Below are a few of the activities the PRWC is currently involved in.
Pomperaug Water Resources Management Project
The Coalition is undertaking a project to create a comprehensive management plan for the sustainable use of the water
in the Pomperaug River Watershed. In consultation with the State’s Department of Environmental Protection and working
with scientists at Cornell University and the United States Geological Survey, the Coalition will develop models
to understand and quantify: (1)how water enters, moves through, and leaves the watershed and its aquifers, and
(2) the ecological requirements of the watershed’s rivers and streams. The knowledge gained from this modeling will
provide the data upon which to base a plan for the management of the allocation among the many demands placed on
this resource -- drinking water, irrigation,waste water assimilation, recreation and aesthetics - while still
maintaining the integrity of the aquatic and related habitat. The study will be the first of its kind
in New England and has been designated by the CT Water Planning Council as a model for Connecticut’s water
resource user community. (State of Connecticut Water Planning Council annual report to the general assembly and work plan
for 2004. January 26, 2004)
See the project management plan and progress by clicking here.
Read USGS Phase 1 results by clicking here.
Read USGS Phase 2 results by clicking here.
Critical Lands Analysis
The Coalition's Land Use Committee has developed an analysis of lands that are critical to the health of the Pomperaug Watershed. Click here to read the details.
UConn Sediment Study
This preliminary study of the sediment dynamics of the Pomperaug River will
allow the Coalition to relate potential changes in water flows in the watershed
to changing conditions in river bottoms, bank erosion and sediment storage. Click here to read the details.
State of Connecticut Water Planning Council
In 2001 the Connecticut Legislature mandated the formation of a Water Planning Council, whose mission is
to "identify issues and strategies which bridge the gap between the water supply planning process and water
resources management in order that water can be appropriately allocated to balance competing needs while protecting
the health, safety and welfare of the people of Connecticut and minimize adverse economic and environmental effects.”
The PRWC is represented on the Council by Director Marc Taylor. As a result of his participation, the Coalition has gained significant visibility and credibility, and is playing
an important role in bringing the concerns and interests of the environmental community to the Council.
For more information, please visit the Department of Public Utility Control web site at:
http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/DPUCINFO.nsf/ByWaterPlanning
Streamwalk Program
Volunteers are trained to walk the Pomperaug River and its tributaries, conducting a physical survey of the condition of
the river and its banks. This information is used to identify and prioritize problem sites in the watershed, and will be
used as the basis for grant applications for remediation.
State of the Watershed Report
This detailed technical report on the state of the Pomperaug Watershed is a good primer on watershed issues.
Copies are available at town offices, libraries and PRWC offices in Southbury. A four-page "Report to the
Community" overview of the Watershed Report is also available.
Stream Gauges
The Coalition spearheaded efforts to reactivate stream gauges on the Nonnewaug and Weekeepeemee Rivers. These gauges,
along with the one already in operation on the Pomperaug River, measure the flow and the depth of the river. Real-time
data from the gauges are available at the USGS website:
Pomperaug River
Nonnewaug River
Weekeepeemee River
Water Quality Monitoring
The PRWC is working with representatives from the watershed towns, the Connecticut DEP and United States Geological
Survey (USGS) to develop a cost effective surface and groundwater monitoring protocol that will help alert the
Coalition to septic system failures, chemical spills, and other contamination in the river and aquifer. This information
will available to the public upon request.
Long Meadow Lake
Long Meadow Lake is located in the headwaters of the Pomperaug River Watershed, and its stewardship is spearheaded by the Long Meadow Lake Management Committee (LMLMC). In March 2005, the LMLMC started a volunteer lake monitoring program that includes the collection of data in-situ for key physico-chemical parameters on a monthly basis at three in-lake stations. The current objective of this program is to characterize the general ecological health of the lake over time. The First Annual Water Quality Report for Long Meadow Lake , completed by HydroEnvironmental Solutions, Inc. in January 2007, summarizes and interprets the first year of lake monitoring data. To view this report, click here. |
