Wild & Scenic

In 1994, 14 miles of the Upper Farmington River — stretching from Colebrook to Canton — was added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system with an act of Congress. In Fall, 2003, the Farmington River Watershed Association (FRWA) embarked upon an effort to have the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook similarly considered for this extraordinary distinction.

FRWA sought letters of support from 10 towns – Avon, Bloomfield, Burlington, Canton, East Granby, Farmington, Granby, Hartland, Simsbury, and Windsor – and based on a strong showing of support, our Congressional leaders introduced “The Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Study Act” in 2004 and then again in 2005. Senators Dodd & Lieberman introduced a bill that passed the Senate in late 2005, and in November, 2006 the House passed a companion bill with the support of Congressional Reps Nancy Johnson and John Larson. On November 27, 2006 the bill, S. 435, was signed into law by President Bush.

The four-year Feasibility Study involved volunteers from the 10 towns who oversaw research into the areas of interest, and worked with the towns, stakeholders and National Park Service to develop a management plan to help protect the outstanding natural, recreational, and/or cultural values of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook. The lower Farmington River/Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Study Committee has released the Management Plan to the Study Area towns and is looking forward to the Farmington River and Salmon Brook gaining the Wild and Scenic designation in the near future. 

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE DESIGNATION AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR TOWN** 

Learn more about the Outstanding Resources

Join Us for an Interactive Tour of the Wild & Scenic Study Towns

For more on the Wild & Scenic process, please see the frequently asked questions (FAQ’s).

If you would like to support the Lower Farmington River/ Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic designation please click on the Comments RSS Post at the bottom right side of this page and submit your name, town and comments.