. Erosion 10. .Shoreline development 9. Floatable debris 8. Boat wakes 7. Boat waste 6. Connecticut DEP Fisheries (860) 434-6043 (860) 377-8091 (203) Nonpoint information Weather National Ocean Service, NOAA INTERNET SITES DEP Fisheries Connecticut 424-3034 (860) Stratford Bait and Tackle Shop FISHING INFORMATION Connecticut DEP Office of Long Island 468-4401 (203) Connecticut DEP Spill US Coast Guard Sector of Long Island Sound National Response Center (NRC) POLLUTION ing in dense beds of aquatic vegetations where they are found. Inspect your boat and trailer for invasive hitchhikers. Avoid boat- vegetation. Avoid navigating and anchoring in marsh grass or over submerged Encourage your marina to supply recycling bins. Minimize trash by purchasing products with minimal packaging. into the boat does not end up in water (unless it’s bait!). tennis balls that may be in your boat. Make sure what you bring Secure and hold on to floatable plastics all other materials like phosphorous for boat cleaning and disinfecting. Use biodegradable products or low in nitrogen and (tank) into the estuary (water). ever empty the contents of your boat’s marine sanitation device When docked, use pump-outs and shore-side restrooms. Never, Housatonic Estuary! Obey speeds limits and adhere to “no-wake” zones entering the Check out in cleanups or other volunteer efforts. Take action. Get involved with local organizations to participate species are highly sensitive to human intruders. Obey no trespassing signs. Areas roped off for protective making it more acidic and dangerous to estuary inhabitants. to the estuary. The decomposing leaves change the pH of water Loose leaves and yard clippings can be air lifted transported life. A nice lawn can be hazardous to the estuary’s health! directly into the river where they are highly toxic to aquatic tall grasses help funnel road runoff, lawn chemicals and erosion Lawns that stretch down to the river with no buffering shrubs or estuary making it uninhabitable for aquatic life. increase erosion. Loose soil travels in waterways to the Improperly managed construction sites on steep banks can opment should always include a natural buffer along the river. erosion and cools the water for aquatic life. Shoreline devel- filters polluted runoff before it reaches the estuary, helps stop velopment can eliminate natural soil and vegetation that Everyone wants to be near the water. But waterfront overde- can also damage propellers and engine pumps. their digestive systems causing them to die. Floating plastics seals and ocean sunfish ingest floatable litter which can block your boat, trash bag, yard or car. Wildlife such as sea turtles, This happens when light-weight flyaways are not secured in deplete oxygen necessary for aquatic life. merged aquatic plants and fish beds, fill in tidal pools and limit causes enough sediment disturbance to smother sub- Estuary — can cause serious damage! A few knots above the Exceeding posted wake speeds — 6 mph in the Housatonic three football fields and kills surface-living fish larvae? you know that one quart of oil creates a sheen the size their containers), and spill oil gas into the estuary. Did waste, cleaning waste (paint chips) and chemicals (along with You may have seen them — those folks that dump sanitation Sound Programs INFORMATION ON THE CLEAN MARINA NO DISCHARGE AREA www.dep.state.ct.us/olisp/coastalnonpoint OIL AND CHEMICAL SPILL REPORTING SPILL CHEMICAL OIL AND AND CLEAN VESSEL ACT PROGRAMS Response off with shellfish attached. or scallops they become buoyant and drift thief” because as they grow around oysters harbors; called “oyster thief” or “scallop Forms extensive beds in shallow bays and Dead Man’s Finger exclude native species. strain and forms huge monocultures that phragmites australis — is the invasive for thousands of years. The other — phragmites, one of which has been around There are two genetic strains of Phragmites fact_sheets/nemo_fact_sheet_2_s.pdf http://nemo.uconn.edu/publications/ Connecticut sea grant, University of http://www.sea 24hrs/day 24hr/day Jil M. Swearingen, www.invasive.org grant.uconn.edu/INVID.HTM www.nws.noaa.gov (800) 424-8802 (860) 424-3338 www.noaa.gov .

A Ì R P B S U D L K X Æ Æ Æ E Æ Æ Æ J Æ G W Æ Æ H I Æ Æ Æ Æ Æ Æ Housatonic River Estuary Æ Æ Æ Æ Æ Æ Æ Æ Q FISHING SPOTS BOAT LAUNCH KEY M T C N Æ Y O V F Æ K W X V A M K Y T U R Q O N H G S J E D C B E L F P I Y Polluted runoff sources a B N Sc Bk Pk C Se Gh M Ok Bg F Ik A D Bs N Cs S Hl Bk Ct Oc Sk S B Dt f T W n o t t a h t o a o o e r m i e u u o h e d T r s e o a ' e o r e r r S i i e M e a r n l o b l a u u o c d d l n a i v u s r u l v d l P m e a A a b u s a n t o g t k d r o r w t t g s c B e t I i f h l h r t n P N h t l l e t y y i o ' t u i n a e ' o l R f r i e I n s f e b r s i r e l B o s s c A S n e T M r l v d r e W i t y n a D s a f l a B d l d i u a r e a R E M S R l t o e D a e u / d M o t d r e A m C c n oil, grease, a P g n S d n R K o e e b r a t n i e floatables, P n pesticides, B i o a r k k pathogens m B v m e r e l a P sediment, a l t o d E o / petroleum, pathogens, e o p e c S l l e I nutrients, B r c e o d r s D m P o l S A O t e h i n P t i n e e o S e ( k a h n r O ( i n o l R a a n T L n a e B W a t a i v o organics, floatables t o p a t ) g toxins C A w n a S e I t t n a e r t t m k N r o n e k T t . k t h s i d c L o R t A u 8 n w e d a e G a n a e t floatables A i a n u ) organics, a i S r l s a t g t c e P t S c P e e C s m P p s R l h a u l h l L t p C toxins, a e e a t ( P a t l a t / p A h t a I E o r r a l - r C m k o a C M 9 c k S C r S u r e e E e 5 S p k a e s S n o ) / r e n t u s e t n h e r d r water’s surface. disturbed or chasing prey, they are fierce swift swimmers and will follow schools of prey up to the spend most of their lives on the sandy or mud bottoms burying themselves up to their eyes. When Usually stay offshore, however these fish will come closer to shore during the warmer months. They FLUKE (AKA SUMMER FLOUNDER) shrimp, amphipods and seed clams. sandy areas with broken patches of sea grass. They feed on smaller invertebrates and fish fry, small crabs, Travel from the sea up into brackish Housatonic Estuary. They prefer to bury themselves in muddy, WINTER FLOUNDER young squid. feeders preferring smooth rocky bottoms. They feed on crustaceans, annelid worms, sand-dollars and Located inshore from early May but will head offshore in October. They travel in schools and are bottom SCUP/PORGY They prefer rocky bottoms and feed on crabs, lobsters, shrimp, mollusks, small fish and squid. Unlike striped bass, sea bass are confined to salt water and travel close to shore in depths of a few feet. SEA BASS on shiners and young yellow perch. prefer weedy areas, and small mouth bass rocky areas. They prefer to feast the Derby Dam with fewer found south of the Derby Dam. Large mouth bass Abundant year round at the Stevenson Dam and more moderately north of LARGEAND SMALL MOUTH BASS feed on insects, smaller fish and midge larvae. These are open water fish and in certain areas, such as Lake Housatonic, they are now land locked. They WHITE PERCH prefer warm water and will migrate further south when temperatures reach near 60 degrees. Interstate 95 Bridge. They travel in schools reaching large numbers, feeding mostly on herring. They Generally found offshore and in the ocean, however bluefish will chase prey up the estuary past BLUE FISH and forth along the river from fresh to salt water. Merritt Parkway). They feed on small minnow or killifish that are soft with no spines and will travel back Stocked in the Naugatuck River, these fish move down into the estuary toward the Salt Wedge (near the BROWN TROUT more successful at night when their preferred diet, sea worms, emerge from burrows to swim. powerful fish can handle strong surf and are most active at sunrise and sunset. Fishing for striped bass is Prefer living near coastlines and will travel up into the estuary, some as far as the Stevenson Dam. These STRIPED BASS FISH IN THE HOUSATONIC RIVER ESTUARY 1 1 1 1 M 3 h 3 r N r 8 N s m s W 4 f f f i e l i i 4 . 4 i 5 m m o 0 5 v 4 s s 0 e e 6 s a a f i e 3 h h o u 0 0 0 l t l l a a 7 a a j n a d l l o o r i i g d s s n n l y l c c a a c a l a r l r c a e i p g g i D I I f c c c p f c s s c r e g p b l p e a o E a l l s s r a S o a a s a p s a l i s R S o i p p r n r a a g n n a t r a t s C u a u o o e d d l t h l r i f t n t R t r n f o t e r e u m d h m a a a I r P g d o e s c c P m a a T e u s c c p a r I r p s t O e e s s a r 5 h N s s t r o 1 L Long Island Sound a I S A C S S S S B M M M M C O zz zz zz zz zzzzz z zz zzzz zz z zz zz zzzz z z zz zz zz A A A A E A L L L L S T L L L L S F rain acid I S H zzz zz z zzz zzzz zz z zz z I N G CM T H SN R A O N A zzzzz zzz zzzzz zzz zzzzz z O N I L N E S L S sediment For more information visit E M D C U U E S C N zz with the permission of Long E A T Adapted from the SoundBook U T E I M R O / N pathogens household products, nutrients, toxins from smokestack emissions, P S F B I Island Soundkeeper C R O O floatables litter, oil, grease, auto emissions, sediment pathogens, nutrients, toxins, organics, O N O A T I C R www.gma.org R O E O S M T - S P S S L L L A T I I I T S M M M R R R I E I I I D K T T T E E E E E E I E N T D D D T S G HOUSATONIC VALLEY ASSOCIATION z z z z z z Did you know . z z z z z z z z z AE YL (illustration by Center for Educational Technologies) WATER CYCLE z z z z z z z z z z z z z z Did you know . z z z z z z z z ecosystems on Earth. feeding, breeding and nursery area. Estuaries like this one are among the most productive environment that supports an abundance of plants and animals becomes a special meets salt water from Long Island Sound. This fresh and mixing creates a unique The Housatonic Estuary is the mixing area where fresh water from River the quality of Housatonic Estuary. as far Massachusetts — can impact Activities that take place miles away — even our rivers, streams and estuaries. Polluted runoff is the number one threat to 2,000-square-mile Housatonic Watershed. groundwater that drains from the entire The Housatonic Estuary collects surface and Protecting Your BackyardProtecting Your Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754 150 Kent Road, P.O. Box 28 E-Mail: [email protected] ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ one of the largest north Chesapeake Bay. A bit of history: The Housatonic oyster beds are Connecticut’s major producers of seed oysters (40 percent) and The Housatonic River adds 11 percent of the fresh water that enters Sound. The estuary habitat stretches from the mouth of river upstream to the Merrit Parkway. healthiest remaining tidal marsh and barrier beach systems in Connecticut. Wheeler Marsh and Milford Point located within the estuary are considered one of last upstream to Derby. There are two high and low tides each day. Tides deliver brackish water and affect flow direction from the mouth of Housatonic River The Housatonic River is 149 miles from the source (Washington, Mass.) to the Sound. ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ Welcome to the Housatonic River Estuary www.hvatoday.org pesticides, etc. dumped here will find their way into a waterway and Long Island Sound to grow in cleaner water for two three years before they are harvested. Today two-year-old seed oysters grown in the Housatonic Estuary are transplanted offshore are rebounding. Department of Environmental Protection and the Stratford Shellfish Commission, oyster beds Through the combined efforts of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Connecticut local oyster beds. In the 1970s pollution, over-harvesting, predators, disease and hurricanes drastically reduced store shells for sale. encouraged a unique operation known as “shelling” and Nell’s Island was a favorite spot to spreading oyster shells would encourage spat growth. The oystermen’s demand for shells oyster shells within two weeks of birth and remain there for the rest their lives, that In the 1800s oystermen discovered that free swimming oyster larvae (spat) attach to empty In the mid 1700s oyster harvesting thrived between Milford and Stratford. 860-672-6678 HVA

eventually to the sea. Chemicals, oil, trash, X Æ activities are suitable here. gardens, compost piles and other common residential and the rest of buffer. Traps sediment. Play areas, Includes the yard, garden, or woods between your home Outer Zone recreational use. ground plants. It can accommodate some clearing for land. The best buffer has trees, shrubs and perennial size of stream and the soil type, slope use nearby quality and offers habitat. Varies in width depending on From the top of bank inland. Protects stream water Middle Zone protection. collapsed a bank. Let it grow and let it go for the best large shrubs may be a better choice where trees have and offers habitat. The best buffer has mature forest but From the water to the top of bank. Protects bank Streamside with a three-zone buffer system. You can protect your river estuary SEPTIC SYSTEM WELL OUTER ZONE Illustration and caption provided by Adair Mulligan The Connecticut River Joint Commissions RIPARIAN BUFFER IDEZN STREAMSIDE ZONE MIDDLE ZONE Courtesy of the Long Island Soundkeeper www.crjc.org