THE HOUSATONIC IN CONNECTICUT A WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR : NATIONAL PARK SERVICE As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historic places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation conmunities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Cecil D. Andrus, Secretary NATIONAL PARK SERVICE William J. Whalen, Director FINAL REPORT THE HOUSATONIC IN CONNECTICUT A WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY August 1979 Prepared by: U.S. Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (formerly Bureau of Outdoor Recreation) Northeast Regional Office Printed by the National .Park Service FOREWORD On October 12, 1976, the U.S. Congress amended the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Public Law 90-542) to include for study the Housatonic River in Connecticut from the Massachusetts/Connecticut boundary downstream to its conflu­ ence with the Shepaug River. This action was the result of the initia­ tive taken by the people of the Housatonic Valley to protect the natural beauty and cultural heritage of their river. The Wild and Scenic Rivers System was established by Congress in 1968 to protect and conserve outstanding free-flowing rivers of this nation for the future. Its purpose as stated in the Act is "that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cul­ tural, or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoy­ ment of present and future gener­ ations." This report evaluates the Housatonic River in Connecticut, discusses the actions required for conservation and protection of the river, and explains the procedures for designation of the eligible river segment as a National Scenic and Recreational River. SUMMARY. • . • . • . • • . • • . • • • • . • • . • . • • • • • • • . • • • • . • • . • . • • • • • . 1 Findings. • . • • • . • . • • • . • • . • . • • • . • • • • • . • • • . • • • • • . • • • . • • • • 2 Recommendations. • • • . • • • . • . • • . • • • • • . • • • • • • • . • • • • . • • • • • • . • • . 4 THE RIVER ENVIRONMENT Natural Resources. • • . • . • • • • . • • . • . • • • • . • . 5 Topography. • . • • • . • • • . • • • . • • . • . • • . • . • • . • . • • . • . 5 Geology........................................................... 7 Hydrology. • • . • • • . • • • • . • . • . • • • • • • • . • . • . • • . • . 9 Water Quality. • • • . • • • • • . • • • . • • . • • • . • • • • . • . • • . 11 Climate •........••......••..•••....•••.....••...•....•.....•••.... 13 Soils ..•..•....••••...••••..•••....•.•.....••••.....••••...•..•... 14 Vegetation ..•••.•....••...••••...•••...••.•.....••••....••........ 16 Wildlife. • • . • • • . • • • • . • • . • • . • . • • . • . • . • • 18 Fisheries ..•.•....••.•...•••..•••....••••....•.•••...•••.......•.. 18 Critical Habitats ................................................. 19 Settlement Pattern •.•.....••.....•....•••..............••.....•••... 21 Land Use ...•.•.....•.••.....••..••••...••........•.•.....•.•...... 21 Population •••......••....•.•...••••...•••••....•.••.....••.....••. 22 Agriculture ....••••....•.••....•••..•••.•......•.•....•.......•••. 24 Forestry. • . • . • • • • . • • • . • • • • . • • . • • • • . • • . 24 Mining ....•.•.....•.•......••.....••••....••.••...••••.....•.•.... 25 Manufacturing ...•.••...•.•••....•.••..•.•..•...•.••.•.....•....... 25 Hydropower Production. • . • • . • . • • . • . • • • . • • . • . • • • . • • • • . 27 Recreation. • • • • • . • • • • • • . • . • • • • . • • . • . • • . • . • • . • 29 Conservation Ac ti vi ty ..••......••....••••....•.••...•.••......••.. 33 Archaeological Activity ..•.••.•.•....•.•...•.•.....••••...•.•••..• 33 Historical Development ••......••••....•.••...•••.•.....•••......•• 33 WILD AND SCENIC RIVER CRITERIA. • . • • . • . • . • • . • • • . • • . 35 Eligibility Criteria. • . •. • • . • • • • • . • . • • • . • . • • . • • 35 Classification ..•......•••.•......•.••....••.....•••....•••......•.. 38 MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES. • . • • • . • . • . • . • • • . • . • • . • . • • 39 Inventory ....••••.•.....••..•••......•••.•...•.....••....•....•.•... 40 River Corridor. • . • • . • . • . • • . • • . • . • • • . • . • . 40 Critical Areas •••......•••.......•.....••..•.•......•.•.....•••..• 41 Poli ti cal Actions ...••.•....•••••....•••••.•.•...•...•........••.. 43 Analysis •.....•.•.....••••.....••.•....•.•...•••.....••••.....••.••• 44 Programming ......•.•...•••••.....•••••.....•...•.••.....•.......•.•. 44 Land Use Management Program .••....•••.........•..••....•..•.....•• 44 Recreation Management Program .•••....•.•...•.•.....•••....•••..•.. 47 Water Quality Management. • . • . • • • • • . • . • • . • • • . 48 Implementation •.•....••••••.•.•.....•.•••.••.•.•...••.••....••.•.•.• 50 Wild & Scenic River Designation ...••.•.........•.••....••••......... 51 APPENDICE8 PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS. 52 Description of the Plans. 52 Evaluation and Comparison of the Plans. 56 Wild and Scenic River Evaluation.............. 65 FISH AND WILDLIFE OF THE HOUSATONTC RIVER VALLEY..................... 71 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 75 PARTICIPATING AGENCIES. 77 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED ............................................. 79-111 MAPS 1. Location. • . • . 1 2. Housatonic Watershed............................................. 1 3. Housatonic Study Segment. 3 4. Topography. • . • . 6 5. Bedrock Geology. • . • . 8 6. Hydrology. • . • . 9 7. Soil Associations. • . 14 8. Vegetation Zones................................................. 16 9. Population Density. • . • . • . 23 10. Manufacturing Employment 1970-2000. • . • . • . 26 11. Settlement Patterns.. • . 32 TABLES 1. Average Annual Water Budget........ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 2. Average Climatic Conditions........ .. .. .. .. • . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 3. Land Use......................................................... 22 4. Population Projections. 23 5, Commercial Forest Land Benefits ............•..................... 25 6. Manufacturing Employment.. • . • . 26 7. State Parks and Forests. • . 29 8. Mean Monthly Flow ..........................•.......... , . 36 PRINCIPLES & STANDARDS TABLES A. Description of the Plans......................................... 54 B. Environmental Quality Objective .. .. .. .. .. .. • .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 57 C. Economic Development Objective................................... 59 D. Regional Development Objective................................... 62 E. Social Well-Being Objective. 64 F. Wild & Scenic River/Existing Trends Comparison ................... 66 G. Wild & Scenic River/Economic Development Comparison .............. 68 H. Wild & Scenic River/Environmental Protection Comparison .......... 69 '/ ' (p,---"AS_':_ "T.)\., \ i \ .., CONN. ' . ..... ~.: N.Y. CD MAP1: LOCATION l>""·""I The Housatonic Watershed SUMMARY The Housatonic River basin lies principally in western Connecticut and southwestern Massachusetts with small sections extending into southeastern New York. Of the river's total 132 miles, only 51 miles in Connecticut were iden­ tified for this study. The general study area includes the towns of ,, Salisbury, North Canaan, Canaan, /' Sharon, Cornwall, Kent, Sherman, Danbury New Milford, Bridgewater, Brook­ field and Newtown. This area is well known for its charming rural character, historical heritage and natural beauty which is remarkable considering its proximity to the northeastern megalopolis. 0 4 8 16 miles This hilly upland area was passed Scale over as an urban corridor developed CD between Boston and New York along MAP 2: HOUSATONIC WATERSHED the flat coastal plain of Long Island Sound. Today, urban The Study Area pressures are beginning to be felt here, as the nearby Danbury metro­ politan area continues to expand rapidly, and as the popularity of was brought about by their interest river-oriented recreation continues in preserving the Housatonic and to increase. The residents of the has involved a full variety of Housatonic Valley are aware of public and private officials and these pressures and their potential citizens who are working together b.LgU.LJ..LC'.C:UlU ctrt.:ucteU..LUg.Lt.:<:J....L J. .LIJUb from prehistoric cultures and is a The Housatonic River from the uniq_ue archaeological resource in Massachusetts/Connecticut this area of New England. border to its confluence with the Shepaug River has been WATER QUALITY. The study segment carefully studied by an of the Housatonic River has a interagency study team of general class "B" rat· ing un d er representatives from several the 1973 Water Quality Standards federal agencies, the State for Connecticut. This indicates of Connecticut, regional plan­ the river's ability to support ning agencies, and several bathing and other recreational recreation and conservation activities as well as to provide groups. This