Anderson Applauds Land Protection Agreement

HARTLAND – This morning atop the Goodwin Dam, I joined conservation organizations, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), and fellow legislators to hail an important agreement to conserve 5,500 acres of watershed land in Connecticut and Massachusetts. 4,300 acres are in Colebrook and Hartland. The MDC has agreed to grant a conservation easement to the Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC), who have committed $1 million for the purpose. Execution of the easement is contingent on the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) approving MDC’s application to abandon control of 10 of 13 billion gallons stored in the Colebrook River Reservoir behind the Colebrook River Dam. This upper dam is owned the Army Corps of Engineers.

A DPH decision on the application is imminent. In the event that it is approved, the opportunity arises for this water to become available to augment water flow to the Wild and Scenic Upper Farmington River. This is especially important during low flow conditions which threaten aquatic life and water quality, as well as recreational uses like fishing, kayaking, and tubing.

In addition to the NCLC, the following conservation organizations played a significant role in bringing about this agreement: Save the Sound, Farmington River Watershed Association, Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Connecticut Land Conservation Council, and the Nature Conservancy of Connecticut.

These are my remarks given at the press conference:

“We have before us an opportunity to turn a new page in the history of the West Branch of the Farmington River and its watershed. In 1949, the state legislature empowered the MDC to build dams and to acquire watershed land along the river. This was to ensure an adequate supply of clean water to the Capital region for the foreseeable future. The dam we now stand on was completed in 1960.

The Great Flood of 1955 accentuated the need for a second dam, for another public purpose – flood control. This federally-authorized second dam was completed in 1969. With recent heavy rains, I dread to think what would have happened downriver without these dams.

Now this second dam increased the MDC-controlled water storage capacity in this basin by more than 150%.

The protection of this water mandated the conservation of thousands of acres of forestland and wildlife habitat surrounding it. Keeping a promise made when the land and water were acquired, the MDC allows public access to the two reservoirs and to the watershed land.

I understand and accept the underlying reasons for the MDC application to abandon 60% of the water storage in these two reservoirs. Concerns have been raised however, about a long term threat to development of the surrounding land. Over the past several months, representatives of the MDC have assured me that they have no plans to ever allow development. When I hear this, I just smile and nod while I’m thinking, ‘yea sure, now show me in writing.’

Now with this memorandum of understanding for a conservation easement, we do have it in writing. The MOU addresses continued conservation along with maintaining public access.

Unresolved is the issue of optimizing river flow. Quoting from the joint testimony of six conservation organizations, most who are represented here today ‘if the abandonment permit is granted, the 10 billion gallons of storage will potentially become available … to augment existing river flows, particularly during low flow conditions.’

Finally, the execution of this conservation easement is contingent upon the Connecticut Department of Public Health granting the abandonment permit. I urge DPH to do the right thing and approve this application.”

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