The Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve
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The Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve Site Selection & Nomination Report December 21, 2018 [This page left intentionally blank] [This page left intentionally blank] Connecticut NERR Site Selection & Nomination Report – December 21, 2018 Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES: ...................................................................................................................... 6 LIST OF FIGURES: ................................................................................................................... 7 LIST OF ACRONYMS: ..............................................................................................................10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: ........................................................................................................12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: .........................................................................................................14 INTRODUCTION: .....................................................................................................................22 Overview of the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) System ...............................22 NERR Program Policy for Adding New Systems ...................................................................23 Rationale for Establishing a Connecticut NERR ....................................................................26 Background and History of the Connecticut NERR Effort ......................................................27 CONNECTICUT SITE SELECTION PROCESS OVERVIEW ....................................................28 Project Area...........................................................................................................................29 Teams & Functions................................................................................................................29 Site Screening .......................................................................................................................30 Preliminary Screening .......................................................................................................................... 31 Preliminary Screening Outreach .......................................................................................................... 32 Detailed Screening ............................................................................................................................... 32 Detailed Screening Outreach ............................................................................................................... 34 Final Evaluation & Nomination ............................................................................................................. 34 CONNECTICUT SITE SELECTION IMPLEMENTATION ..........................................................34 Pre-Kick-off Organization.......................................................................................................34 Kick-off Meeting .....................................................................................................................36 SST Organization ..................................................................................................................37 Preliminary Screening ...........................................................................................................39 Detailed Screening ................................................................................................................51 Preliminary Screening Outreach Results ............................................................................................. 52 Detailed Screening Criteria Team Activities: ....................................................................................... 53 Scoring Results: ................................................................................................................................... 59 Evaluation of the Fifth (Hybrid) site: ..................................................................................................... 60 Summary Scoring Analysis: ................................................................................................................. 63 Public Meeting Describing the Proposed Site ........................................................................67 Proposed Management and Operational Partners .................................................................69 Interstate Issues / Tribal Considerations ................................................................................70 CONNECTICUT NERR SITE DESCRIPTION ...........................................................................70 4 Connecticut NERR Site Selection & Nomination Report – December 21, 2018 Site Boundaries .....................................................................................................................70 Core and Buffer Areas ...........................................................................................................71 Physical Setting .....................................................................................................................77 Climate ................................................................................................................................................. 77 Hydrography / Oceanography .............................................................................................................. 78 Geology ................................................................................................................................................ 79 Water Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 81 Site Components and Habitat Types .....................................................................................84 Significant Flora and Fauna ................................................................................................. 109 CONFORMITY OF PROPOSED SITE WITH NERR PROGRAM GUIDING PRINCIPLES ...... 110 Site's Contribution to the Biogeographical and Typological Balance of the NERR ............... 110 Site's Ecological Characteristics and Degree of Human Influence ....................................... 111 Site Selection Team Scoring Notes: .................................................................................................. 113 Adequacy of Site's Boundaries and Control Over Human Activities ..................................... 114 Site Selection Team Scoring Notes: .................................................................................................. 114 Site's Suitability for Long-Term Estuarine Research ............................................................ 115 Site Selection Team Scoring Notes: .................................................................................................. 116 Site's Importance to Education and Interpretation ................................................................ 116 Site Selection Team Scoring Notes: .................................................................................................. 117 COMPATIBILTY WITH EXISTING AND POTENTIAL LAND AND WATER USES .................. 117 Land Uses ........................................................................................................................... 118 Water Uses ......................................................................................................................... 124 Navigation, Infrastructure, & Commerce ............................................................................................ 124 Recreational and Commercial Fishing ............................................................................................... 127 Water Use Summary .......................................................................................................................... 129 Existing Plans and Policies .................................................................................................. 129 Specific Land Owner Policies .............................................................................................. 134 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLAN ................................ 136 Sample DEIS & DMP Outline .............................................................................................. 136 Sample State-Federal Memorandum of Agreement ............................................................. 138 APPENDICIES ........................................................................................................................ 144 5 Connecticut NERR Site Selection & Nomination Report – December 21, 2018 LIST OF TABLES: Table 1: Detailed Connecticut NERR Evaluation Criteria List. ...................................................32 Table 2: Initial list of potential Connecticut NERR sites. ............................................................35 Table 3: SST Core Team Members. ..........................................................................................38 Table 4: SST External Experts. .................................................................................................39 Table 5: Facility Matrix. ............................................................................................................53 Table 6: Final site scoring results. ............................................................................................59 Table 7: Final site scoring results including hybrid site.