Chapter 4 Photo: Charles Leach Protecting the Outstanding Resource Values of the Lower Farmington and Salmon Brook Study Area

Confluence of Farmington and Pequabuck Rivers Chapter 4 Photo: Charles Leach Protecting the Outstanding Resource Values of the Lower Farmington and Salmon Brook Study Area

Introduction This section of the Management Plan provides recommendations to achieve long-term protection and enhancement of the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook’s Outstanding Resource Values (ORVs). The information provided in this section includes:

• A summary of each Outstanding Resource the river’s route is blocked by glacial deposits, Value (ORV). and it turns sharply north, traversing Avon and Simsbury along an ancient lakebed. This • The protection goal for each ORV. reach of the river is called the “bathtub” • Known and potential threats that degrade because of its relatively placid flow and broad the quality of each ORV. valley, bounded on the east by a traprock • Current protection measures in place for ridge. At Tariffville, the river dramatically exits each ORV. the “bathtub,” punching southeast through • Gaps in the current protection a notch in the ridge, then meanders through mechanisms. Bloomfield, East Granby and Windsor before • Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Protection of finally entering the Connecticut River (see ORVs. Figure 6: Elevation and Topography). Overview of Study Area Salmon Brook resembles the upper reaches The lower Farmington River presents a sharp of the River, in that it starts in the western contrast to its upper reaches in Massachusetts highlands of the Study Area and is generally and northern Connecticut. The upper river is narrow, swift, and has steep sides. The generally narrow, swift, and steep-sided, but headwater of the West Branch is in Hartland as it reaches the beginning of the Study Area near Sunset Road. The East Branch extends in Canton and Burlington the river broadens into Granville, Massachusetts; however, for and slows, flowing southeast toward the the purpose of this Management Plan and lowlands of Farmington. In mid-Farmington,

June 2011 21 Wild and Scenic designation, the state line floodplain, still relatively undeveloped despite represents the terminus of the East Branch. the area’s long history of settlement. Salmon Brook flows southeast through Continuing northward in Simsbury along an Hartland, Granby, and East Granby and old glacial lakebed, the river corridor skirts has three distinct segments: the main stem, the base of the traprock ridge that includes approximately 2.4 miles long; the West Branch, Talcott Mountain (see Figure 8: Traprock approximately 12.6 miles; and the East Branch, Ridges). On either side of the main channel, which is approximately 11.4 miles. Salmon old oxbows and meander scars are scattered Brook joins the Farmington River in East through farmlands and wetlands. Placid flow, Granby, above the East Granby/Simsbury easy access points, abundant open space, town line. and many wildlife viewing opportunities make this a favorite stretch of the river for canoeing, kayaking, and rowing as well as fishing. The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, commemorating one of the most remarkable engineering projects of the nineteenth century accompanies this stretch of the river. At the far northern end of the “bathtub” in East Granby, the Farmington is joined by Salmon Brook, arguably the most important tributary of the lower Farmington for its high-quality resources. The corridors of Salmon Brook’s East and West Branches and its mainstem have a higher percentage of forest cover than that of the lower Farmington. The forested land provides water filtration, shade, and tree debris to the Brook, resulting in clean, cold water, good fish

Photo: Tom Cameron habitat, and excellent angling. (see Figure 4: A journey downstream along the lower Land Cover) Farmington River corridor reveals a After the confluence with Salmon Brook, the remarkable array of natural, recreational, and Farmington River turns southeast again, along cultural features. Downstream from Canton, the East Granby/Bloomfield town line, and the Farmington forms the boundary between its character changes abruptly to world-class Burlington and Avon, then angles into the whitewater as it charges through the traprock town of Farmington. Along this stretch the ravine known as Tariffville Gorge. Once a river provides excellent recreation. A CT DEP site of hydropower generation for Hartford, Trout Management Area extends from below the Gorge is now a destination for top-level the Lower Collinsville Dam in Canton to the whitewater kayakers from all over North Route 4 Bridge in Farmington and attracts America. Below the Gorge the river enters many anglers. The Farmington River Trail, a the impoundment behind Rainbow Dam, a very popular multi-use rail trail, runs along present-day hydropower facility owned by this same reach. Stanley Black & Decker and operated by the In Farmington, as the river turns from Farmington River Power Company. Below southeasterly to northerly flow, it is joined Rainbow Dam and its fish ladder, the river by a major tributary, the Pequabuck River. winds between natural levees and belts of Here the corridor passes through broad, rich riparian forest along the historic tobacco lowland that borders extensive wetlands, fields of Windsor before finally joining the and features a number of archaeological Connecticut River. sites, recreational trails, agricultural fields, Overall, the Lower Farmington River and and community gardens. The names of Salmon Brook corridors are a remarkable several tracts of open space along the river in combination of varied geology, healthy Farmington and north into Avon, e.g. Tunxis forested watershed, spectacular fishing and Mead, Meadow Land, Tunxis Plantation, and paddling areas, well-kept walking and biking Fisher Meadow, indicate the river’s extensive

22 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan trails, diverse communities of plants, wildlife, continues to the confluence with the Regionally Significant fish, and aquatic invertebrates, rich agricultural mainstem and the Western Branch of in the Study Area are bottomlands, archaeological sites, historic Salmon Brook in Granby. Western Branch the time span covered towns and landmarks, and striking scenic Salmon Brook begins at an unnamed by the geology and the views. Because of its abundant amenities, the impoundment approximately 850 ft south diversity of geologic study area is subject to development pressure. of Sunset Road in Hartland and continues (see Figure 5: Land Use) A coordinated to the confluence with the mainstem and features Management Plan that ensures sound land the Eastern Branch of Salmon Brook. use and river management is essential to The Salmon Brook mainstem continues preserving the outstanding resources of the from the confluence with the Eastern and Farmington River and Salmon Brook. Western Branches to the confluence with Description of the Potential Wild and Scenic the Farmington River in East Granby. Segments (see Figure 2: Potential Wild and Outstanding Resource Value: Scenic Segments): Geology 1. Lower Farmington River: This segment Overview begins at the New Hartford/Canton town Geology was considered on a broader scale line and concludes at the confluence of the than the other Outstandingly Remarkable Farmington and Connecticut Rivers. The Values (ORVs) due to the scale of the river segments that include the Upper and mechanisms that produced the varied geology Lower Collinsville Dams and the Rainbow of the Study Area over a long period of time. Dam and impoundment are proposed to The role that watercourses and glaciation had be excluded from the designated area. The in forming the landscape of the Farmington segment of river upstream of the Upper River Valley is evident in the path of the river, Collinsville Dam is proposed to become development patterns and land uses, making part of the Upper Farmington Wild and geology a defining element that supports some Scenic River (see Figure 3: Existing Upper of the other ORVs. The ORVs including Water Farmington Wild and Scenic Boundary Quality, Biodiversity, Cultural Landscape and and Extension). Recreation are all tied to the region’s geology. 2. Salmon Brook: The Eastern Branch For example, the chemistry of Traprock Salmon Brook begins at the Connecticut/ provides atypical nutrients to support unique Massachusetts state line in Granby and vegetation. Also, spectacular vistas and

Some key findings on the exemplary status of Geology of the lower Farmington and Salmon Brook: • The glacial diversion of the Farmington River from its probable original path to New Haven northward through the Tariffville Gorge is a classic glacial diversion which is unique in Connecticut. • Rare plant and animal habitats associated with geologic features such as the Traprock Ridge, the Tariffville Gorge and the Sandplains. • A billion year time span of earth history and broad diversity of features within a 35.1 square mile area. • The alluvial soils that formed under glacial Lake Hitchcock and glacial Lake Farmington which are among the best farmland soils of the United States. Due to the glaciation history it has the highest soil diversity in Connecticut and one of the most complex soil systems in the United States. There are over 200 different soil types in Connecticut, 50 percent are represented in the Farmington River Valley. In turn, the biodiversity and habitat complexity of the Study Area is strongly influenced by this soil complexity. One of the original soil surveys was conducted in 1899 to promote tobacco cultivation in the lower Farmington Valley.

June 2011 23 recreational opportunities are associated with of two bedrock groups that were joined the Traprock Ridges, and gaps in the ridges together and metamorphosed as the Iapetos were historically important because they Ocean closed (see Figure 7: Generalized provided pathways for east-west commerce Bedrock Geology). The former eastern before motorized transport. Many of these margin of North America is represented by historic routes are still in use today. the billion year old gneisses and schists to the west of Cameron’s line. Remnants of the In order to fully understand the significance Iapetos Ocean in the form of metamorphosed of the geology within the Study Area, it is deep ocean sediments and a portion of the important to go back in time to follow the Shelburne Volcanic Island Arc underlie natural progression to the current outstanding the area between Cameron’s Line and the … a billion years of geologic resources within the Study Area. Hartford Basin. earth history are The northwest to southeast traverse of the contained in a 35.1 Wild and Scenic Study Area reveals bedrock The 200 million year old rocks of the Hartford square mile area! units that range in age from the billion year Basin are relative newcomers to the region. old metamorphic gneisses and schists of They could not form until the supercontinent western Hartland to the 200 million year of Pangaea began to break apart around old dolerites, basalts (traprock) and arkoses 250 million years ago. By then, the forces (brownstone) of Granby, Simsbury, Avon, that caused the continents to converge had East Granby, Bloomfield and Windsor (see reversed, and Africa and North America had Figure 7: Generalized Bedrock Geology). started to move away from each other. A One of the rare (there are only three) true similar process is pulling the East African Rift granites of Connecticut, the 400 million year Valley apart today. old Nonewaug, occupies the northwestern The tension produced by the diverging corner of Burlington. Just to the east, the continents created tears in the earth’s crust. metamorphosed remains of the Shelburne The main tear developed just to the east of Falls Arc, an ancient, Japan-like, volcanic Connecticut, where the Atlantic Ocean formed island arc, extend northward from Burlington along this rift zone. Secondary tears, like the to the Massachusetts line in Granby. The Hartford Basin, had also developed all along glacial deposits that mantle the bedrock the east coast of North America, but these yield evidence of the two glaciations that rifts failed before they could create oceans. are known to have occurred, and the fertile This was lucky for Connecticut, otherwise modern floodplain of the Lower Farmington Tolland would be part of Africa, and Canton runs northward from Farmington to the would be part of our east coast. Faults that Simsbury-East Granby line. Thus, roughly a defined the Hartford Basin deepened as the billion years of earth history are contained in rift valley developed and layers of sediment a 35.1 square mile area! began to accumulate. Eventually the faults The present configuration of the bedrock penetrated deep enough to intersect magma units that underlie the Study Area developed and periods of volcanic activity punctuated from west to east in two stages: first, the sedimentation. Some of the magma cooled convergence of the Proto North American underground forming the Barndoor Hills and and African continents as the intervening Onion Mountain, which are composed of Iapetos Ocean closed, and the supercontinent a kind of traprock referred to as dolerite or of Pangaea was assembled; second, the diabase. West Suffield, Penwood and Talcott subsequent breakup of Pangaea and the Mountains are also composed of traprock formation of the Atlantic Ocean as Africa and in the form of basalt which originated from North America diverged. The closing of the molten rock that flowed across the surface of Iapetos Ocean, as the ancient African and intervening sedimentary layers in the form of North American continents converged and lava. These basaltic ridge lines have distinctive collided, was initiated about 500 million years steep scarps on their western flanks and ago. The crushing, heating and mountain more gentle slopes to the east (see Figure 8: building associated with this convergence Traprock Ridges). Variations in the color of assembled and metamorphosed the bedrock the sedimentary rock layers indicate they were units that now underlie the area west of the deposited during rainy periods (black to grey Hartford Basin. A series of faults known as layers) that alternated with drier periods (tan Cameron’s Line delineates the boundaries to red layers).

24 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan of the region’s distinctive bedrock fabric can be seen in the transportation system and cultural features that have developed amongst the ridgelines and picturesque valleys that still typify the landscape. Evidence that at least two glaciations occurred in Connecticut comes in the form of the two tills, of different ages, that are commonly found in drumlins. Since till is a glacial deposit, the existence of an older till and a younger till requires the presence of two distinct ice sheets. The vast majority of glacial deposits in the Study Area were deposited between about 26,000 and 15,000 years ago, during the last glaciation known as the Wisconsinan. These deposits exist in two forms, till and meltwater deposits. Till is deposited directly from the ice and is typically a mixture of all of the debris that the ice contained, large boulders to very fine sediment and everything in between. Till, which is commonly exposed in upland areas, is often “bony” and impermeable making it poor for aquifers and not suitable for septic systems. It is the reason that many New England farmers “went west.” Water is a better sorting agent than ice, so meltwater deposits tend to fill valleys with layered clays, sands and gravels that were deposited in glacial lakes and ponds or meltwater streams. These deposits are often fairly flat, good sources of aggregate, good aquifers and more suitable for development than till (see Figure 10: Quaternary Geology). Deposits of finer materials—silt and clay—commonly underlie View from New England National Scenic Trail The sequence of events that emplaced the the area’s many wetlands. Glacial Lakes Photo: Paula Jones bedrock of the Study Area resulted in a Farmington, Tariffville, Hitchcock and the distinct north-south alignment of major northwest end of Glacial Lake Middletown faults and bedrock units. During the nearly once occupied the lowlands that flank the 200 million years since the development of resistant traprock ridges of the Hartford Basin the Hartford Basin, bedrock units of varying (see Figure 11: Glacial Lakes). As these lakes resistance to weathering and erosion were drained away, their easily eroded, broad, exposed to freeze and thaw and stream action. flat surfaces afforded ample opportunity for Fault and fracture zones and less resistant rock the fertile modern floodplain of the Lower units were preferentially removed forming Farmington to develop. valleys and lowlands while more resistant Landscapes and Cultural Influences rock remained as ridges. By the time that A journey downstream Landscape features have played an important the first of the two known glaciations began, along the lower role in shaping the course of cultural about 150,000 years ago, a well developed development within the Study Area. Early on, Farmington River south flowing drainage system had developed. steep narrow valleys afforded opportunities corridor reveals a This bedrock-controlled drainage system for hydropower while broad lowlands were remarkable array of was rounded and smoothed by the glaciers, more amenable to agriculture. The influence natural, recreational, but the overall north-south alignment of the of the landscape can still be seen in the layout and cultural features. bedrock-controlled hills and valleys was not of the highway system and in the distribution significantly altered. The enduring influence of population and commercial centers. Much

June 2011 25 in sharp contrast to the low-lying layered sedimentary bedrock. The traprock forms prominent outcrops and the shape of the bedrock surface controls the configuration and character of the ridges it forms. Owing to the way traprock weathers, steep talus-strewn slopes often flank ridge tops that have little soil or glacial cover. These opposing settings provide ecological niches related to the warmer and drier conditions at the top and cooler and wetter conditions on ridge flanks. Traprock chemistry can also provide atypical nutrients to support vegetation (see Biological Diversity Chapter). In addition to the spectacular vistas and recreational opportunities associated with the traprock ridges (see Recreation Chapter), gaps in the ridges provided pathways for east-west Simsbury residence constructed of this relates back to the character of the from Ketchin’s Quarry sandstone commerce and hydropower development. underlying bedrock. Bedrock units that are Photo: Sally Rieger For example, a carpet mill on the river in the resistant to the ravages of weathering and Tariffville Gorge harnessed the energy of the erosion tend to form the underpinnings of river. uplands and ridge lines while less resistant units, and fault/fracture zones, commonly The lowlands surrounding the traprock underlie valleys and lowlands. ridges are underlain by layered sedimentary Hartford Basin: rocks that are generally much less resistant The Hartford basin provides an excellent to weathering and erosion than the traprock. example of the role that rock type plays As the last glacier melted northward, the in landscape development. The resistant lowlands filled with a succession of glacial traprock (diabase and basalt ridges) stands lakes and thick accumulations of glacial lake sediment buried the bedrock surface. Where

Examples of Diverse Geologic Features • The Newgate Prison and Mine in East Granby which opened about 1705 and was one of the first mines in the British Colonies. • Brownstone quarries in Simsbury which provided building stone for the present town hall, Central School, the Methodist Church and the buildings of Ensign Bickford, (now Dyno-Nobel). • The Traprock Ridges that represent lava flows in a rift valley make the Hartford Basin unique in New England. There are few Traprock Ridges found in North America with one other example being the Palisades of New York. • One of the rare (there are only three) true granites or igneous rocks of Connecticut, the 400 million year old Nonewaug, occupies the northwestern corner of Burlington. • The metamorphosed remains of the Shelburne Falls Arc, an ancient, Japan-like, volcanic island arc, extend northward from Burlington to the Massachusetts line in Granby. • Bedrock units that range in age from the billion year old metamorphic gneisses and schists of western Hartland to the 200 million year old dolerites, basalts (traprock) and arkoses (brownstone) of Granby, Simsbury, Avon, East Granby, Bloomfield and Windsor.

26 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan the glacial lakes existed, there is little surface Basin, fairly resistant metamorphic bedrock Lower Farmington expression of the underlying bedrock, and (primarily gneisses and schists) is at or near River and Salmon Brook few outcrops, because of the thick glacial the ground surface, and therefore controls study area has the cover. The landscape is essentially drained the shape and character of the landscape, highest soil diversity in lake bed which has been cut into and modified throughout the upland areas west of the Connecticut and one of by modern streams. The Farmington was Hartford Basin. The juxtaposition of aligned diverted northward across drained lakebed rock units, folds, faults and fractures, and the most complex soil as the ice melted back. Its outlet became the their varying resistance to eons of weathering systems in the United gap at Tariffville. Once the lake beds were and erosion, have produced an overall north- States. exposed, windblown sediment accumulated south pattern of ridges and valleys. The and dune fields developed. These sandplains steep gradients and numerous pinch points are ecologically important today because they that typify the upland topography afforded support rare plant communities (see Figure 12: ample opportunity for impoundments Sand Plains and Inland Dunes and Biological that provided hydropower (in Collinsville Diversity Chapter). for the Collins Axe Factory), and drinking The broad, flat, fertile lowlands provided a water (Barkhamsted and Nepaug Reservoirs nice tillable contrast to the rugged uplands behind the Saville Dam and Nepaug Dam, west of the Hartford Basin. They harbored the respectively). alluvial soils that supported the cultivation of Owing to the thin glacial cover (mostly till) tobacco, an economic driver for the area and on the ridges, bedrock outcrops that were the basis of a lucrative international trade (see capable of yielding a variety of useful stone Cultural Landscape Chapter). products were plentiful. The glacial meltwater Although the sedimentary bedrock of deposits that filled the valleys were much more the Hartford Basin was largely hidden, suited to development than the till-covered some of the accessible brownstone, a uplands. These layered sands and gravels type of sandstone, was quarried in the typically provide plentiful groundwater, Farmington Valley towns. For example, sources of aggregate and hospitable settings the Ketchin Quarry in Simsbury, donated for roadways and settlement. to the Simsbury Land Trust by the Ensign- From an ecological standpoint the sweet Bickford Corporation, provided the stone soils associated with the calc-silicate rocks for the Belden Building (now town hall), the of the amphibolite ridges provide a contrast Methodist church, and other local buildings. to the acidic soils typically associated with (For a list of mines and quarries in the Study metamorphic bedrock. Towns, see Appendix 1: Geology). Soils Western Uplands: Because of the Valley’s geologic and glacial Except for the 200 million year old history and its location at the junction of sedimentary rock of Canton’s Cherry Brook Connecticut’s Western Highlands and Central

Rosedale Farm and Vineyard, Simsbury Photo: Wanda Colman

June 2011 27 Lowlands, the Lower Farmington River and River bank stabilization or management of any Salmon Brook study area has the highest terrace escarpments is necessary to prevent soil diversity in Connecticut and one of the siltation of the fresh water mussel habitat in most complex soil systems in the United the river bed as well as other aquatic species. States. There are over 200 different soil types To ensure the preservation of agricultural in Connecticut, fifty percent are represented in the Farmington River Valley. In turn, the soils and farming operations in the Study biodiversity and habitat complexity of the Area, farm-friendly municipal regulations and Study Area is strongly influenced by this soil sound soil management practices are needed. complexity. The agricultural soils in the Study area currently provide locally produced food. (see The acidic soils of the Western Highlands Figure 14: Prime and State Farmland Soils) The developed on glacial till composed of ground cost of energy for transportation is making the up granites, gneisses and schists. Less acidic economics of locally grown food more and soils are present in the Central Lowlands more attractive along with the value placed on formed on the clay, silt, sand and loess freshness and contributions to local economy. deposits associated with the ancient glacial meltwater of Lake Hitchcock. This complex Geology Protection Goal of parent materials has strongly influenced Protect geological features that are the variety of soils present in the Study area. important as agricultural, cultural, Soil patterns dictated the early land uses hydrologic, or recreational resources or and land cover. The shallow soils on upland that are the basis for natural ecological rocky till substrates were not conducive to functions or that serve significant intensive agriculture, but have supported scientific or educational purposes. grazing or forestry. Early colonists found the valleys had an extensive history of agriculture Threats to Geological Resources by the Native Americans and agriculture Development pressure is a threat to has continued to be a dominant land use geological resources in all ten study area for the valley soils formed on the glacial and towns. Development activities can cause alluvial (water borne) parent materials. Areas changes to hydrology by altering the slope underlain by relatively impermeable silts and and topography of the landscape, lead to clays layers have formed the wetlands soils we erosion and sedimentation, and result in loss have today. or substantial alteration of important bedrock Connecticut soils are relatively well known. and glacial features. In the more developed One of the first soil surveys in the US was towns where developable land is relatively done in 1899 in relation to tobacco cultivation scarce, development pressures have shifted here. Connecticut is now in its 4th generation to more difficult sites such as traprock ridges. of soil surveys. Connecticut’s State Soil, the Ridgeline sites are particularly sensitive Windsor Soil series, is found throughout environmentally because they frequently the Study area (see Figure 13: Windsor Soil support rare plant and animal populations Series). Windsor soils are the preferred or are part of wildlife corridors. Although soils for the production of shade tobacco, there are many surficial glacial features in the used as outer wrappers for some of the Study Area, development may alter or remove world’s finest cigars. Windsor soils are well particularly significant examples of drumlins suited to the highly diversified agriculture or eskers or fill in glacial remnants like kettle of Connecticut such as the production of holes. In towns where farmland is available for fruit and vegetable crops, silage corn, and development, loss of productive agricultural ornamental shrubs and trees. soils to development is a significant threat because land with those soils is often flat Because of the sandy/gravely characteristics and suitable for business, industrial and/or of soils in many parts of the Study area and residential development (see Agricultural Soils shallow depth to water table, groundwater Protection, below, for material specifically supplies are very accessible but also very related to protecting agricultural soils). susceptible to damage. The alluvial soils in the Farmington floodplain and the In addition to development, earth material terrace escarpments along portions of the extraction, such as gravel mining operations Farmington Valley may be easily erodible. or quarrying, may threaten the bedrock

28 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan and surficial geological features within regulations have the opportunity to develop the watershed as well as the water quality, and enact new regulations, in accordance with biodiversity, cultural history and recreational state statutes, to help manage development opportunities of the area. while protecting the public’s interests. Towns Current Protections, Protection Gaps and with existing steep slope regulations might Improvement Opportunities review them and update them as needed, Development: Geological resources do depending on soil types and other local not enjoy the level of regulatory protection characteristics. While the State of Connecticut accorded to endangered species or wetlands, does not offer model regulations for steep but some protections are in place. All ten slopes, guidance is available through the towns require soil and erosion control Center for Land Use Education (CLEAR) measures that pertain to the development and NEMO associated with the University of Protecting existing process. Towns that do not cite the most Connecticut’s Cooperative Extension System. farms and making up-to-date Soil and Erosion Control Earth Materials Extraction: All ten towns Guidelines from the Connecticut Department suitable town land have regulations pertaining to removal of of Environmental Protection should update available for farming earth materials from their original location. their regulations to cite the latest edition The variation in the regulations is considerable is critical to protecting in order to protect both water quality and and is affected in part by the perceived threats valuable agricultural valuable topsoil. within each community. For example, East soils. In some towns, there are special protections Granby, the only town with an active traprock in place for traprock ridges, ridgelines and quarry, has a quarry zone. While it is clear hilltops. In some cases, these regulations that all potential geological resources cannot pertain to the protection of ecological be left in their natural condition, certain function as well as the protection of outstanding resources that may not yet be viewsheds. Given that the area’s traprock identified specifically in town regulations ridges harbor plant and animal species not deserve conservation. found elsewhere in the study towns, support Agricultural Soils Protection: Good productive vernal pools, provide a corridor agricultural soils are an essential resource for wildlife movement and shelter recreational readily lost through development. They are trails, including sections of the New England vital to the production of fresh local produce, National Scenic Trail (also known as the in which there is a growing public interest. Metacomet-Monadnock-Mattabasset Trail), Increasing concern about the health and they merit protection not only for their environmental costs of industrial farming scenic beauty but also for their important has made the viability of Connecticut’s farms environmental and cultural roles. a matter of significant community interest. By placing more emphasis on regulations that Protecting existing farms and making suitable maintain the ecological functions of ridges town land available for farming is critical to and hilltops, the study area towns could protecting valuable agricultural soils. For protect special habitats, wildlife corridors a “how-to” guide on farmland protection, and hydrology along with the scenic beauty see Planning For Agriculture: A Guide for of the area. The regulation review conducted Connecticut Municipalities, a publication of the by Robinson and Cole (see Appendix 8), American Farmland Trust and Connecticut provides more detailed guidance to specific Conference of Municipalities. This volume towns on opportunities for regulatory changes provides information for towns, organizations to enhance protection of hilltops and ridges. and citizens about the economic, fiscal, cultural, environmental and recreational Development on steep slopes is another area values of Connecticut farms, gives advice on of regulatory concern (see Figure 15: Steep town planning and regulatory possibilities Slopes). The suitability of a steep slope for for farm protection and lists of sources of development depends on the stability of the assistance and funding. It is available online at soil, the site’s drainage patterns and the effects www.ctplanningforagriculture.com of development on them, the potential for Open Space Conservation as a Way to Protect erosion with sedimentation into watercourses, Geological Resources possible flooding issues and safety. The study Because geological resources are not as highly area towns do not all address steep slopes regulated as some other natural resources, in their regulations. Towns without current June 2011 29 open space designation has been and should of cooperative project might be considered The landscape of the continue to be an important tool in their in the future in other towns to keep local Farmington Valley is protection. There are many examples of farms in business. (For a comparison of the sculpted by the dynamic open space safeguarding special geological effects of fee-simple purchase and purchase of behavior of rivers and features. Land that belongs to the State of development rights, see pp. 28-29 in Planning streams. Connecticut, to the study area towns and to For Agriculture: A Guide for Connecticut various conservation organizations provides Municipalities). a patchwork of protection (see Recreation Geological Resources Management Priorities ORV). At the state level, Talcott Mountain State Park and Penwood State Park protect The Wild and Scenic Study Committee traprock ridges. Marion K. Wilcox Park in has identified four priorities for managing the Town of Bloomfield abuts Penwood and geological resources in the ten towns of the extends protection of the traprock ridge. study area: The Town of Simsbury has conserved a 1. Protecting significant and diverse significant esker in West Simsbury, with the geological features. Simsbury Land Trust owning and protecting 2. Protecting drinking water aquifers. the adjacent bog. The Town of Granby’s 3. Protecting agricultural soils and local ownership of Holcomb Farm in West Granby farms. has conserved an especially steep-sided esker and also alluvial soils along Salmon 4. Planning for a changing, dynamic river. Brook and Kendall Brook that are used for Actions, Tools & Strategies growing produce in a Community Supported 1. Protecting Significant and Diverse Geological Agriculture project. McLean Game Refuge, Features with 4000+ acres in Granby, Simsbury and Undertaking a professional inventory of Canton safeguards a section of traprock important geological sites in each town and ridge, and a variety of glacial features. In prioritizing their conservation value would be 2000, the Town of Farmington purchased a a first step in protecting significant geological dairy farm that it rents out to a working dairy resources that are not already protected. and received $75,000 in Agriculture Viability Towns could review such an inventory, Grants to improve structures on the property which could potentially be funded through (Planning For Agriculture: A Guide for the National Park Service, and integrate it as Connecticut Municipalities, p. 28). they find appropriate into their open space While fee-simple ownership of land with planning. Such an inventory should also be conservation deed restrictions provides shared with land trusts and other conservation the strongest protection, some important organizations to enable the development geological features such as farmland soils of partnerships among the organizations have been protected through conservation and municipalities to accomplish the most easements or purchases of development important mutually-beneficial goals. rights. This allows the farmer to keep farming In some towns, regulatory changes might and provides funds for improvements to provide protection for certain geological the farm, but prevents sale of the land features. For example, with regard to for development. One local example is development on steep slopes, some towns Rosedale Farm in Simsbury, which has prime have no regulatory protection or the agricultural soils and is located on the banks regulations are not particularly strong, yet of the Farmington River in Simsbury. The the state’s enabling legislation allows strong farm has been permanently protected from regulation. Developing and enacting effective development by Simsbury Land Trust’s regulations would help protect water quality purchase of development rights. The land and public safety. trust would not have been able to accomplish 2. Protecting Drinking Water Aquifers this protection without the efforts of its members, the Epstein family which owns the Seventy-eight Connecticut towns have well farm, the Hartford Foundation for Public fields in aquifers that serve more than 1000 Giving, the State of Connecticut, the Natural people. The CT DEP has mapped these Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) of the aquifers in what it calls “Level B” mapping USDA and the Town of Simsbury. This sort and requires the water utilities that pump

30 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Farmington Land Trust parcel Photo: Charles Leach

from the aquifers to complete and provide better flavor and higher nutritional value, as more accurate aquifer maps. These refined well as savings in transportation costs and maps, produced through “Level A” mapping enhanced economic multiplier benefits to standards set by the DEP, must be approved local communities has led more communities by the DEP. The final maps define the to look at their farms as valuable assets. boundaries of the Aquifer Protection Areas The social climate is favorable to farmland (APAs). Towns with APAs must designate protection, and thus protection of good an Aquifer Protection Agency. The towns agricultural soils. The American Farmland must inventory land use in these areas and Trust and the Connecticut Conference adopt and implement land use regulations of Municipalities, with funding from the in accordance with State of Connecticut Hartford Foundation for Public Giving statutes in order to protect the aquifers from and the Connecticut Department of contamination. “The regulations restrict Agriculture, have put together an excellent development of certain new land use activities guide on how to keep farming viable in that use, store, handle or dispose of hazardous Connecticut. It is available online at www. materials and require existing regulated land ctplanningforagriculture.com. This volume uses to register and follow best management provides information for towns, organizations practices.” (http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view. and citizens about the economic, fiscal, asp?a=2685&q=322252&depNav_GID=1654). cultural, environmental and recreational Of the ten towns in the Wild and Scenic Study values of Connecticut farms, gives advice on area, Avon, Burlington, Canton, Farmington town planning and regulatory possibilities and Simsbury have APAs (see Figure 16: for farm protection and lists of sources Aquifer Protection Areas). These towns are of assistance and funding. Agriculture in different stages of the aquifer protection is a category within both the geology and process prescribed by the state, and should cultural landscape ORV sections. It is move forward with developing appropriate envisioned that the committee will try to land use regulations when the necessary partner with towns, organizations such as mapping has been approved by the state. the Connecticut Farmland Trust and farmers to support the protection of important 3. Protecting Agricultural Soils and Local Farms agricultural soils, open space and food A burgeoning interest in locally grown production. A link is provided to this food, with its advantages of freshness, important document because it is a resource

June 2011 31 Some key findings on the status of Water Quality in the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook: • Salmon Brook is considered to exhibit among the highest water quality of any river in Connecticut. • Due to the excellent water quality of Salmon Brook it is one of the premier cold-water fisheries of the state and is a top priority targeted stream for salmon restoration. Outstanding recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing in the streams relate directly to the presence of high water quality. The excellent water quality in Salmon Brook provides for swimming opportunities. • Aquatic insect studies for the Salmon Brook indicate that conditions within the watershed are among the very best in Connecticut. For example, stoneflies, indicative of high water quality, are found throughout the Salmon Brook basin. Overall, both the Farmington and Salmon Brook macroinvertebrate communities are outstanding. • Variety and abundance of freshwater mussel species and fish as indicators of high water quality.

for the state-of-the-art tools and strategies inevitably affect river dynamics and the size available for farmland protection that are too of stream channels. River corridor planning varied to detail here. should include measures for adapting to the 4. Planning for a Changing, Dynamic River changes that can reasonably be expected for increased flow volumes, channel size, channel The landscape of the Farmington Valley is changes, wider fluctuations between high and sculpted by the dynamic behavior of rivers low water, and other predictions emerging and streams. The natural meandering, from the study of climate change in southern erosion, and deposition that is characteristic New England. of rivers has become better known over time and is the subject of ongoing study by Outstanding Resource Value: fluvial geomorphologists. Past development, Water Quality conducted with a less complete knowledge Overview of river dynamics, has produced some The very high water quality of the lower situations where streambank stabilization Farmington River compared to other rivers and flood control measures such as its size in Connecticut, and the excellent armoring banks or channelizing riverbeds water quality of Salmon Brook, are defining has produced other problems (for example, characteristics of these watercourses. exacerbated downstream erosion) that tend The headwaters of both are in largely to recur and cause ongoing expense. In undeveloped, wooded landscapes. Trees developing long-term plans of conservation on stream banks provide shade, keeping and development, it is important to water temperatures low, and vegetated incorporate the principles and best practices buffers protect rivers from nonpoint source recommended by fluvial geomorphologists pollution. The exceptional water quality in so that towns accommodate the behavior of FRWA water quality education the upper Farmington River and in Salmon rivers and streams in a way that incorporates program Brook contributes substantially to the quality safety, ecological function, sustainability, of water in the lower Farmington, which and long-term (as opposed to short-term) supports a diversity of species and habitats, cost-effectiveness for the whole community. and provides many recreational opportunities Consideration of river dynamics is especially including boating, swimming and fishing. important as we face the challenges of The upper Farmington River Watershed climate change. Increases in precipitation and (East Branch) provides drinking water to flood flows in Connecticut rivers over the over 600,000 people in greater Hartford and past century have been documented; these stratified drift aquifers, adjacent to the lower 32 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan East Branch Salmon Brook are likely to require the development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) analysis in the future, that will provide a framework for restoring the impairments. TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards. See Figure 18: State Water Quality Classifications.

Drunella, an indicator of Other biological indicators: While chemical excellent water quality and physical tests of water samples taken on a given day show water quality at that moment Farmington River, provides drinking water in time, the composition of species living in a through major water supply wells. river or stream year round reflects long-term See Figure 17: Major Tributaries. water quality. One of the most useful of these Water Quality Monitoring Programs biological indicators is the community of Water quality monitoring of the lower bottom dwelling aquatic organisms known Farmington River and Salmon Brook is as benthic macroinvertebrates, including conducted by the CT DEP, USGS, US EPA, insect larvae, crustaceans, worms and other Farmington River Watershed Association life forms. Some of these are highly sensitive (FRWA), Salmon Brook Watershed to water pollution and habitat change, so Association (SBWA) and the Farmington that even subtle or intermittent pollution Valley Health District, as well as local schools alters the number or proportions of species that participate through Project SEARCH, present. Thus, monitoring the composition of collaboration between the CT DEP and benthic macroinvertebrate species provides Children’s Museum of Hartford. These information about a stream’s water quality Salmon Brook is one programs provide baseline data for describing over extended periods. of the last true cold and tracking the health of these watercourses Macroinvertebrate monitoring protocols water fisheries in the through chemical, physical and biological require that samples be collected from State of Connecticut, indicators. The effective water resource riffle habitats. Salmon Brook has abundant supporting thriving, protection and enhancement of the lower riffle habitat, and almost every site sampled breeding native Farmington River and Salmon Brook is based shows exceptionally good macroinvertebrate on the existence of high quality baseline data populations of brook communities. For example, stoneflies, that is provided through the groups listed indicative of high water quality, are found and brown trout. above. See Appendix 2: Water Quality for throughout the Salmon Brook basin. a more detailed description of the current Overall, both the Farmington and Salmon monitoring programs employed by the DEP Brook macroinvertebrate communities are and the FRWA. outstanding. Indicators of Water Quality Another indicator of good water quality is the Chemical data: For the lower Farmington, variety and abundance of freshwater mussel chemical data meet state water quality species. The Study Area supports unsurpassed standards, and most of Salmon Brook is freshwater mussel diversity. Of the 12 mussel consistently better than the standards (refer species found in southern New England, all to the letter from Mike Beauchene of the CT have populations in the Farmington River, DEP in Appendix 2). a total as yet undocumented for any other Bacteria levels: Most of the Study Area meets river in the region. Mussels are sensitive state standards for bacteria levels. A 13.5 mile to environmental degradation and mussel segment of the mainstem/East Branch of populations are under great threat globally, Salmon Brook and a 1.4 mile segment of the so the presence of all 12 mussel species here is West Branch Salmon Brook are on the CT particularly significant. As well as indicating 2008 Impaired Waters List because levels of high water quality, mussels also maintain it bacteria exceed state standards. The bacteria with their filtering capabilities. Freshwater source is unknown, but could be related to mussel expert Ethan Nedeau points out that agricultural land uses. The mainstem and “Collectively, mussels can filter an enormous volume of water each year and may help June 2011 33 reduce turbidity in some waterbodies” sediments and bacteria and discharges them (Nadeau, 2008). For more information about to waterbodies and streams. More intensively mussel populations in the lower Farmington used land has the potential to create more River, see the Biodiversity Section. polluted runoff. However, all types of land The array of fish species in the Farmington uses including commercial, industrial, River and Salmon Brook is yet another residential and agricultural properties can measure of water quality. From below contribute to the problem. Loss of vegetated the confluence of Salmon Brook to the buffers along streams allows runoff to enter Farmington River’s mouth at the Connecticut streams without the benefit of filtration. River; there is particularly diverse fish life. An increase in impervious surfaces within Salmon Brook contains some of the best the watershed compounds the problem possible habitat for juvenile salmon as well as a by allowing water to race over heated, wide variety of other fish species. The influx of impenetrable surfaces, picking up pollutants clear cold water from Salmon Brook provides along the way. (In this context, storm drain a refuge for temperature sensitive fish, outfalls can be considered “non-point particularly in summer months. Salmon Brook source.” Though they have specific discharge is one of the last true cold water fisheries in points, they collect runoff that may contain the State of Connecticut, supporting thriving, multiple pollutants from multiple sources.) breeding native populations of brook and New threats to water quality are usually brown trout. The presence of the slimy non-point sources related to: new sculpin, which requires consistently cold water development that increases impervious temperatures, is strongly indicative of excellent surfaces; installation of poor stormwater water quality. See the Recreation Section for management systems; destruction of more details on angling in the Salmon Brook. riparian vegetation that buffer river edges; Overall, the water quality of the lower additional lawns that supply polluted runoff Farmington River and Salmon Brook is from fertilizer and pesticide applications; recognized as an outstanding resource value stream channel alterations or new stream based on: crossings; poor or absent control of erosion and sedimentation; and failed or poorly • The importance of clean water to overall maintained catch basins. Also, the altering or public health. filling of streams, wetlands and vernal pools, • The diverse natural communities it especially in headwater areas, is identified as a supports. major threat. • The enormous recreational resource it Point sources. There are six point source provides. discharges along the lower Farmington • The drinking water it supplies to River and four along the Pequabuck River, Connecticut. a tributary that can degrade water quality in Its continued value depends in large part on the Farmington. All of these are wastewater sound management of the river corridor. treatment plants. There is increasing interest and concern related to the presence of endocrine Water Quality Protection Goal disrupting chemicals, pharmaceuticals and Identify, understand, maintain, and as household products in the waste stream, needed improve the chemical, physical, though there is currently not equipped to treat biological, and flow conditions in the wastewater for these compounds (however, it waters of the lower Farmington River and is important to note that for the most part the Salmon Brook so that they support the introduction of wastewater treatment plants in needs of native wildlife, aquatic life, and the 1960s has resulted in dramatically improved recreational users. water quality conditions). Current Protections Threats to Water Quality To understand existing protections and Non-point source pollution. Non-point source pollution is the greatest threat to water identify desirable additional protections, quality in the study area and contributing a review of applicable regulations within watersheds. As water flows over land it the study area was undertaken. Results are collects pollutants such as fertilizer, pesticides, summarized here; the full regulation Review is located in the Appendix.

34 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Federal and state protections. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act provides Surface water discharges are regulated under no specific guidance on water quality for the Clean Water Act. The CT DEP issues recreational rivers. However, the Clean Water the discharge permits through the National Act has made it a national goal that all waters Pollutant Discharge Elimination System of the U.S. be fishable and swimmable, and (NPDES). provides the legal means for upgrading water quality in any river which would otherwise be The Environmental Protection Agency (US suitable for inclusion in the system. Consistent EPA) has mandated a number of permit As water flows over with the Clean Water Act, water quality in programs, administered by the Department land it collects recreational river areas will be maintained or, of Environmental Protection (US DEP), to where necessary, improved to levels which pollutants such as manage stormwater pollution, including the meet Federal criteria or federally approved fertilizer, pesticides, following: sediments and bacteria State standards for aesthetics and fish and 1. The Stormwater Associated with wildlife propagation. River managers will and discharges them Construction Activities General Permit work with local authorities to abate activities to waterbodies and requires industrial facilities to cover or within the river area which are degrading or streams. remove materials whose exposure to would degrade existing water quality. precipitation could produce polluted Local protections. Some of the key existing stormwater. protections for water quality at the local level 2. The Stormwater Associated with include regulations that protect wetlands, Construction Activities General Permit watercourses, vernal pools, floodplains, requires developers and builders to aquifers, riparian buffers and existing implement stormwater management plans vegetation. that will prevent the movement of soil and • All ten towns have inland wetland sediments off construction sites and into upland review area regulations that nearby streams and water bodies. provide oversight regarding activities 3. The Stormwater Associated with within riparian corridors; however only Commercial Activities General Permit, some towns regulate activities that affect found only in Connecticut, requires riparian corridor functions. The vernal operators of large paved commercial pool definition is included within the sites such as malls, movie theaters, and wetland and watercourse definition for the supermarkets to undertake actions such majority of towns thus adding strength of as parking lot sweeping and catch basin protection for these special wetlands. cleaning to keep stormwater clean before it • Town regulations show widespread reaches water bodies. recognition of the importance of 4. The Stormwater from Small Municipal maintaining vegetated buffers along Separate Storm Sewer Systems General wetlands and watercourses. Techniques Permit requires each municipality to take employed include retention of natural steps to keep the stormwater entering its vegetation and preservation of trees of storm sewer systems clean before entering certain size and condition, establishment water bodies. One important element of of riparian buffers, provisions for planting this permit is the requirement that towns and best management plans. In Hartland implement public education programs and Canton, where part of the Farmington to make residents aware that stormwater is already designated Wild and Scenic, pollutants emanate from many of their the Farmington River Overlay District everyday living activities, and to inform associated with the designation also helps them of steps they can take to reduce protect riverside vegetation. In some pollutants in stormwater runoff. towns there are still opportunities to (Source: http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view. protect water quality and prevent erosion asp?a=2721&q=325702&depNav_GID=1654 ) through requirements for vegetative buffers near wetlands and watercourses, In addition, the Clean Water Act Section 404 restricted use of invasive plants in site program, implemented by the Army Corps of plans and subdivisions, or retention Engineers, regulates the discharge of dredged of existing vegetation for proposed or fill material in the waters of the U.S. development sites.

June 2011 35 • Most towns have some level of floodplain • Riparian corridor protection. protection, but need to take greater • Stormwater design and management. advantage of the state enabling legislation. • Watercourse crossing design. Floodplain zoning regulations should also • Stormwater management associated with be revised to make them consistent with local and state roadways. the latest FEMA requirements. • Stormwater management for nonpoint • Five of the ten towns have identified source pollution. and/or mapped aquifer protection areas • Septic system maintenance. through the State Aquifer Protection Area Program. The responsibility for • Agricultural practices that are exempt this program is shared with the State, from review or oversight by local municipalities and water companies (see commissions. Figure 16: Aquifer Protection Areas). • Public education regarding nonpoint Study Area communities source pollution for landowners. have already taken many • At the town level, water quality protection through stormwater regulations is • Endocrine disrupting chemicals, measures to protect extremely varied. Depending on the town, pharmaceuticals and household products watershed health. the regulations may include: untreated in waste stream. • Landscape plans that provide for Specific recommendations for addressing groundwater recharge areas and these are found in the full Review appended buffers. to this Management Plan. • Discharge of stormwater within the Water Quality Management Priorities upland review area. The Study Committee recognizes that it is • Designing drainage systems based essential to track the status of water quality on maximum development of entire in the watershed, understand factors that watershed. impact it, and take actions that best address or prevent both point source and non-point • Innovative stormwater management source pollution. To meet these needs, the designs with respect to impervious following management priorities were set: coverage limits (see Figure 19: Local Basin Percent Impervious). 1. Identify and understand the chemical, Overall, regulatory measures vary across the physical and biological indicators of water ten towns, and there are opportunities for quality, and the flow conditions, in the towns to strengthen water quality protection river/stream corridor and contributing by more complete use of the state’s existing watershed. enabling legislation. In addition to specific 2. Reduce and prevent non-point source suggestions above, the State of Connecticut pollution. provides guidance on water quality protection 3. Address ongoing and emerging issues in through the 1.) Stormwater Quality Manual point source pollution. and the 2.) Soil Erosion and Sediment Control 4. Protect the riparian corridor. Manual. It is recommended that each town update their regulations to reflect the most 5. Support prioritized open space protection. recent versions of these guidelines as not all These management priorities, especially the have done so. first three, can be used to lay the groundwork Gaps in Water Quality Protection for future development of an EPA- and Study Area communities have already taken DEP-approved Watershed Based Plan for many measures to protect watershed health. the lower Farmington and Salmon Brook. Some foreseeable threats are adequately An approved Watershed Based Plan (distinct addressed through these mechanisms, while from this Wild and Scenic Management Plan) others are not. The first step in addressing could qualify any impaired sections of these protection gaps (as noted above) is to fully use watercourses for funding through Section 319 existing regulatory mechanisms. Beyond that, of the Clean Water Act to implement projects additional measures could be considered; a that address water quality impairments. comparison of known threats to water quality The approved plan must incorporate nine with existing protection measures reveals gaps elements: in protection associated with:

36 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan • Identification of pollutant causes and • Identify impaired stream segments in sources. order to locate and mitigate sources of • Pollutant load reduction estimates. pollution. • Potential implementation sites for best • Identify, locate, and quantify non-point management practices. source pollution from agricultural land • Estimates of financial and technical and other land uses. Techniques can assistance needed, and entities needed, to include direct methods such as water implement the plan. quality monitoring or indirect methods such as land use mapping coupled with • An education and outreach component, data about typical pollutant loads from with demonstration projects, that specific land uses. encourages public participation. • Collect flow data from the Town of • A plan implementation schedule. Windsor river segment by reestablishing A list of interim milestones. • a USGS flow gage; maintain existing • Criteria for determining whether pollutant USGS flow gages in the corridor; collect loads are being reduced over time. additional flow data as appropriate. • Monitoring that evaluates effectiveness of • Develop an EPA-approved Watershed implementation measures over time. Based Plan. Since many of the actions and techniques Priority 2. Reduce and prevent non-point source listed below can fulfill these requirements, pollution. it is recommended that FSWS incorporate • Use the DEP’s reference manuals and development of a Watershed Based Plan guidelines to strengthen each town’s into its overall workplan for water quality ability to regulate non-point source management. pollution--for example, the most current Actions, Tool & Strategies versions of the “Stormwater Quality Priority 1: Identify and understand the flow Manual”, and the “Guidelines for Soil conditions and the chemical, physical and Erosion and Sediment Control.” biological indicators of water quality in • Adopt local aquifer protection regulations. the river/stream corridor and contributing In towns where no aquifers fall under state watershed. aquifer protection requirements as public • Continue and expand water quality water supply sources, many residents get monitoring programs. Expanded drinking water from groundwater sources monitoring would increase the ability via individual wells. It is vital to protect all to assess water quality conditions and aquifers important to public health, as well trends over time (see Appendix 2: Water as ensure that groundwater entering the Quality for a description of existing river via baseflow is not contaminated. programs). Techniques should include • Incorporate provisions for regulating up-to-date protocols for monitoring the storage and release of pollutants, benthic macroinvertebrates, coliform such as pesticides and fertilizer, into bacteria, nutrients, temperature, or existing regulations where appropriate where warranted, specific chemical or (e.g., floodplain ordinances). pharmaceutical contaminants. • Incorporate LID techniques into • Identify water quality parameters and town regulations by: 1.) regulating flow regimes that support the needs of the total amount of lot coverage to native flora and fauna, in order to protect, reduce impervious surfaces as part of maintain, or restore stream segments as development approval; for example, needed. Techniques may include studying through smaller building footprints, populations of indicator species over time. reduced road widths or porous pavement • Identify water quality parameters and and 2.) authorizing applicants to propose flow regimes that support the needs of alternative/innovative stormwater recreational users. management systems, such as bioretention • Document stream segments with high basins, infiltration devices, pervious water quality in order to protect them paving materials, grassed swales, curbless from future degradation. roads and use of natural drainage patterns.

June 2011 37 • Maintain or restore predevelopment eliminate lawn care pesticide use, reduce hydrology in order to protect groundwater use of fertilizers, encourage use of zero recharge capability. Appropriate percent phosphorus fertilizers and techniques include limiting impervious reduction of lawn watering and mowing. surfaces, the use of swales and other Low Provide guidance for use of native/ Impact Development (LID) measures and non-invasive vegetation for landscaping. best management practices (BMPs) that • Promote best management practices for assist infiltration. agricultural land uses, from an agency • Decrease the volume of stormwater such as the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s runoff, again using techniques of Natural Resource Conservation Service, to Low Impact Development and Best prevent non-point source pollution. Management Practices for reducing and • Establish or update regulations to the slowing surface runoff and removing extent allowed by state statute to minimize pollutants such as sediments, nutrients non-point source pollution associated and heavy metals (see Appendix 2: Water with timber management activities. Quality for detailed LID management • Establish septic system maintenance strategy recommendations). regulations consistent with the • Promote local public works and state road requirements of state statute. construction and maintenance standards • Support incorporation of new EPA that reduce and eliminate (when possible) turbidity discharge levels from use of road salt/sand, lawn care pesticides construction sites into Inland Wetlands and fertilizers. regulations; also support the application • Implement landowner education and of direct-discharge turbidity standards to outreach initiatives to promote water stormwater catch basin outlets. Autumn rain at East Granby quality-friendly lawns/landscaping to Land Trust parcel Photo: Ian Clark

38 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan • Support and promote household can provide for a larger URA. URAs hazardous waste collection to minimize can be as large as necessary to protect potential sources of non-point source the wetland function from detrimental pollution. impacts. Priority 3. Address ongoing and emerging issues • Require buffers adjacent to wetlands and in point source pollution. watercourses, encourage use of native/ • Provide input to the DEP regarding non-invasive plant species in site plans Riparian corridors, permits that regulate point discharges and and subdivisions and require preservation of existing native vegetation on proposed those lands adjacent to add pollutant load to the streams through development sites. Sponsor buffer and rivers and streams, are wastewater or industrial point source discharges. rain garden planting projects to correct the first line of defense existing problems along watercourses and • Identify and report illicit discharges to the for a river system. as a means to educate the public regarding DEP. the benefits. • Provide education regarding the impacts • Establish or improve town landscaping to water quality, aquatic life and human requirements to protect riparian buffers. health from the presence of toxins, pharmaceuticals and personal care waste • Incorporate riparian areas as a priority products in our streams, groundwater and in open space planning and acquisition drinking water. Also, provide information activities, as well as in defining open space on ways to reduce and recycle these set asides in new subdivision applications. substances. • Implement landowner education and • Support efforts to educate businesses, outreach initiatives on the importance of local officials and the general public riparian areas. regarding the proper disposal of • Meet current standards when repairing or hazardous waste, pharmaceuticals, and replacing existing watercourse crossings. household products. • Avoid new watercourse crossings to the Priority 4. Protect the riparian corridor. maximum extent feasible. Where not feasible minimize (e.g. reduce number Riparian corridors, those lands adjacent to of watercourse crossings, preferably rivers and streams, are the first line of defense crossing at narrowest location with a for a river system. Maintaining the natural minimum amount of fill or disturbance) condition of these areas is necessary to or mitigate (e.g. install a clear span over a ensure the long-term health of river systems. watercourse instead of a closed culvert) Streamside vegetation (a.k.a. a riparian buffer) new watercourse crossings. maintains stream bank stability, prevents soil erosion and sedimentation, slows down • Implement municipal and state road runoff, and filters pollutants from stormwater construction and maintenance standards run-off. The protection and establishment of that protect riparian area function. riparian buffers throughout the corridor can Priority 5. Support prioritized open space be promoted through the following measures protection. and techniques. Identify and rank critical areas for protection, • Use the DEP’s reference manuals and based on their value in conserving river guidelines to the greatest extent possible health and ORVs; undertake the necessary to strengthen each town’s ability to open space planning; and support protection regulate riparian buffers. techniques such as fee in lieu of open space for • Take full advantage of the State of developers. Recommended actions include: Connecticut’s General Statutes enabling • Giving high protection priority to legislation that requires towns to adopt headwaters and tributaries of Salmon wetland regulations and to regulate Brook. impacts on wetlands and watercourses • Giving high protection priority to riparian beyond the wetland boundary by using buffers. Upland Review Areas (URAs). For • Allowing cluster and density bonus example, vernal pools typically merit development that sets aside open space greater protection and so the regulation and promotes outstanding resource protection. June 2011 39 Some key findings on the status of Biological Diversity in the lower Farmington and Salmon Brook: • The river itself is the only one known to support all 12 of the freshwater mussel species native to southern New England. The Farmington River may contain one of the New England’s most—and Connecticut’s only—viable dwarf wedgemussel populations, which is the only federally endangered freshwater mussel that occurs in New England. • There are 19 state-listed plant species within the corridor including the only known population of Dwarf bulrush in a river ecosystem, only known population of Purple giant hyssop in Connecticut and the corridor’s floodplain forest also supports nearly the entire population of starry campion in New England. • At least 25 species of finfish are present in Salmon Brook and 30 species in the lower Farmington River. The Salmon Brook supports an exceptional recreational Dwarf Wedgemussel fishery starring native brown and brook trout. Migratory fish such as American Photo: Ethan Nadeau shad, blueback herring, alewife, American eel and Atlantic salmon have excellent spawning habitat in the lower Farmington corridor. • Salmon Brook exhibits basin-wide distribution of high-quality fish communities which is rare in Connecticut. • The mouth of the Farmington River where it meets the Connecticut River is the most diverse and one of the most important areas within New England in terms of fish resources. All 12 of the diadromous fish species thought to be present in the state are believed to be present at this location.

• Requiring connectivity for open space, is a corridor that is diverse at all levels, with especially along the linear habitat of river many species and communities that warrant and stream corridors. special recognition. • Disallowing steep slopes and wetlands in Biodiversity is closely linked to land uses open space requirement calculations. as well as landscape type. Land use within • Purchasing development rights on the river corridor is similar to that in the agricultural land, especially near the watershed as a whole: large tracts of forest and watercourses of the corridor. extensive ridge and wetland systems combine • Pursuing conservation easements if with a mix of urban centers, suburban adequate oversight, maintenance and residential and commercial development, enforcement can be ensured. light industry, and agriculture. However, the relative proportions of land uses within the Outstanding Resource Value: corridor itself (in 2000, 52% urban areas, 48% Biological Diversity non-urban), along with other factors, leave the Overview corridor vulnerable to a decline in biodiversity Biological diversity in the study corridor can unless action is taken to manage and protect be evaluated at more than one level. It can be its living resources. See Figure 27: Land Cover measured by sheer number of species, and Changes from 1985 to 2006. also by the number of species assemblages The corridor’s landscape ranges from low, (biological communities) present. These in flat wetland to steep upland. This varied turn occur within “ecoregions,” areas with a terrain supports a diverse array of plants, distinctive ecology and physical landscape. To including 19 state-listed species (see Figure 24: include all levels of diversity, the descriptions Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern in this section are grouped by ecoregion, Species and Appendix 3: Biological Diversity­— within which significant communities and Table 1). The river and its banks also provide a species are noted. The picture that emerges critical dispersal and migratory route for both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. The thriving

40 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Wood frog egg mass Photo: Alisa Phillips-Griggs

mammalian community includes bear, fisher, The Corridor’s Ecoregions otter, bobcat, coyote, deer, and occasional The watershed as a whole comprises moose. A migratory bird survey conducted ten ecoregions or areas with distinctive along the Farmington in spring 2009 alone ecological and physical features (see Figure yielded a significantly high species diversity 20: Ecoregions).1 Within the corridor, seven (Shannon-Weiner Index of 3.0), totaling 2124 ecoregions are so distinctive or extensive that individuals of 105 species, including all state they contribute significantly to the corridor’s and federally listed raptors as well as a number biodiversity. These are described below, along of other federally listed wading and perching with descriptions of aquatic biodiversity in birds (see Appendix 3: Biological Diversity — Salmon Brook and the Farmington River. Table 2 and Figure 26: Study Bird Observation For each ecoregion, significant biological Locations & Known Focal Bird Species). communities and species are also noted. Notable sightings included bald eagle, osprey, Traprock Ridge (2% of study corridor land) American kestrel, northern harrier, American bittern, snowy egret, and great egret. In The traprock ridges of the lower Farmington addition the river supports a great blue heron Valley formed from the tilting of rock layers rookery. The river is notable for its variety of through faulting and earthquake activity. The native freshwater mussels, including the dwarf upper edges of these tilted layers form the The river is notable wedgemussel, the only federally endangered north-south ridges that figure prominently in for its variety of native freshwater mussel that occurs in Connecticut. the valley’s topography. The most dramatic freshwater mussels, This mussel is found in no other Connecticut section of traprock ridge in the corridor is including the dwarf River, and the Farmington may have one of along the East Granby/Bloomfield boundary. There, the river has cut a ravine through the wedgemussel, the only New England’s most viable populations. At ridge known as Tariffville Gorge. federally endangered least 35 species of finfish are also present in the corridor, supporting an exceptional Where the river skirts the base of the ridge, freshwater mussel that recreational fishery starring native brook the study corridor has steep slopes, moist occurs in Connecticut. trout and self-sustaining introduced brown ravines, and mineral-rich ledges of basalt talus. trout. Migratory fish such as American shad, These spots have distinctive microclimates blueback herring, alewife, American eel, and that support plant and animal communities Atlantic salmon have excellent spawning uncommon in Connecticut. Spiked false oats, habitat in the corridor, which could support once thought to be extirpated, is one of the substantial increases in their populations. notable species found along the traprock ridge, as well as Virginia copperleaf and blue-spotted salamander.

1 The Farmington Valley Biodiversity Project (FVBP), on which this summary is partly based and is referenced in the rear of this report, contains fewer than ten ecoregions for the corridor. The additional ecoregions were delineated after publication of the FVBP.

June 2011 41 Sand Plain (5% of corridor land) Sand plain is usually a flat-topped topographical feature composed of sand fill, originally formed as a delta by water running out of a glacier. Historically, the diversity value of sand plains has often been overlooked. They are the least common habitat in the study area because they are subject to development, excavation or reversion to forest if unmanaged. Sand plains support unique sand plain grassland communities, including populations of the federally listed Savannah Sparrow and the Pine Barrens Tiger Beetle, whose habitats are at a premium and in need of protection, as well as the State-listed species Low Frostweed. Other sand plain communities in the corridor include pitch-pine/scrub oak shrublands or woodlands, and juniper/white pine woodlands. Small pockets of sand plain are found throughout the low lying central river valley, and are subject to development pressure. Several are in Simsbury; some are also in Farmington along the rail trail in the Brickyard Road area. A relatively dense concentration of sand plains is also found along the Farmington mainstem east of its confluence with Salmon Brook (see Figure 20: Ecoregions). Glacial Lake Plain (14% of corridor land) As the name implies, the glacial lake plain ecoregion is underlain by the fine silts laid down at the bottom of the glacial lake that once filled the lower Farmington Valley. The silts are fairly impermeable, conducive to the formation of extensive red maple swamps

Great Blue Heron Photo: Tom Cameron Highland and Highland Transition and many vernal pools. By providing the (3% and 5% of corridor) critical breeding habitat for a diversity of frogs and salamanders, vernal pools support an In Granby and Hartland, the upper east and important component of the valley’s biological west branches of Salmon Brook traverse community (see Figure 21: Critical Habitats two ecoregions known as Highland and and Potential Vernal Pools). The silt of glacial Highland Transition. Compared to the lower lake plains is fertile, and thus allowed for Farmington reaches, they generally have the extensive development of agriculture in higher elevations, steeper slopes and more the lower valley. The resulting large cleared dramatic stream gradients. About 13.4% of areas now support outstanding grassland the whole Farmington and Salmon Brook communities. Their resident birds include corridor consists of “core forest,” and much the Bobolink and the Eastern Meadowlark of this is in the Salmon Brook headwater (see Appendix 3: Table 1), two members of a region. Here, large tracts of contiguous forests suite of grassland species that are generally in of northern hardwood and conifers support decline statewide. robust communities of forest interior birds including the state-listed Cerulean Warbler Glacio-Fluvial Plain (21% of corridor land) (see Appendix 3: Table 1). Black bear, fisher, The underlying substrate of this ecoregion bobcat, otter and an occasional moose are also was first moved by glaciers, then sorted and characteristic of this area. deposited by streams flowing from the melting 42 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan ice. The deposits are therefore layered, and in providing sites to fix carbon from the take various forms such as outwash plains, atmosphere and substantially contribute to valley trains, deltas, kames, eskers and kame mitigating global warming. terraces. The topography is less flat than Marshes are critically important for wildlife, alluvial plain, and the sediments coarser serving as breeding grounds and nurseries for and well drained. These areas frequently a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial life, provide an “ecotone” (a transition region) including great blue heron, little green heron with abundant shrubs and small trees, and American bittern. Along with marshes, which typically supports a rich diversity of the corridor also includes shade swamps bird species and foraging mammals. In the that feature trees and shrubs, with notable corridor, these areas tend to have the highest examples in Farmington, Simsbury and East concentration of development. Granby. Alluvial Plain/Alluvial Floodplain Wet meadows are semi-wetland grasslands (32% of corridor land) which are saturated throughout much of the Alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform year, because of poor drainage and/or frequent According to CT DEP created by the deposit of sediments over a flooding from the river. Unlike a marsh or long period by watercourses. The “plain” is swamp, a wet meadow does not have standing scientists, there are the larger area over which the floodplains have exceptional coldwater water except for brief to moderate periods shifted over geological time. The “floodplain” during the growing season. Instead, the fish communities at is the active area of that process, where the ground is typically damp, like a well-soaked- almost every site river has been flooding over the course of sponge. Vegetation includes a wide variety of sampled in the Salmon recent decades or centuries. herbaceous species including sedges, rushes, Brook… This ecoregion covers the largest percentage forbs and grasses. Wet meadows support the of corridor land and supports important largest reported New England population natural communities such as marshes, wet of state-listed Davis Sedge (See Appendix 3: meadows, floodplain forests, sand bars and Table 1). Wet meadows can be found along the mud flats, forest levees and vernal pools. River corridor in Farmington, Avon and Simsbury. otters, once absent from these areas, have In areas were the current slows, the sand now been documented as returning residents. suspended in the water settles out and forms These areas also include breeding populations sand bars. As the current slows even further, of mergansers, wood ducks, herons, kestrels, the lighter and finer silts drop out and form harriers and eagles. Wetlands and wet mud flats. Both are important habitats for grasslands associated with the floodplain are interstitial fauna (small invertebrate animals second only to dense forest in removing carbon that live between the particles). Because from the atmosphere. They also function as of their abundant invertebrates, these flats water storage and flood mitigation sites. Thus are important feeding areas for nesting and they provide the benefits that are sometimes migratory birds such as spotted sandpiper, the called “ecosystem services.” state-listed Virginia rail, upland sandpiper and Alluvial Floodplain Communities a variety of other wading birds and waterfowl. Marshes are wetlands subject to frequent or The finer sediments on the river bottom also continuous inundation, and are dominated provide habitat for mussels. by grasses, rushes, reeds, cattails, sedges and Sediment deposited on riverbanks during other herbaceous plants. Disturbed marshes flood events can form levees, which gradually often have low-growing shrubs and even small recruit floodplain forestspecies such as silver trees in a context of shallow water (scrub and maple, white ash, green ash, black willow and shrub marsh). They have an extremely high poplar. Because they have few woody shrubs, rate of production of plant matter, effectively floodplain forests can have a dense understory harvesting excess nutrients from runoff and of rapidly-growing herbaceous plants. An preventing those nutrients from entering the unusual aspect of the floodplain forest is the river (where they would be in effect pollutants). many vines which festoon the trees. The river’s They act as ground water recharge sites and floodplain/levee forests are an especially rich provide for floodwater storage reducing the source of state-listed plant species. Recent severity of flood events. Marshes and wet discoveries included New England grape, meadows are second only to rain forests Davis sedge, Virginia waterleaf, the only

June 2011 43 CT DEP Natural Diversity Database Species Observed Within the Study Corridor

A Horse Fly Eastern Hognose Snake Panic Grass American Ginseng Eastern Meadowlark Pine Barrens Tiger Beetle A Noctuid Moth Eastern Pearlshell Purple Giant Hyssop Bald Eagle Eastern Pondmussel Rapids Clubtail Basil Mountain-mint Eyed Brown Sedge Blue-spotted Salamander Frosted Elfin Spiked False Oats Bobolink Grasshopper Sparrow Starry Campion Bog Rosemary Great St. John’s-wort Threadfoot Cursed Crowfoot Hare’s Tail Tidewater Mucket Davis’ Sedge Jefferson Salamander Virginia Copperleaf Dillen Tick-trefoil Longleaf Bluet Virginia Waterleaf Dwarf Bulrush Low Frostweed Whip-poor-will Dwarf Wedgemussel New England Grape White Mandarin Eastern Box Turtle Northern Harrier Wiegand’s Wild Rice Northern Leopard Frog

CT DEP Natural Diversity Database Species Associated with the Traprock Ridges American Ginseng Five-lined Skink Sedge Atlantis Fritillary Goldie’s Fern Slender Wheatgrass Basil Mountain-mint Hoary Bat Spiked False Oats Blue-spotted Salamander Jefferson Salamander Tall Cinquefoil Dillen Tick-trefoil Longleaf Bluet Tall Cinquefoil Eastern Box Turtle Narrow-leaved Glade Fern Violet Wood-sorrel Eastern Few-fruit Sedge Narrow-leaved Horse Virginia Copperleaf False Hop Sedge Gentian Ragwort

known population of dwarf bulrush in a river and one site on Salmon Brook, in part to ecosystem and the only known population identify floodplain forests with the greatest of purple giant hyssop in Connecticut. The conservation value. The two sites with the corridor’s floodplain forest also supports highest value, in terms of dynamic flooding nearly the entire population of starry campion regimes that still support typical floodplain in New England. Levees and floodplain forest forest communities, were 1.) at the confluence also provide habitat for bald eagle and other of the Farmington with the Connecticut River fish-dependent raptors such as the state listed in Windsor, as far upstream as the I-91 Bridge, northern harrier and osprey (see Appendix 3: especially the large island at the confluence; Table 1). Some of the corridor’s most dramatic and 2.) the mainstem of the Farmington River levees are between Rainbow Dam and the in Simsbury, with its meandering channel confluence with the Connecticut River. The and multitude of oxbows. This area provides back of a levee may be the site of vernal pools habitat for rare species such as the northern and other wetlands whose diversity value was leopard frog and abundant wildlife such as noted above. herons, kingfishers, waterfowl and migratory Since few intact floodplain forests remain songbirds (see Appendix 3: Farmington in New England, they are considered by River Floodplain Forest Habitat). There are The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to be several other floodplain forests on the lower “arguably the rarest forest type in the region.” Farmington and Salmon Brook as well, the A study conducted by TNC in 2008-2009 Fisher Meadow area in Avon being a notable surveyed eight sites on the Farmington River example (see Figure 22: Alluvial Floodplain 44 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Critical Habitat Subtype Communities and diversity, especially in pollution-sensitive groups Figure: Floodplains and Riparian Buffers). such as mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies. Biodiversity in the Brook and River The lower Farmington River mainstem Traversing all these ecoregions are the diverse produces the river’s highest diversity of aquatic communities of Salmon Brook and finfish, with over 30 species recorded in the the Farmington River. Overall, Salmon Brook recreational fishery. The lower river-bed supports 25 species of fish. The upper East gradient, and the resulting slower current, and West Branches are highland streams that support a warm-water fish population, support native brook trout, brown trout, including small, largemouth, rock, and calico slimy sculpin and the spring salamander, bass, yellow and white perch, chain pickerel, all indicators of thriving cold-water stream bluegill, white and channel catfish, northern communities. According to CT DEP scientists, pike and many pan fish. But the lower there are exceptional coldwater fish mainstem also supports cold-water fishes, communities at almost every site sampled in thanks to cold springs along the riverbed and the Salmon Brook basin, with moderate to input from Salmon Brook. high abundance of native brook trout and Diadromous fish (those that spend part of slimy sculpin, as well as fry stocked brown their lives at sea), namely Atlantic salmon, trout and Atlantic salmon. Slimy sculpin, American shad, alewife, blueback herring, indicators of cold clean water, occur in almost American eel and sea lamprey, follow the every sample from every site. Such basin-wide colder water from the Farmington as it enters distribution of high-quality fish communities the Connecticut River to take up residency in is rare in Connecticut. Salmon Brook is the Farmington watershed for a part of their considered by DEP fisheries biologists to life history. At Rainbow Dam in Windsor, be the best potential salmon habitat in the these species encounter a fish ladder that is in Farmington River watershed and one of the declining condition. Also, en route to the dam, best in all of Connecticut. An intensive salmon the lowest reach of Farmington River is on restoration program has been implemented the CT Impaired Waters list because of flow in this area during the last three decades with alterations caused by the dam’s hydropower increasing viability rates of the fingerlings. facility. Nonetheless, the CT DEP Fisheries Communities of bottom-dwelling insects and Division reports that the lower river still other macroinvertebrates are also exceptional. supports a diverse and healthy fish population: Samples from Salmon Brook sites have high

Fish Species of the Study area of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Salmon Brook East Branch: American eel, Atlantic salmon, blacknose dace, brook trout, brown trout, common shiner, golden shiner, longnose dace, pumpkinseed, slimy sculpin, white sucker Salmon Brook West Branch: American eel, Atlantic salmon, blacknose dace, The robust mussel brook trout, brown trout, common shiner, creek chub, golden shiner, grass pickerel, population may be longnose dace, rainbow trout, sea lamprey, slimy sculpin, smallmouth bass, partially responsible tessellated darter, white sucker for return of the Salmon Brook Main Branch: American eel, Atlantic salmon, blacknose dace, charismatic river blacknose dace, bluegill, brook lamprey, brook trout, brown bullhead, brown trout, otter to the lower common shiner, fallfish, golden shiner, grass pickerel, largemouth bass, longnose Farmington River dace, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, rainbow trout, Redfin pickerel, Sea lamprey, slimy sculpin, smallmouth bass, tessellated darter, white sucker, white sucker, yellow mainstem. perch Lower Farmington River: American eel, Atlantic salmon, blacknose dace, bluegill, brook trout, brown trout, fallfish rock bass, largemouth bass, longnose dace, rainbow trout, sea lamprey, smallmouth bass, tesellated darter, tiger trout, white sucker

June 2011 45 “The mouth of the Farmington River where Freshwater mussels are also well represented it meets the Connecticut River is the most in the Farmington, and are of special interest diverse and one of the most important as one of the most highly endangered areas within New England in terms of animal groups in North America. The study fish resources. All 12 of the diadromous area contains all of the 12 mussel species fish species thought to be present in the native to southern New England, including state are believed to be present at this Connecticut’s largest known population location...It is one of two tributary streams of the endangered dwarf wedgemussel in Connecticut that host an annual adult and populations of the state-listed eastern The riparian system Atlantic salmon run and hosts one of the pearlshell, eastern pondmussel, tidewater is under constant best shad runs in the state (other than the mucket, and yellow lampmussel (see mainstem Connecticut). The confluence pressure from non- Appendix 3: Table 1). Four of the five state- of the two rivers is a mixing zone for fish, listed freshwater mussel species that are native invasive species. and returning anadromous species mill known to occur in the lower Farmington around and determine where they want to River have only been discovered in the last go...This staging, milling, and delay have ten years and there is much to learn about always made this area an important area for the status and viability of these populations. fisheries as the fish are more vulnerable to Their presence indicates both good water various means of capture. Fish that ascend quality and a diverse array of fish species on the Farmington River...encounter their first which the mussels depend for reproduction set of rapids from the sea in the Poquonock and dispersal. The robust mussel population area of Windsor...This also results in may be partially responsible for return of delays and milling, which also provide the charismatic river otter to the lower excellent opportunities for fisheries. In Farmington River mainstem. addition to the diadromous species, this Biodiversity within a river corridor is often lower river area hosts a wide diversity of severely restricted or compromised because ‘resident’ (non-diadromous) species, many of extensive residential and industrial of which move up the Farmington River development. Given the long history of in the spring from the Connecticut River. settlement here, the Lower Farmington River These fish include trouts, basses, sunfishes, system’s remaining multi-level biodiversity catfishes, white sucker, yellow perch, is remarkable—but it is highly vulnerable. and a variety of minnow species. Taken Factors that have favored biodiversity within as a whole, there probably is not a larger this populated region are the establishment number of freshwater and diadromous of federal, state and local exclusionary zones; fish species aggregated anywhere else in the commitment of the ten Lower Farmington New England.” (S. Gephard, CT DEP pers. River towns and land trusts to water quality comm.) protection and open space acquisition; and The CT DEP is now working to improve watershed associations that foster stewardship, fish passage in the lower Farmington by recreation and scientific study of the river on a constructing a state-of-the-art fish lift at regional scale. On the other hand, a number of Rainbow Dam. This project is currently in factors threaten biodiversity and are detailed its design phase. Three miles upstream of below. Protective actions must be maintained Rainbow Dam, there is an obstacle to fish and expanded if the corridor’s natural riches passage in the form of a high-velocity current are to persist over the long term. through the breach in the obsolete Spoonville Dam, a former hydro facility damaged in Biological Diversity Protection Goal the 1955 flood. Engineering plans are now Recognize, understand, protect and completed for removal of Spoonville Dam and enhance the unique, rare, declining and restoration of passable river conditions at this characteristic native species and natural site. Funding for implementation is partially communities of the lower Farmington and secured and the permitting process has begun. Salmon Brook Corridors that contribute The improvements at Rainbow Dam and to the area’s biodiversity. Spoonville Dam will greatly enhance access to about 50 miles of upstream habitat for diadromous fishes.

46 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Spoonville Dam Photo: Joyce Kennedy

Threats to Biological Diversity Invasive Plants Declining Water Quality The riparian system is under constant Since many of the corridor’s species are pressure from non-native invasive species. aquatic, many threats to biodiversity overlap The list of invaders is extensive but includes threats to water quality. They are noted here Asiatic bittersweet, Japanese barberry, but discussed in more detail elsewhere in the Japanese knotweed, European privet, and Management Plan. non-native honeysuckles. As newcomers to the local biological community, these • Discharge of sand and silt into the river species are less targeted by native grazers or from human activities can mask visual and pathogens. This advantage allows them to olfactory cues for fish and invertebrates, out-compete and exclude native species, and or bury and smother stream-bottom reduce biodiversity. River corridors are one habitats used for foraging, filter-feeding of the most vulnerable areas for colonization and spawning. Turbid water can also by invasives. In the study area, critical habitats reduce dissolved oxygen by absorbing for rare native plants such as high floodplain more sunlight and thus raising water forest are especially threatened by species such temperature. as Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergia) • Nutrient loading: When stream phosphate and burning bush (Euonymous alata). One or nitrate levels increase due to runoff of particular species at risk is Silene stellata, fertilizers into streams, algal growth can starry campion, for which the study area is the skyrocket, with a cascade of disruptive New England stronghold. Starry campion’s effects on the stream community. The risk narrow riverbank niche is subject to invasion of phosphate and nitrate pollution rises as by Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium). development results in increased areas of lawn and other landscaping. Fortunately there are many rare plant and priority community sites in the corridor that • Various pollutants (e.g. petroleum are not overrun with non-native species. products, bacteria) in stormwater runoff However, invasives are present at most sites lower water quality and can reduce and abundant at some, so managing them is a or extirpate populations of pollution- necessity. sensitive invertebrates. • The discharge from sewage treatment Loss and Fragmentation of Habitat plants contains residual pharmaceuticals Habitat loss and fragmentation are universal that are biologically active. The impact threats to biodiversity, but in a river corridor on aquatic species in the Farmington is they present special challenges. The area of currently unknown. June 2011 47 riparian (riverbank) habitat is small relative to thrive in the new, longer-duration periods of the whole landscape, so even minor losses of flooding imposed by controlled flows. Flow acreage can be significant. The riverbank is a regime disruption is therefore a potential narrow pathway for dispersal and migration threat to this Outstanding Resource Value of of many species. It provides cover, feeding the study corridor. A major goal of the areas, navigational cues and linkage between Stream biodiversity can also be threatened by habitats. The development of riverbank Farmington Valley diversion of water for private, commercial or eliminates areas to rest, feed or hide, and industrial use if these activities are permitted Biodiversity Project severs travel routes. to the point where instream flow is inadequate was to provide The river too is severed, by dams and dam to support natural aquatic and riparian biodiversity remnants that hinder the mixing of resident communities. The Farmington mainstem is information to towns populations of fish and the travels of already regulated in a way that maintains a that would help them long-distance migratory fish to or from their minimum flow to support stream organisms. with intermunicipal spawning habitats. Obstacles in the lower Similar protection would be desirable for land and river Farmington River include the sub-optimal Salmon Brook and other tributaries. fish ladder at Rainbow Dam in Windsor, management. Altered Stream Channels strong currents associated with the breached As noted in the Geology section of this and non-functional Spoonville Dam in Management Plan, the dynamic changes of the East Granby/Bloomfield, and the remnants Farmington River and Salmon Brook channels of the Winchell-Smith/Gristmill Dam in and floodplains need to be better understood the Farmington. The Upper and Lower and accommodated. Development along the Collinsville Dams are additional obstacles to river and the engineered control of river flow fish passage. serve to meet human needs but necessarily Besides riverbank development and dams, hinder the river’s normal ability to rise, fall, more subtle habitat losses occur in the meander, transport sediment, change its corridor. Sand plain and sand barren channel, cut off loops and form oxbows or communities that support rare species spread over its floodplain and deposit silt. often convert to forest unless managed to Ordinarily these physical changes have a maintain their open character. Other open combined effect that maintains a shifting and semi-open habitats, apparent remnants of mosaic of biological communities in the landscapes maintained by Native Americans channel and floodplain. In contrast, the by periodic burning, also support rare species controlled river may have a physical condition and require active management in order to that is less conducive to diversity, featuring persist. excess erosion, scouring, and downcutting Changes in Flow Regime in some areas, excess sediment deposition in others, and a detrimental disconnection Some of the biodiversity in river systems is between the channel and the floodplain. maintained by seasonal (or less frequent) Suppression of the river’s dynamic physical variation in flow. As a river’s flow becomes rearrangements from year to year can also less variable because of engineered flood set the stage for an especially massive and control measures, those species that depend destructive rearrangement in the event of a on the occasional extreme high or low water 500-year flood. conditions for their continued success can eventually decline or disappear. A recent It is not possible to reverse-engineer the lower study in the Farmington and Salmon Brook Farmington to the natural state that gave rise corridor by The Nature Conservancy showed to its diverse biological communities. But new that specialist floodplain plants require development should be based on up-to-date inundation at least once every 2 years, or they understanding of fluvial geomorphology. will be replaced by upland forest species. It should avoid new restrictions on river Reducing the areas that are inundated dynamics and instead provide ample space every 2 years ultimately reduces the area of for the river to act. Wherever possible, the floodplain forest. Also, some plant species in form and function of the channel should be the high floodplain forest community along restored, allowing the river to regain its habitat the Farmington may now be at risk because diversity and equilibrium. they tolerate short term flooding but may not

48 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Two other flow factors to consider are the Current Protections increase in annual precipitation documented Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations over the last several decades, and the greater A town’s Inland Wetlands and Watercourses runoff volume coming from land that Regulations have the potential to provide the undergoes development. Both put more water most comprehensive protection to biological into stream channels, enlarging them over diversity in the river and stream corridors. time. These also should be taken into account These regulations may deal with stormwater when managing the river for the future. runoff, upland review areas, floodplain Incomplete Information protection and vernal pool protections, among Biodiversity information for all ten corridor other issues. Though judged adequate overall, towns comes in part from studies sponsored the level of protection across the ten towns by the Wild and Scenic Study Committee and varies widely (see details in the appended that is summarized in the Appendices. These Municipal Plan and Regulation Review). studies use information from the Connecticut Zoning and Subdivision Regulations Department of Environmental Protection Other regulations that protect water quality Natural Diversity Database (NDDB), the also support biodiversity in aquatic and Center for Land Use Education and Research riparian habitats. For example, zoning (CLEAR), recent field observations and other regulations provide protection for floodplains, sources. and some subdivision and zoning regulations Another major source of information is deal with stormwater management and control the Farmington Valley Biodiversity Project of erosion and sedimentation. These measures (FVBP), organized by the Farmington River are discussed more fully in the Water Quality Watershed Association and published in 2006. section of this Management Plan and in the It studied the towns of Avon, Canton, East appended Review. Granby, Farmington, Granby, Simsbury and Forest/Timber Management Regulation Suffield. A major goal of the FVBP was to provide biodiversity information to towns that The regulations that apply to timber would help them with intermunicipal land and harvesting and forest management in some river management. of the towns are intended to prevent erosion and protect water quality, but also protect Still, the information is far from complete. biodiversity by keeping sediments out of The FVBP only covered six of the ten towns watercourses and limiting areas of disturbance included in the Wild and Scenic Study area during forestry operations. Some towns and it was understood to be a first pass require that forest management plans and at quantifying biodiversity. Several plant practices be utilized and require special communities and stretches of riparian conditions for working in the regulated area, corridor were bypassed and inventory of certain areas of the floodplain, and in the invertebrates was left out. Several of the other Farmington River Protection Overlay District. sources of information are works in progress. At the time of the Study, at least 42 state-listed Invasive Plants species (endangered, rare, or special concern) Most towns have some type of policy or were documented as occurring within the regulation that show a preference for native corridor, but the state NDDB was being plant species. Examples include towns that updated at the time and new species may be encourage elimination of invasive plants and added. Likewise, the mapping of key habitats encourage the use of plants suited to the by CT DEP and the University of Connecticut local habitat or that are native. Some towns was also in progress during the study and may also recognize the benefit of maintaining or identify habitats not highlighted here. enhancing environmental quality by managing In short, more information is needed for non-native invasive species or requiring new management decisions to be based on the buffers along wetlands or watercourses. One best possible understanding of the corridor’s town prohibits the planting of invasive species biological community. Equally important, listed in the state invasive species act. there must be a process for conveying the It should be noted that regulation is only one information to those who formulate plans, tool for protection, though it is a powerful policies and regulations. one. Towns also set a standard for river

June 2011 49 protection in local planning documents such Community Inventory (updated as as Plans of Conservation and Development, needed) to set priorities for protection and various policies and best practices that a or restoration of corridor sites infested town may adopt and use voluntarily. with invasive species. Protection Gaps • Encourage towns to reference the Gaps in protection were identified as a result DEP’s Non-Native Invasive Plant of comparing known biological diversity Species Program in their applicable threats with existing protection measures. regulations. Gaps in protection were found, to varying • Provide assistance to Land Trusts degrees, for all of the known threats to and other private landowners in the biodiversity. Some of these can be addressed corridor to apply for US Department with regulations, while some can be addressed of Agriculture/Natural Resource with non-regulatory approaches. Conservation Service (NRCS) Wildlife • DEP’s Non-Native Invasive Plant Species Habitat Improvement Contracts Program is not well used by towns. and other grant/incentive programs for removal of invasive plants and • There is a lack of recognition for low restorative plantings. impact development techniques and their incorporation into regulations to minimize • Maintain a current database and review loss and fragmentation of habitat. of contractors who engage in invasive removal and restoration that have been • Towns can make better use of Connecticut contracted under the WHIP Program enabling statutes to adopt flexible (NRCS Wildlife Habitat Incentive regulations concerning density and Program) or other grant/incentive development patterns to focus growth in programs. particular locations to protect biodiversity. • Provide resources to monitor invasive • Towns can make better use of existing plant/habitat restoration projects. biodiversity maps that identify high priority areas for conservation, and/ • Develop an invasive management or update their inventories and maps of strategic plan that is based on the flow natural resources. This information is direction of the lower Farmington necessary for generating well-informed and Salmon Brook (upstream to Plans of Conservation and Development. downstream). Biological Diversity Management Priorities • Develop a broad-based partnership of public and private entities to assist 1. Achieve the Management Plan’s goals for in the execution of the strategic plan Water Quality. for identification, eradication and 2. Prevent, slow or reverse infestations management of invasive species. of invasive species in corridor plant • Specifically target invasive species communities. that threaten floodplain forest, and/or 3. Prevent or reverse the loss and populations of Starry Campion. fragmentation of riparian and instream • Rigorously monitor and evaluate the habitat, and open space. success of various invasive management 4. Explore the need to mimic natural flow strategies in order to identify Photo: Tom Cameron variations to maintain rare communities. practices that are most effective, and 5. Update and expand the database for cost-effective, over time. biodiversity in corridor towns. 3. Prevent or reverse the loss and Actions, Tools & Strategies fragmentation of riparian and instream 1. Achieve the Management Plan’s goals for habitat. Water Quality (see Water Quality ORV) • Seek Greenway status for the Salmon 2. Prevent, slow or reverse infestations Brook and Farmington River corridor of invasive species in corridor plant from the State of Connecticut communities. Greenways Council (Greenway status for the Salmon Brook was attained • Use information and recommendations during the Wild and Scenic Study). in the FVBP Rare Plant and Natural

50 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan • Encourage stewardship of the riparian regulations concerning density and habitat through landowner education development patterns allowing towns and assistance with private transfer of to focus growth in particular location. land either through easements in favor Both of these are effective tools in the of local land trusts, gifting or purchase preservation of open space and in that will create a riparian greenway minimizing land disturbance in overall Prevent or reverse the along the river system. site development plans. loss and fragmentation • Actively protect and manage sand plain • Strengthen and use existing of riparian and instream communities that occur in the corridor landscaping requirements that can habitat. to minimize development and prevent protect vegetative buffers. reversion to other forest types. • Inventory and map natural resources • Work closely with power companies to along the corridor. If appropriate, manage plant communities in power amend Plans of Conservation and line rights-of-way. Development to incorporate results of • Promote wetland and watercourse studies and articulate goals and policies regulations that protect streamside for river protection. vegetation in addition to the existing • Follow guidelines of the “Biodiversity statutory protection from impact to the Conservation Checklist” for towns, watercourses and wetlands themselves. set forth in From Planning to Action: • Promote the adoption of flexible Biodiversity Conservation in Connecticut regulations concerning density Towns, Metropolitan Conservation and development patterns to allow Alliance Technical Paper Series No. 10, towns to focus growth in particular ISBN 0-9724820-9-5. locations and at different densities to 4. Maintain adequate flows and explore the biological diversity. Utilize existing need to reproduce natural flow variation. tools as allowed under Connecticut • Support state streamflow regulations enabling statutes to promote patterns that ensure enough flow in state of development identified in their plans waterways to support their natural of conservation and development and aquatic communities. open space plans. • More thoroughly assess the threat • Pursue removal of obsolete dams or posed by controlled flows to the dam remnants, or construction of fish long-term biodiversity of the passage around such barriers. Priorities Farmington River corridor, especially in are renovating fish passage at Rainbow floodplain forest communities. Dam, removal of Spoonville Dam and • Consult as needed with the improved fish passage at Winchell- Metropolitan District Commission, Smith/Gristmill Dam. the Army Corps of Engineers and the • Identify stream crossings that block fish Farmington River Power Company to passage, e.g., locations where culverts assess whether flows could be modified are perched above the low-water level on occasion to mimic the natural events of the stream. Incorporate stream that help maintain biodiversity of crossing improvements in future road stream communities. repairs or construction. • Conduct an extensive geomorphic • Implement the most current study of the lower Farmington River, recommendations for the management with focus on channel morphology, of freshwater mussel populations in the bank conditions, large woody debris lower Farmington River and Salmon dynamics, gullying and headcutting in Brook. tributaries, and the origin, transport • Encourage new approaches to and fate of sediments. Project outcomes cooperative purchase of open space by should include the identification of corridor towns. stable versus unstable reaches, an • Promote use of low impact assessment of the vulnerability of development techniques (LID) and mussel populations and management Connecticut enabling statutes that recommendations. permit broad authority to adopt flexible June 2011 51 5. Update and expand the database for regionally significant. Some of the structures biodiversity in corridor towns. and some other indications of past and • Initiate a Biodiversity Project to cover present human activity found along the the towns of Hartland, Windsor, streams are Outstanding Resource Values Burlington and Bloomfield. because they are exceptional examples of Connecticut’s and the New England region’s • Follow recommendations in the ethnic, cultural and economic development. FVBP summary documents regarding Although they are not necessarily unique to continued biodiversity field work and the Study Area, which includes approximately protection of riparian communities a quarter-mile wide border along both of Avon, Canton, East Granby, sides of the waterways, they are important Farmington, Granby and Simsbury. pieces to understanding the history of the • Furnish up-to-date biodiversity entire region, and one should consider their information to towns in a timely way historical significance in regional and national and keep abreast of proposed revisions historical contexts like native and colonial Archaeologists have of town ordinances, policies, plans of settlement and land use, slavery, and urban recovered artifacts conservation and development and and agricultural industrialism (specifically from at least 103 sites other processes that could benefit from tobacco). incorporating this information. along the river and its American Indian Archaeological Sites • Organize an inventory of rare tributaries. Initial human occupation of the area along the invertebrates as a way of identifying lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook significant biodiversity hotspots in the dates back to the end of the Pleistocene about corridor; give sand plain communities a 11,000 years ago. Those people adapted their top priority. subsistence culture to a post-glacial landscape • Organize an inventory of low in the Early Archaic period between 10,000 floodplain forest and slough complexes and 8,000 years ago (Feder and Banks, 6). As for rare plants and rare communities. the post-glacial forest developed during the • Support DEP in their Salmon Brook Middle (8,000–6,000 years ago) through Late fish counts. Archaic (6,000–4,000 years ago) and Terminal • Support and expand established Archaic (4,000–3,000 years ago) these early amphibian and turtle monitoring inhabitants established stable economic programs. systems, and the river functioned as a camping • Survey near power lines for and trading center. Settlements grew larger undocumented occurrences of rare with the advent of farming (primarily maize, plants. beans and squash) during the Woodland • Conduct systematic and repeatable period (3,000-400 years ago). (Feder mussel surveys to document the and Banks, 6) See Figure 29: Prehistoric distribution, health and habitat of Archaeological Sites. endangered mussel populations in the Archaeologists have recovered artifacts Farmington River and to provide a from at least 103 sites along the river and its basis for long-term monitoring. These tributaries. Some artifacts have been found efforts should include an evaluation from the Paleo– Indian Period (11,500- 10,000 of potential habitat within tributaries, years ago) and many have been discovered an assessment of continuity with the from the Archaic (10,000-3000 years ago) and mainstem and recommendations for Woodland Periods (3,000-400 years ago). improving continuity and promoting Ancient campsites, village sites, sites of stone tributary populations. tool manufacturing, pottery, rock shelters and trading sites have been discovered near the Outstanding Resource Value: river. There is also evidence of fishing camps. Cultural Landscape Indian trails followed the river, and a large Overview trading network developed along them. The cultural landscape of the lower There are sites in the Study Area corridor of Farmington River and Salmon Brook includes long-term, continuous or repeated human both American Indian and post-contact occupation. The Lewis-Walpole Site located resources recognized as nationally and about where the Farmington and Pequabuck

52 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Some key findings on the status of Cultural Resources in the lower Farmington and Salmon Brook: Nationally and Regionally Significant Archaeological Record, Settlement Patterns, Industrial and Economic Development, Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad and the Tobacco Valley • Nationally and Regionally Significant Archaeological Record: • Nationally Significant Archaeological Sites associated with the river, including the Indian Hill site and the Lewis-Walpole site. • Over 100 prehistoric archaeological sites discovered to date in lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook corridors. • Continuously Occupied Human Settlement for up to 11,000 years. Settlement Patterns/Industrial and Economic Development: • The archaeological resources and some of the structures along the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook are Outstanding Resource Values because they are exceptional examples of Connecticut’s and the New England region’s ethnic, cultural and economic development. • Farmington Canal represented the height of engineering in its time, and upon completion it was the longest canal in New England. • Historically river-dependent communities such as Windsor, the first English settlement in Connecticut and the National Register-listed Historic Districts of Unionville, Tariffville and Collinsville and the Avon Center Historic District have significant surviving Outstanding Resource Values reflecting the river’s agricultural, industrial and manufacturing heritage. Underground Railroad: • Cluster of Underground Railroad Sites with the Town of Farmington know as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad. Tobacco Valley: • Nationally Noted Prime Agricultural Soils have supported agriculture for over 11,000 years. • Tobacco farming historically and culturally significant due to the important role the crop played in the economic and demographic development of the state and for the international recognition it gained as an exceptional agricultural product.

Archaeological dig Photo: Kenny Feder

June 2011 53 Rivers meet is a unique, nationally significant England settlement patterns, nineteenth site of continued human occupation century industrialism and rise of industrial throughout all of the time periods mentioned agriculture as exemplified by tobacco farming. above. It was most frequented in the Middle Each of these historical developments Archaic Period. The full Archaeological introduced new populations of immigrants, Assessment of the Lower Farmington River whether settlers or migrant laborers, onto and Salmon Brook can be found in Appendix 4. the landscape. For example, Irish immigrant Settlements and trading areas were set back laborers made up a large part of the workforce from the river, and land bordering the river that built the Farmington Canal. The Study was largely undeveloped. In the Woodland Area also includes evidence of significant and Contact Periods meadow areas near river Underground Railroad activity. bends and calmer places were village sites and Settlement Patterns planting places. Examples are Tunxis meadow Connecticut’s early settlements were based in Farmington, Massaco meadow in Simsbury upon English agricultural villages. Rather than and the meadow in Windsor. The alluvial soils individual farms, settlers built their homes of these meadows were full of nutrients from in clusters surrounded by the outlying fields the river and provided excellent conditions and farms. Several historic districts along the for the cultivation of crops and expansion of Farmington River reflect this pattern including agriculture. the Palisado Avenue and Broad Street Historic Districts in Windsor, the East Weatogue and …..the Farmington When English colonists arrived in the Terry’s Plain Historic Districts in Simsbury, Canal represented the seventeenth century, native peoples lived in the Farmington Village Historic District and villages at current-day Windsor, Farmington height of engineering the Granby Center Historic District. Together, and Simsbury. The native people in the in its time, and upon these areas include hundreds of rural and Farmington Valley had named the river completion it was the urban properties that are outstanding Tunxis Sepus (“bend on the little river”).2 With examples of historic architectural styles from longest canal in New the arrival of explorers, missionaries, and the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. England. migrants from Europe, eventually the river’s name was changed to “Farmington,” although Because of the political structure with several area businesses and roads still bear the which the English established their colonies, “Tunxis” name. More importantly, Europeans many political entities like towns, began as altered these American Indian communities extensions of existing “parent-towns” such economically, socially, culturally and often as Simsbury and Windsor, but broke off to politically. When English Colonists came they form independent communities. For example, acquired Indian lands for farming, sometimes current day Granby, originally known as the by force and sometimes through cooperative Salmon Brook Settlement, was originally part land deals, and they traded such things as iron of Simsbury. Throughout the early eighteenth kettles, cotton cloth and iron axes for Indian century, Connecticut Colony officials argued furs and corn. Soapstone that the American with individual towns over boundary lines Indians quarried from outcroppings in rock across the region. ridges was also a valuable trading commodity. Economic Development: Manufacturing and The Europeans traveled along the Indian trails, Transportation and later constructed roads along them. For Some of the best examples of the example, the present Connecticut Route 44 manufacturing that secured Connecticut’s role approximately follows the old North West Path. in the nation’s economic history were located 3 Post-Contact Developments along the lower Farmington River. Although By the nineteenth century, signs of traditional earlier agricultural settlements had harnessed Indian life were difficult to locate in the Study the river’s waterpower for gristmills, sawmills, Area landscape because colonists, immigrants and fulling mills, entrepreneurs established and their descendants had become established waterpower industries and factories all in the area. The majority of sites from the along the river and its tributaries. The post-contact period that have Outstanding National Register-listed Historic Districts of Resource Value recall early colonial New Unionville, Tariffville and Collinsville, and

2. Christopher Bickford, Farmington in Connecticut (Canaan, N.H.: Phoenix Pub, 1982), 1. 3. Christopher Bickford, Farmington in Connecticut (Canaan, N.H.: Phoenix Pub, 1982), 241, 249.

54 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan system of turnpikes to meet economic needs following the American Revolution.4 The turnpikes connected cities like Hartford and New Haven.5 However, for the towns on the west side of the Metacomet Ridge, the turnpikes did not provide an adequate route which was comparable to the Connecticut River for moving goods. The Farmington Canal was financed and built to provide an effective shipping route on the west side of the Historical path of the Farmington ridge. Goods from the interior that reached Canal Photo: Brooke Martin New Haven by canal boat could be sent on to New York City by ship. For example, the Avon Center Historic District have the with two canal basins, the town of Avon most significant surviving ORVs reflecting shipped a number of agricultural products, the river’s small-scale rural industrial and such as cheese and lumber, to New Haven manufacturing heritage. They also include via the canal. Following the completion of examples of workers’ and industrial construction of the Farmington Canal in architecture of the late nineteenth century. 1829, the region’s economy expanded to For example, the Collins Company, beginning include more small-scale manufacturing in the 1820’s and for which Collinsville is and eventually commercial and industrial named, manufactured sharp edged tools and development in the towns of the Study Area. developed a global market that lasted into In both its conception as an economic venture the 1960s. Also, by 1850, twelve shops and and in its technological design, the canal factories operated in the village of Unionville reflects early nineteenth century movements in Farmington. Unionville hosted the Cowles in America to stimulate regional economic Paper Company and the Upson Nut Company, growth. Engineered by Benjamin Wright, chief both of which had national markets. engineer of the Erie Canal6, the Farmington Although they are not within designated Canal represented the height of engineering Historic Districts, there are other examples in its time, and upon completion it was the along the Farmington River that reflect longest canal ​in New England. However, Connecticut’s important role in the the Farmington Canal was underfinanced development of the industry and technology and required constant maintenance. By the that has contributed to the nation’s economy. 1840s, Farmington Canal failed as a financial One is the Hartford Electric Light Company investment, but the economic activity of the (HELCO) dam, remaining only as remnants, industrial villages of Collinsville, Unionville, which is located near Tariffville. Dating Tariffville and Avon Center encouraged from the late 1800’s it powered a HELCO development of a branch of the New Haven- hydroelectric plant which is thought to be Northampton Railroad line from Farmington the first plant to provide electricity through through Unionville and Collinsville (see aluminum wires. A second example is the Figure 30: National Register of Historic Places former dam of the Cowles Company which and Farmington Canal). powered “the nation’s first commercially Economic Development and the Underground successful electroplating operation”. Cowles Railroad Company produced silver-plated spoons, Because Farmington River Valley communities forks and butter knives, giving the dam and had natural resources allowing for agricultural the area along the river the name “Spoonville”. development, and small manufacturing In order to bring both agriculture products industries, and they had developed and manufactured goods to market, adequate infrastructure for commerce. Because of these transportation was required. In the late aspects of the area as well as local anti-slavery eighteenth century, investors established a sentiments, the Farmington Valley supported

4. Christopher Bickford, Farmington in Connecticut (Canaan, N.H.: Phoenix Pub, 1982), 1. 5. Horatio T. Strother, The Underground Railroad in Connecticut (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1962), 163-165. 6. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/cthistory/81.ch.04.x.html#d

June 2011 55 between Hartford and New Haven with a road to Hartford and Middletown. The stations there would guide people along the Farmington River or nearby roads through Hartford, Bloomfield or Avon, then to Simsbury and Granby (and on to Springfield, Massachusetts). There is very little evidence that participants used the Farmington River itself for travel. However this cluster of sites represents a physical network of properties across a shared cultural landscape, one that lay adjacent to the river and owed its development as part of the Underground Railroad to the agricultural, commercial and manufacturing opportunities located there that the river supported. The Town of Farmington not only supported Collinsville Axe Factory the movement of runaway slaves escaping slaves escaping from the South, but also Photo: Tom Cameron to the North. They traveled along a system played a major role in the Amistad affair. of shelters that historians refer to as the Africans from Sierra Leone who were to be Underground Railroad. The Underground sold as slaves captured the ship in which they Railroad was essentially a locally organized were being transported and were tried for network to help runaway slaves escape from mutiny in New Haven. The case attracted the the South, by hiding them, assisting them to attention of abolitionists who mounted a legal the next safe haven, and ultimately by finding defense for the Africans. After the Africans them transportation to their destination, were freed in 1841 as a result of a judgment by usually Canada. the U.S. Supreme Court, they were housed in Newspapers and proceedings offer the Farmington while funds were raised to honor strongest documentation corroborating the their wish to be returned to Sierra Leone. In oral tradition that the Farmington Valley Farmington they enjoyed a level of freedom, indeed participated in the Underground and some planted and raised crops during the Railroad activity. The largest cluster of time they lived there. activists lived in the center of Farmington, Economic Development: Industrial Agriculture with over 100 pre-1835 homes, located just In the English colonies, slavery began when east of the Farmington River, making up the Collinsville Axe Factory reflection Virginia’s John Rolfe identified tobacco as Photo: Tom Cameron town’s well-preserved Historic District. Some a profitable crop in the early seventeenth of those homes likely served as Underground century. Tobacco fueled the growth of an Railroad stations. Farmington, then a largely economy based on slavery and the plantation agricultural community, served as a hub for system in the South, but in Connecticut, long various Underground Railroad routes and recognized as a producer of fine tobacco, abolitionist activism. The town’s location tobacco growing involved paid laborers, not and concentration of abolitionists made slaves. The tobacco industry was once one it a highly trafficked segment of a larger of the state’s largest sources of income. Its migratory pattern for fugitive slaves and role in Connecticut’s economic development in fact has been referred to as the “Grand illustrates the state’s complex identity as a Central Station” of the Underground Railroad simultaneously agricultural and industrial Fugitive slaves on their way to Canada came economy. The increased popularity and through Connecticut by various routes. One economic value of tobacco resulted in a likely route had escaping slaves arriving proliferation of tobacco farming that can in the port cities of New Haven or New be seen throughout the Farmington Valley’s London and traveling up the west side of the historic record. Connecticut River Valley to Canada. From Tobacco farming in the Farmington Valley New Haven many would go on to Meriden, is historically and culturally significant due Southington, or Waterbury and then to to the important role the crop played in the Farmington. Farmington was ideally located economic and demographic development of

56 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan Agriculture along the river the state and for the international recognition drained soils were ideally suited for raising Photo: Wanda Colman it gained as an exceptional agricultural tobacco. By 1902, only two years after the product. Numerous National Register Connecticut Experiment Station’s first tests, nomination forms documenting the region production of Connecticut shade-grown note sites of tobacco cultivation. First grown tobacco had jumped to 700,000 pounds. This and used by the region’s native peoples, rapidly increased to 1,800,000; 4,600,000; and Underground colonists grew and even exported tobacco by 8,600,000 pounds respectively for 1910, 1919, and 1923. The development of Connecticut Railroad… stations the early eighteenth century. The profound growth of the tobacco industry in response to shade-grown farming effectively resulted in there would guide the commercialization of cigar manufacturing the industrialization and specialization of people along the through the 1800s changed the Farmington tobacco agriculture. As the cultivation of Farmington River or Valley landscape not only with regard to the shade-grown tobaccos grew more profitable, nearby roads through types of crops sown in its fertile soil but also fields of broadleaf were slowly replaced Hartford, Bloomfield or in respect to the architectural landscape. by acres of white tents sprawling across Avon, then to Simsbury The tobacco barn (or “shed”), a simple yet the landscape. Due largely to economic functional and refined example of vernacular pressures, specifically the high infrastructure and Granby… architecture, is the most prevalent vestige of costs of raising shade-grown tobacco, the this rapidly disappearing industry. production of the crop increasingly fell under the control of large corporations. By In July, 1899, as part of the first national 1936 entities such as the American Sumatra soil survey, the Secretary of Agriculture Corporation, the Hartman Tobacco Company, authorized the examination of a section of Cullman Brothers, Inc., and the Consolidated the Connecticut River Valley, of which the Cigar Company, controlled much of the Farmington River is a central feature, and Connecticut land planted with shade-grown found the region’s sandy, rich, and well tobacco.7

7. Tercentenary Commission of the State of Connecticut, Committee on Historical Publications, The History of Tobacco Production in Connecticut (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1936), 17.

June 2011 57 Thus by the twentieth century, the industry not identified all eligible properties, nor The Lower Farmington altered the demographic and ethnic makeup of has everything survived in physical form. River, like the previously the region by recruiting migrant farm workers Those properties that are preserved are not designated upper River, who made large-scale tobacco cultivation always compatible with the public’s changing offers many outstanding in Connecticut possible and who worked definitions of historical significance or nature, to improve and regulate non-union labor cultural resource values or even people’s recreational preferences. conditions in the state. By World War I, farmers Town ordinances, state conservancies, that document long- made arrangements with southern schools conservation easements, transfer of term human occupation that brought African American teenagers and development rights, and ownership by land by diverse ethnic and college students to work the tobacco fields trusts, towns and the state protect some socioeconomic groups in the summer. Civil Rights leader Martin historic sites and historically significant open and show the use of Luther King was one of the young men to land in the area. spend a summer in Simsbury in 1944 working natural resources for Farming continues to provide a local source in tobacco fields. During World War II, the of fruits, vegetables and wines. Farms along sustained settlement tobacco industry also recruited labor from the river include The Pickin’ Patch in Avon and economic Jamaica. After World War II, Jamaicans and and Rosedale Farm in Simsbury. However, development. Puerto Ricans would fill these jobs through to preservation efforts are often dependent on the 1980s when machines and foreign laborers, economic impetus and changing notions of many from Mexico and Laos, replaced them.8 historic significance. It is therefore critical to The National Register has not identified any recognize multiple themes in the history of physical buildings or vernacular structures in settlement and economic development along the region that recall this labor history, but the Lower Farmington River and Salmon there are remnants of migrant worker housing Brook in order to recognize and identify the which resembled boarding houses or barns historically significant aspects of the region’s remain such as the one on the banks of the cultural landscape. West Branch Salmon Brook on Broad Hill Road in West Granby. See Figure 31: Existing Cultural Landscape Protection Goal Agricultural Land and Prime Farmland Soils. Conserve the archaeological and historical Conclusions heritage of the river corridor and develop The Lower Farmington River, like the interest in this heritage, strengthening previously designated upper River, offers residents’ connection to the river and many outstanding cultural resource values enriching the experience of visitors. that document long-term human occupation by diverse ethnic and socioeconomic Threats to Cultural Landscape groups and show the use of natural Threats to the cultural landscape include resources for sustained settlement and threats to archaeological and historic sites, as economic development. While the focus of well as threats to traditional uses of the river the Farmington River and Salmon Brook corridor such as farming, fishing and other designation as a National Wild and Scenic recreational activities. Here are some specific River is on its outstanding natural and examples of ways that the cultural landscape recreational resources, further development resources are threatened: along the river needs to take into account • Loss of farms to development. the continuous human relationship with the • Building and road construction that river. The natural and the cultural are not destroys important archaeological, historic always easily distinguished as people and or scenic sites. their settlements have historically used the • Deterioration or removal of historically river for agricultural and industrial purposes. significant buildings such as historic Documentation and recognition of historic taverns, homes, factories. properties through programs like the • Deterioration or removal of bridges with National Register of Historic Places identify historical or architectural value. many of the remnants of this relationship, but these efforts at preservation have likely • Development that disregards archaeological resources.

8. B. Harrison, “Mobility, Farmworkers, and Connecticut’s Tobacco Valley, 1900–1950,” Journal of Historical Geography (2009), doi:10.1016/j.jhg.2009.07.002; Ruth Glasser, “Puerto Rican Farm Workers in Connecticut,” Hog Rover Journal (Winter 2003).

58 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan • Disappearance of stone walls due to sale • Provide educational materials in various or development. formats interpreting historic and • Loss of historically important views and archaeological resources. vistas to development. • Support local agriculture as part of the • Cutting of historic trees, witness trees and fabric of our communities. trees that define historic landscapes. • Promote heritage tourism. Support local • Loss of economic vibrancy of traditional • Consider historic and archaeological agriculture as part town centers. resources in open space acquisition. of the fabric of our Current Protections • Promote regulations that favor adaptive communities. There are several towns that have Historic reuse of historic structures and District Commissions and have established consideration of archaeological resources. historic districts in the Study Area. Actions, Tools & Strategies Recognition of the importance of historic A wide array of regulatory tools is available preservation takes some regulatory form in under state law to protect cultural landscapes. most of the towns. Fewer towns acknowledge However, regulation is not the only and often the importance of protecting archaeological not the most effective means of protection. resources. Requiring an archaeological Information and education of the public reconnaissance survey as part of the and officials can go a long way to protecting subdivision permitting process is an example the heritage we value. This best begins with of a strong regulation protecting these an inventory of resources. Tax, grant and resources. other incentives can also be used effectively. The majority of towns regulate tree Filling the gaps in protection can include the preservation in some form. Objectives following: include protecting trees for aesthetics, shade 1. Encourage towns to establish development and scenic vistas, as well as for protecting regulations that take archaeological natural features and ridgelines. Within the resources into account and utilize the Farmington River Overlay District in the towns Archaeological Indicator tool that predicts of Canton and Hartland, trees are important the potential presence of resources for maintaining a filtered view of the river. along the river based on 12 variables Regulations also recognize and protect trees as (see Archaeological Assessment Report a tool in preventing extensive site disturbance, in Appendix 4 and Figure 29: Potential and in special areas such as along Talcott Archaeological Sensitivity Sites). Mountain ridge. 2. Conduct an in depth archaeological Gaps in Cultural Landscape Protection investigation of the Craig Mill complex In spite of the existing protections, regulations located on the Salmon Brook. vary greatly from town to town, lack any 3. Support open space and farmland uniformity or coherence among the towns and protection. are incomplete tools even in towns with the best requirements. Examples of regulations, 4. Support the work of agricultural policies and tools that are in use in some commissions. towns, but not in others include historic 5. Support of existing and new local historic districts, national and state register listings, districts. archaeological reviews as part of subdivision 6. Increase public knowledge of significant development, ridgeline protections, open cultural sites. space protection programs, village center zones, zoning regulations sensitive to adaptive 7. Support and encourage use of existing reuse, regulations that protect shade trees programs and regulations that benefit and and policies and regulations that support protect cultural and historic resources such agriculture (see www.ctplanningforagriculture. as the National Trust Main Street program. com.). 8. Develop a knowledge base about grant Cultural Landscape Management Priorities and other programs to protect historic • Inventory archaeological and historic structures. resources and scenic roads within the 9. Protect historically significant mines, river corridor and establish protections for quarries and caves. them (as allowed under existing laws). June 2011 59 10. Support ridgeline and high point and its high quality cold water habitat supports protections that minimize the impact an abundance of native brown and brook of developments. trout, with very few warm water species. Trout thrive in cold-water environments, and Outstanding Resource Value: Salmon Brook offers the vegetated riparian Recreation buffers that are necessary to provide shade Overview and maintain lower water temperatures year The Farmington River and Salmon Brook round. It is considered by many anglers to provide corridors with exceptional be one of the best fishing streams of New recreational opportunities. The variety of England. Numerous public access points allow boating, fishing and water-based recreational locals and visitors to take advantage of these activities is regionally unique due to the and other recreational resources. consistent year-round flows, clean water and Based on the study Use and Economic quality of the resources. These watercourses Importance of the Lower Farmington River can be experienced by boaters of many types and Salmon Brook (see Appendix 5 for full and skill levels due to the diversity of paddling report), the river, the brook and their corridors opportunities, ranging from world-class are highly valued by residents and recreational whitewater kayaking to flatwater paddling. The users who strongly support a Wild and Scenic high quality fisheries of the Farmington and Rivers designation as a way to further river Salmon Brook’s diverse and well-preserved protection. Survey respondents’ support is aquatic habitats also provide for exceptional based in part on the sense of place that the fishing. Salmon Brook is of particular note, lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook

Some key findings on the status of Recreational Resources in the Farmington and Salmon Brook: • The Tariffville Gorge provides a premier whitewater paddling destination and has been the location for world class paddling completion. It is one of very few rivers in the east where there are year-round paddling opportunities. • There is a broad range of boating activities —from flat-water to mild moving waters to sections of class II and III white water for experienced paddlers. It is easy for people to take advantage of these activities, since there are public access points and parks within every Study Town. • Regionally significant opportunities for fishing exist in the lower Farmington River. • The clean cold-water trout fisheries of the Salmon Brook provide some of the most outstanding opportunities for angling anywhere in Connecticut. • A conservative estimate of the number of recreational visits to the streams from mid-May to mid-September is over 124,000 per year. • There is an extensive network of trail systems within the Study Area including six State of CT officially designated greenways that follow the watercourses: Farmington River Trail, Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway, Metacomet Ridge System, Blue Blazed Trail system, the Shade Swamp Sanctuary and the West Mountain Trails. The Salmon Brook corridor was recently officially designated as part of the state greenway system. • Exceptional birding opportunities exist because the State of Connecticut overlaps the southern boundary of northern species and the northern boundary of southern species, so species abundance is unusually high, and the river corridor provides good nesting habitat and is a migration corridor as part of the Atlantic flyway.

60 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan provide, as well as the diverse recreational recent Tariffville Triple Crown Whitewater options which the watercourses offer. Races, which drew competitors and spectators Local residents are currently the primary users from nine states and Canada, suggests that of the lower Farmington River and Salmon the lower Farmington River has an untapped Brook corridors. A conservative estimate economic potential. In the above-mentioned of the number of visits from mid-May to Economic Study, the Real Estate portion mid-September made to these waterways is indicated that home buyers are willing pay over 124,000 in an average year. Most visits approximately $14,000 more to be within one are short, with two hours representing a mile of the Farmington River and Salmon typical experience with the river. Because Brook. Additionally, some local businesses like the people who use Salmon Brook and the the Collinsville Canoe and Kayak depend on lower Farmington River are mainly local, the the river for their success. While many small economic impact of the waterways is presently businesses are less directly connected to the lower than that of the upper Farmington river, owners have suggested that a Wild and River. The upper Farmington River, currently Scenic designation could attract attention and a more widely recognized trout fishing venue, visitors to the region, which would enhance has an economic impact of about $3.6 million their profits. per year compared to $1.2 to $1.6 million This section of the Lower Farmington for the lower Farmington River and Salmon River and Salmon Brook Management Brook. This is understandable since there are Plan highlights a few of the recreation few lodging and food costs associated with the opportunities offered by the streams and their Tariffville Gorge Triple Crown many short local visits that typify its current corridors. Race Photo: Bill Duncan use. Notable exceptions exist, however. For Paddling example, the Tariffville Gorge is a nationally World-class whitewater The lower Farmington River offers a range of Photo: Bill Duncan recognized whitewater kayaking site. The boating activities, ranging from flatwater and slow moving water to sections of class II and III white water for experienced paddlers. It is easy for people to take advantage of these activities, since there are many public access points. From the Collinsville Dams to the Route 4 bridge in Farmington, the river provides a series of Class II drops and pools, passing under an iron railway bridge (now part of the Farmington River Trail), and flowing across an old gravel pit created by past glacial activity. In Farmington, the river abruptly turns northward, deflected by a terminal moraine deposited in the last Ice Age that blocked the river’s southward path. An important location along the river in Farmington is the Lewis-Walpole site, located just east of the confluence of the Farmington and Pequabuck rivers. This is one of the most important archaeological sites along the lower Farmington and, in fact, is one of the most significant sites in all of southern New England (see Archaeological Assessment in Appendix 4 for details regarding this site). From the Route 4 Bridge to Tariffville Park in Simsbury, the river is flatwater, with ample access points. This is an excellent area for beginning paddlers, or those seeking a more relaxing river experience. Local river

June 2011 61 outfitters provide rental boats and transport, the river as problems they would like to see A conservative estimate making this truly an accessible stretch of addressed of the number of visits river. These same properties make this Walking, hiking, and biking from mid-May to mid- stretch a popular location for crew teams to Several outstanding trail systems are within the practice. Landmarks in this stretch include September made to study area, including six State of CT officially ruins of the Farmington Canal and trails these waterways is over designated greenways: the Farmington along Fisher Meadows in Avon. Wildlife 124,000 in an average River Trail, the Farmington Canal Heritage viewing opportunities may include the rare Greenway, the Metacomet Ridge System, the year. yellow-billed cuckoo and hooded warbler or Blue Blazed Trail system, the Shade Swamp sunbathing turtles, including the uncommon Sanctuary and the West Mountain Trails in musk and wood turtles. There are views of Simsbury. The Salmon Brook system was Hiking the New England Talcott Mountain and the Gifford Pinchot the most recently designated greenway to National Scenic Trail Sycamore, the largest tree in CT. The Salmon Photo: Damon Hearne be officially included by the State of CT (see Brook enters the river along this stretch. Figure 33: Greenways and Access Points). The reach from Tariffville Park in Simsbury The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and to Rainbow Reservoir in Windsor includes the Farmington River Trail are two popular Tariffville Gorge, a spectacular rapid that can multi-use “Rails-to-Trails” paths which be run year-round (see Figure 35: Tariffville pass through seven of the ten study towns Gorge Aerial). There are very few rivers in (Burlington, Canton, Farmington, Avon, New England and beyond where running Simsbury, East Granby, and Granby). The world-class white water throughout the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail has been summer months is possible. The Gorge designated a Community Millennium Trail has been the location of National and under the Federal Millennium Trails Initiative Olympic Trials, New England Championship based on its special value to the communities competitions, and National Canoe Poling it passes through. It forms part of the East competitions. In 2009 and 2010, the Coast Greenway, which, when completed, New England Whitewater Triple-Crown will stretch from Florida to Maine. (An eighth Championships brought world-class canoe town in the study, Bloomfield, is beginning and kayak competition back to Tariffville work on its section of the East Coast Gorge with three different whitewater events: Greenway, and is considering a route within wildwater, slalom, and freestyle. the Farmington River corridor to “connect Along this reach are remnants of the Spoonville up” with neighboring study towns.) The (HELCO) Dam which presently creates a Farmington River Trail is an eighteen-mile paddling feature usable by only the most expert loop trail that links to the Heritage Trail at kayakers familiar with its associated dangers. points in Farmington and Simsbury. For Efforts are currently under way to raise funds roughly half its length the trail runs directly for full dam removal, which will restore the alongside the river. Since both trails are site to natural river flows for fish passage. built along abandoned rail corridors and Removal will likely reveal new river features canal towpaths, each passes through a rich for paddlers, as well as extend the current cultural landscape of historic buildings, canal Tariffville Gorge rapid. On a final note, Bald locks, iron bridges, stone arches, and other eagles winter near this section of the river. landmarks. See Figure 34: Scenic Viewshed Analysis for a Additionally, the ridgelines and parks within graphic representation of the scenic potential the focal watershed and corridors offer a for exceptional views while paddling the multitude of hiking and walking options. One watercourses. In addition, the Farmington of the most notable is the Metacomet Trail, River Guide by FRWA provides an in-depth part of the MMM (Metacomet Monadnock description of paddling opportunities Mattabassett) Trail system, designated as doubling as a field guide to the natural and the “New England National Scenic Trail” in cultural history of the Farmington River. March of 2009. This outstanding trail follows Although river users are generally satisfied the traprock ridges in Connecticut from with conditions along the river, they have the Long Island Sound at Guilford through noted the presence of litter, a lack of Massachusetts to the New Hampshire border restrooms, and increased development along passing through 5 of the 10 Study Towns

62 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan (Farmington, Avon, Simsbury, East Granby, archaeological site, located in Bloomfield and Bloomfield). Another easily accessible on a terrace west of a series of rapids at the place to hike or walk is McLean Game Refuge Tariffville Gorge, indicate that prehistoric in Granby, Simsbury and Canton. The West Native Americans regularly used this location Branch of Salmon Brook flows through the for fishing as well. refuge, which consists of more than 4,200 Today, local residents continue to enjoy fishing acres of forests, hills, and streams and includes along the lower Farmington, which possesses the easternmost trap rock ridge summit of the a diversity of fishing options and habitats, Barndoor Hills. which all benefit from excellent water quality. The state, towns, and regional and local The section of the river between Collinsville organizations have met with success in and Unionville is especially popular with local efforts to expand and link the network of anglers. It is designated as “no-kill” after the trails and greenways in the Study Area, fishing season closes, resulting in the potential further increasing their recreational and for more fish to “catch and release” for the environmental value (see Figure 33: Open recreational angler. Space/Parks/Recreational Properties). Tunxis Mead in Farmington offers a different Fishing type of recreational fishing. Excavation of Fishing on the lower Farmington River has sand and gravel from the glacial deposits has long been part of the Cultural Landscape. created a pond-like environment. This section Early fishing on the lower Farmington of the river offers a warm-water fishery, as well River reflected a culture that specialized in as ice-fishing in the winter. subsistence hunting. The Massaco Indians There are numerous access points for harvested salmon navigating the ledge-rock fishing within the study area, including three staircase falls at what is now the Collinsville handicapped access sites (Farmington Land Farmington River angler factory site. Artifacts found at the Indian Hill Trust near Unionville, Rte 4 Bridge project in Photo: Sal DiCarl Farmington, Rte 20 Bridge in Granby on the East Branch Salmon Brook). Of particular note are the little known fishing opportunities of the Salmon Brook. Bill Vincent, a Granby angler for 40 years who has fished all over North America and intensively throughout New England describes the Salmon Brook as one of the best streams he has ever fished. There is an abundance of native brown and brook trout and very few warm water species. Trout thrive in cold water environments, and Salmon Brook offers vegetated riparian buffers that provide plentiful shade, preventing the water from experiencing excessive warming. Additionally, the gravel and sand bottom in the brook offers ideal spawning habitat, while an outstanding macroinvertebrate population provides a high quality trout diet. Finally, the high water quality of the tributaries and of the sources contributes to the ideal trout habitat and helps create the opportunity for an exceptional fishing experience. Birding Birding is the fastest growing outdoor recreational activity in America, and the river corridor presents exceptional opportunities for this activity. The Study Area is the best and

June 2011 63 most varied bird habitat in Connecticut for Study Area is discussed in greater detail in the two main reasons: 1.) the state overlaps the Biodiversity section of this document, along with southern boundary of many northern species the results of a recently conducted bird survey and the northern boundary of many southern done at various points along the river corridor species, so species abundance is unusually that resulted in sightings of 105 bird species. Ice fishingPhoto: Tom Cameron high, and 2.) the river corridor provides good Other recreational activities associated with nesting habitat and is a migration corridor the lower Farmington River and Salmon within the Atlantic flyway. Brook include watching other wildlife, As a result, exceptional birding areas are photography, painting, drawing, hang gliding, abundant in the study area, including: dog field trials, ice fishing and rowing (high • Northwest Park in Windsor, which is school teams and local rowing association). designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) The river corridor is also a place for quiet by the National Audubon Society. A reflection. The wide range of recreational variety of upland, grassland and wetlands pursuits surrounding the Farmington River species are found within the Park. Over and Salmon is truly diverse and exceptional. 60-acres of grasslands are managed for the There are a number of local organizations Grasshopper Sparrow, a Species of Special that advocate for recreational use of local Concern in Connecticut. resources. These include the Tariffville Village • The Nod Brook Wildlife Management Association of the Tariffville section of Area, a tremendous place to view spring Simsbury that has made great strides in linking and fall migrations of hawks, including recreational, cultural and historical aspects of nighthawks. their river segment to economic development. • The 2.2 mile River Walk in Simsbury, For example, they have been instrumental which provides easy viewing access in reestablishing the whitewater races in the to migratory and nesting waterfowl, Tariffville Gorge. In addition, the Farmington including a great blue heron rookery. Valley Visitors Association (FVVA) promotes six Study Area towns including Avon, Canton, • The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail East Granby, Farmington, Granby and and Farmington River Trail (mentioned Simsbury to residents and visitors, with an above), both of which provide easy access emphasis on the valley’s rich culture, history, for viewing birds, including migratory business and recreation in and around the waterfowl. Farmington River. To enhance economic • Fisher Meadow in Avon, a destination for vitality, FVVA provides seasonal getaway local birders. packages, historic barn tours, awareness and • Tunxis Mead/Farmington Meadows in opportunities to experience the Farmington Farmington, which provides excellent Canal Heritage Trail, the Farmington River birding during migration and in the Trail and the Farmington River. summer, with varied habitats of meadow, cropland, maple swamp and edge thickets.1 Recreation Protection Goal • The McLean Game Refuge in Granby and Facilitate public recreation on and along Simsbury, a 4,200 acre preserve that is a the lower Farmington River and Salmon frequent location of Hartford Audubon Brook in a manner consistent with natural Society birding trips.) and cultural resource protection. • Windsor Meadows State Park at the Threats to Recreation mouth of the Farmington River, where The most obvious challenge to recreation it flows into the Connecticut River. This is lack of public access to the waters of the Park is at the edge of the study area, on Farmington River and of Salmon Brook and the shore opposite Station 43 in South to land within the corridor area. “Access” Windsor, Connecticut, and is regarded can be viewed simply as physical access to as one of the premier birding location in the waters and land, or seen more broadly to north-central Connecticut.1 also include public knowledge about access The wide variety of birds found within the points and recreational opportunities. Existing

1 Connecticut Birding Guide, Buzz Devine and Dwight G. Smith, Thomson-Shore,Inc., 1996

64 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan protections and gaps with respect to this Trail networks are managed through a variety broader notion of public access will be of public and private arrangements. One discussed below. example of this is the planned stewardship Another significant threat is the potential of the recently designated New England for water pollution (see also Water Quality National Scenic Trail. The Trail passes through section). Possible examples include: 5 of the 10 study towns, and within the river corridor in 2 of the towns (Bloomfield and Pollution that could result in • East Granby). The National Park Service restrictions on fishing, swimming, or (NPS), Connecticut Forest and Park boating. Association (CFPA) in Connecticut, and • High levels of bacteria from the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian non-point source pollution runoff. Mountain Club (AMC) in Massachusetts • Waste water treatment plant failures are working together to manage the trail. or overflows. The primary role of the NPS is to assist the • Contaminants that reduce water CFPA and AMC in their stewardship role, quality, impacting fish populations. and to coordinate the expenditure of federal • Contaminants that negatively impact funds for trail management and protection bird populations. with the Stewardship Council. The entire trail system is predominantly managed and Other potential threats include: maintained by volunteers, and it relies in many • Diversions and impoundments. locations on the generosity and commitment • Fluctuating releases from dams. of landowners who voluntarily allow it to • Bank erosion at official and unofficial cross their lands.2 This model of access to access points. both public and private lands demonstrates Current Protections the regional commitment to providing for To determine the existing level of recreational land use. Questions and concerns protection for recreation, and the regarding trail maintenance in Connecticut potential need for additional protection should be directed to the CFPA. measures at the local, state and federal The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and level, a comprehensive review of all Farmington River Trail likewise benefit from applicable regulations within the public-private partnerships. Five towns in study area was undertaken. In all ten the study area administer the sections of the towns there is limited local regulatory trails that pass within their borders. Several protection directly related to recreation. non-profit organizations (including the In general, local regulations permit Farmington Valley Trails Council (FVTC), limited recreational use within the Farmington Valley Visitors Association Floodplain or, in Hartland and Canton, (FVVA), and Simsbury Main Street within the Farmington River Protection Partnership) have supported the Trails by Overlay. However, four of the ten towns’ funding the actual building of the trails and floodplains regulations do not mention trail enhancements such as kiosks, signage, recreational use in this context. benches and landscaping. Enthusiastic public Public Access support for the Trails was evident at the September 20, 2009 dedication ceremony of The wide range of Existing protection for public access to the streams and land within their the latest trail enhancement —a new bridge recreational pursuits corridors is provided by public parks. crossing Salmon Brook in East Granby. surrounding the Each river town provides recreational An excellent trail guide was also recently Farmington River public access to the lower Farmington published by the FVTC utilizing funding from 3 and Salmon Brook and Salmon Brook. There is a multiple private, state and federal sources. is truly diverse and description of some of those access Protections also exist within the corridor via exceptional. points within the Recreation Appendix Land Trust and Private Conservation Group (also see Figure 32: Open Space/Parks/ holdings. Some of these groups promote Recreation Properties). public use of their land holdings.

2 National New England Scenic Trail website (http://newenglandnst.org/) 3 Farmington Canal Heritage Trail & Farmington River Trail Guide, Farmington Valley Trails Council

June 2011 65 Gaps in Recreation Protection • Provide information on recreation • Lack of regulatory and legal protections. resources (i.e. paddling, greenways, • Lack of funding (at Federal, State, Local, birding, hiking) to encourage local use Private levels). and tourism. Explore the potential for developing water trails that link recreation • Reliance on volunteers for stewardship to educating the public about the ORVs. activities. Support and partner with existing The Economic Study indicated that owners groups such as paddling organizations, of local business near close to the river feel anglers’ organizations, greenway and trail that there should be more emphasis on associations and land trusts. promoting tourism, providing information on • Promote sound waste management recreational opportunities, creating more river strategies through clean-ups, portable access for canoes and kayaks and fostering toilets, education and regular efforts to keep the river clean. housekeeping at recreation sites. Recreation Management Priorities • Provide education on safe, responsible 1. Partner with towns and NGOs to maintain recreation use by publishing a Safety and improve access to recreational and Etiquette guide. This could include activities in a way that is compatible with information on water quality safety as well river protection. as typical paddling guidelines. 2. Provide information on recreation • Promote area tourism by supporting the resources and promote area tourism. connection of the river corridor with the 3. Conduct a follow up economic study Connecticut-designated Greenways and focusing more specifically on the economic New England National Scenic Trail. impacts of the Tariffville Gorge area. • Promote volunteer opportunities for river 4. Conduct a User Capacity Study to stewardship such as river cleanups. determine how different types of • Conduct a follow up recreational use and recreational use can continue to be economic importance study focusing more compatible with each other and with river specifically on the economic impacts of protection. the Tariffville Gorge. 5. Promote volunteer opportunities for river • Conduct a User Capacity Study to stewardship such as river cleanups. augment the Use and Economic Importance Actions, Tools & Strategies Study of the Lower Farmington River and • Provide and enhance river access and Salmon Brook conducted during the Study. facilitate public-private partnerships that • Make use of the “Suggested Recreation provide river access that is compatible Projects for Member Towns” list provided with river protection. in the Appendices for recreation-related • Support state legislation to protect project ideas. This list was developed with municipalities from suits such as the input from the towns and may be a source MDC faced after a bicyclist was injured of ideas for the committee to pursue. on MDC property which was open to public recreation. Enactment of a recreational liability statute would afford liability protection for municipalities and municipal entities like the MDC.

66 Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan