Current Status and Issues in the Willimantic River Watershed

Background

During the last century, much has been learned about how to protect water quality. As a result, the river and its tributaries have returned to a healthier state. Dyes from textile mills no longer turn the river's water different colors, and the Town of Stafford, Town of Coventry, and University of Connecticut's Storrs campus wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded to modern standards and practices.

Willimantic River Classification

The Willimantic River is now rated as Class B to reflect Connecticut's Water Quality Standards. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection details the status of aquatic life and other designated uses in the river in their Summary of the Water Quality Standards and Classifications. Class B is often referred to as "fishable and swimable" conditions. As a result, the river is now a premier fishing spot and paddling route because of its year-round water flow and its lightly developed watershed.

Potential Problems

Possible sources of problems continue to need watching. The river continues to receive waste waters from industrial uses and municipal/university wastewater treatment plants. Less obvious potential sources of problems include erosion from farmland and construction sites, stormwater runoff from an increasing number of streets, buildings and parking lots in the watershed, and removal of streamside wetlands and vegetation that absorb sediments, fertilizers and other pollutants before they reach the water.

Impaired Waterbodies List

The main stem of the Willimantic River is no longer listed as an impaired water body by the State of Connecticut. Some of its tributaries, however, are still on this list.

1. Two segments of Eagleville Brook are listed as impaired for Not Supporting for Aquatic Life Support (with unknown cause/suspected copper and siltation). It discharges into the river just above Eagleville dam in Mansfield.
2. A tributary to Cedar Swamp Brook is listed as impaired for Not Supporting for Aquatic Life Support (suspected causes include PAHs/Pesticides/VOCs, Metals) as it travels through Shelter Falls Park and Pink Ravine before discharging into the river at the north end of Eagleville Lake in Mansfield. PAHs are known as polyacromatic hydrocarbons, and VOCs are volatile organic carbons.
3. Furnace Brook, Section 01 - Not Supporting for Aquatic Life Support (habitat alteration due to channelization, hydromodification), and Partial Support for Primary Contact Recreation (bacterial exceedances, sources unknown). This brook joins the Middle River at the headwaters of the Willimantic River in Stafford Springs.
4. Ruby Brook outlet stream, Section 01 Not Supporting for Aquatic Life Support (hydrocarbons, sulfates, suspected waste storage/storage leaks). This brook flows into Roaring Brook, a tributary of the river in Willington.

More information on water quality assessment is available in the DEP's statewide Water Quality Report to Congress (aka the 305b report). Within this report, the DEP lists CT waterbodies not meeting designated uses - known as the 303d list, or CT List of Impaired Waterbodies.

Willimantic River Streamwalk

The Willimantic River Streamwalk project is a first step to identify strategies to conserve and protect water quality and quantity in the Willimantic River Watershed. The first Streamwalk along the Willimantic River and many of its tributaries was in the summer of 2000. Volunteers were trained to gather information by walking along the bank, in the stream/river, or by canoe and visually observing specific features. The data collected included average width of riparian vegetation, type of streambank vegetation, type of substrate material, average water depth, and average stream width. Volunteers also noted sites with problems, such as erosion or algae.

ECCD Streamwalk Project

The Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) compiled an initial report in 2002 from the Streamwalk data. As a follow up, in the fall of 2005, ECCD staff began assessing this data and designing action plans to address water quality problems. They toured the upper watershed including Furnace Brook and Middle Brook. In late May and early June of 2006, they surveyed the river’s main stem looking for locations of concern noted during the 2000 Streamwalk and evaluated the original Streamwalk data. They then met with town representatives to discuss potential ways to address problem areas and to offer assistance with finding solutions.

Streamwalk Results

Overall, the river and most of its tributaries were found to be in good health. Specific areas of potential concern included flood debris along the upper river from the October, 2005 flood event, erosion and stormwater impacts at several sites, and the need for protective buffers of vegetation. The Streamwalk data is a set of snapshots taken during 2000 and 2005-6 of specific parts of the river and its tributaries. It is not a comprehensive list of locations of concern in the watershed. Some areas still need to be visited for an initial assessment. Known areas of concern will continue to need monitoring. The ECCD report "Action Plans for the Willimantic River Basin," provides more information about the Streamwalk project and its recommendations.

Aquifer Protection

Currently, under the CT DEP's Aquifer Protection Program, the state has designated a number of Level A and Level B Aquifer Protection Areas within the Willimantic River watershed. These areas contain high yielding public water supply wells in stratified drift areas, such as the University of Connecticut wells in Mansfield.

Water Quality Connections

Contact person for CT DEP water quality and watershed information: