Category Archives: Uncategorized

WATER QUALITY & BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITYThe Farmington Land Trust’s fishing pier was developed with the intent of providing a fishing site accessible to people with limited mobility. Unfortunately, over the years it has presented repeated problems. Located at a bend in the Farmington River near the confluence of the river with Unionville Brook, the pier obstructsContinue reading “Farmington Land Trust’s Fishing Pier Remediation Project”

WATER QUALITY & BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITYLFSWS supported FRWA through funding for Water Quality interns for cyanobacteria research on Rainbow Reservoir, a 225-acre impoundment on the Farmington River in Windsor. In recent years, cyanobacteria blooms, which have the potential to be toxic and affect water quality, have been recurring in Rainbow Reservoir, impacting the recreational use. TheContinue reading “Cyanobacteria Research”

WATER QUALITY & BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITYSixteen sites were monitored year-round for chloride to determine how locations fare in winter months when road salts are applied, and in summer during high-production times for aquatic plants and animals. In fiscal year 2023, LFSWS funded FRWA’s purchase of continuous conductivity monitors to enable conductivity research in relation to chlorideContinue reading “Chloride Monitoring”

WATER QUALITY & BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITYFRWA deployed water temperature loggers at four sites in 2024. Loggers record water temperatures hourly throughout the year to monitor in-stream temperatures to document cold water habitat for temperature-sensitive species and to assess long term trends. The data recorded indicate cold water at all sites where the loggers were deployed.

WATER QUALITY & BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITYTwenty-three sites were monitored for bacteria from May to September. In 2024 several exceeded the Water Quality Criteria for bacteria. These data can better inform where there may be higher levels of polluted stormwater runoff and help to determine potential land-based causes behind these factors. Results are updated weekly during theContinue reading “Water Quality: Bacteria”

WATER QUALITY & BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITYBecause Water Quality is one of the outstanding resource values for which the river was designated Wild and Scenic, the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee (LFSWS) provides funding for some of the monitoring and related research done by the Farmington River Watershed Association (FRWA). Good waterContinue reading “Water Quality Monitoring”

The Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee (LFSWS) is proud to present its Annual Report for the fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 through September 2024). The report summarizes the work we have done with respect to the river and brook’s special resources for which they were federally designated Wild & ScenicContinue reading “Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Annual Report 2024”

In Fiscal Year 2023, LFSWS successfully supported a variety of its own research, conservation, and outreach work in the partnership towns. It also provided grant funding to local organizations forriver-related projects consistent with the mission of the Partnership Wild & Scenic Rivers program.

OTHER EDUCATION & OUTREACH PROJECTSThe Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions (CACIWIC) held their annual meeting on Saturday, November 11, at the Bristol Event Center. LFSWS sponsored the attendance of a Committee member who attended several sessions relevant to the lower Farmington River, Salmon Brook and its tributaries. These included greenways as aContinue reading “CACIWIC Conference 2023”

In 2024, Jay Kaplan of Roaring Brook Nature Center did a study of dragonflies and damselflies in the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook area to compare the species present then with findings of studies from the 1990’s and early 2000’s.  Some species he expected to find were not present.  For the most part, theyContinue reading “2025 Dragonfly and Damselfly Study”