GATEWAY AND RIVER RELATED NEWS

Conservation of Energy Resources in the Gateway Conservation Zone

January 20, 2012: Admittedly, discussion of worldwide oil production is a little outside of the realm of issues confronting us within the Gateway Conservation Zone and the lower Connecticut River, or at least outside of the "news" that we usually write about in this section of the Gateway website. Those of us who work for and with the Gateway Commission and pursue the mission of protection and preservation of the visual quality of the lower river are conservationists at heart, and conservation extends to the use of our natural resources - including oil. Although not directly related to our conservation efforts here in the lower river, the issue of oil conservation and the impacts of dwindling worldwide oil resources is of great importance to all of us.

The report of the Austrailian Government's Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government presents a summary of worldwide oil production and describes a plateauing of oil production and a falloff starting around 2016 or 2017. Logically speaking, oil production follows closely upon the heels of oil exploration and discovery, which many have said has been steadily falling off in recent years. The politics of oil production are interesting as well; China is looking more toward proactively developing relationships with oil-exporting countries around the world, including those in the Middle East, this due to the fact that China is now an oil importer due the tremendous pace of their growing economy. Oil-based political alliances will continue to impact us until the global community finds its way to alternative energy sources.

In the lower river valley and elsewhere, we are seeing more and more individual efforts to conserve resources such heating oil. Solar panel installations (photo at left) are becoming more common as are residential wind turbines (photo below). Although there has been discussion of several large, "industrial-size" wind turbines within one Gateway town, that has not come to pass. That possibility had many asking if wind turbines would be consistent with the "natural and traditional riverway scene" in the lower river. Several have been installed around Connecticut, including a highly visible installation adjacent to New Haven Harbor and the Q-Bridge. As petroleum resources continue to decline, we will see more of these technologies in our area.

And then there is the issue of climate change and sea level rise. Although significant sea level inundation won't impact us during our lifetime, there are efforts afoot to inform our state, regional and local governments to start planning now. The Nature Conservancy's Coastal Resilience project embodies one such effort. Because sea level rise is perceived as a long-term problem (50 to 100 years), it's difficult to get leaders to consider spending funds during tight budget times to plan for eventualities that are decades off in the future.

We are all thinking "conservation" nowadays. We need to think "greener" and be more proactive in our efforts. In the meantime, we'll continue to enjoy the beauty of the lower Connecticut River and the efforts to preserve its beauty through the missions of the Gateway Commission and other conservation partners.

Protection of Ecological Resources in the Conservation Zone

January 6, 2012: For the property owners and contractors who conduct the environmentally sensitive work that takes place in the tidal waters of the state, the period between November and March is especially important. It is during this time that environmental sensitivities are at their lowest, so it's the period that work such as dredging and pile-driving is authorized by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. During other times of the year, the Department is protecting spawning and migrating fish, spawning shellfish and the migrating and nesting of birds and other ecologically special flora and fauna from the adverse impacts of the sometimes disruptive in-water activities. This November to March "window" is the only opportunity for significant in-water upgrade activity.

In the photo at left, a contractor working for the Saybrook Point Hotel and Marina is driving pilings within the marina's Connecticut River boat basin. The hotel and marina are located in one of the most visible areas of the Gateway Conservation Zone and, along with the Between the Bridges facility a mile to the north, represent one of two largest single developments within the entire eight town Conservation Zone. As for marina work, environmental laws allow facilities like SPM to replace up to 1/3 of their pilings as "routine maintenance". In such cases, the property owner has only to notify the Department that such work will be conducted. Lengthy permit reviews are not necessary.

Saybrook Point Hotel and Marina has garnered many awards in its twenty year history. From the environmental standpoint, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (then the Department of Environmental Protection) awarded the facility the first "Clean Marina" recognition in 2003 and has awarded them the recognition every year since. The marina has also won awards including the "Five Bell Rating" from the Atlantic Cruising Club (an award that takes into account environmental stewardship in addition to service and amenities), the 2007 National Marina of the Year awarded by Marina Dock Age, a 2006 award that designated the marina and hotel as one of the 10 greatest places to "dock and dine" by Power and Motor Yacht publications and the 2008 and 2009 "Best Marina" and 2011 "Best Hotel Dining" awards from Connecticut Magazine. The Tagliatela family, owners of the facility, take great pride in their awards, but they take particular pride in their environmental stewardship here at the mouth of the lower Connecticut River and within the Gateway Conservation Zone.

When originally constructed in the late 1980's, the Gateway Commission had concerns over the measured height of the hotel. Some thought that it exceeded the 35 foot maximum established in Gateway standards and in the Old Saybrook Zoning Regulations. Despite that original concern, in all of the various ongoing phases of development at the Saybrook Point site, structure designs complied with the standards of the Gateway Commission. At all turns, the Tagliatelas and their design consultants made every effort to seek the advice of the Gateway Commission and have designed the facility accordingly. In many ways, the Saybrook Point Hotel and Marina is a model citizen within the Gateway Conservation Zone and in the much acclaimed lower Connecticut River.

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2011 in Review

December 30, 2011: As we close out 2011, it's appropriate to look back on some of the events of the year from the perspective of the Gateway Commission and their mission to preserve and protect the natural and traditional riverway scene in the lower Connecticut River. It was an important year in many respects for positive and not so positive reasons. The following three high priority issues took much of the Commission's time and resources during the 2011 calendar year:

The Haddam Land Swap. At the top of the list of issues that faced the Commission is the Haddam Land Swap. Readers will recall that, through special legislation proposed by Senator Eileen Daily, the General Assembly and the Governor approved the conveyance of 17 acres of state-owned conservation land located close to the Connecticut River in Haddam to a private developer in return for receiving a large parcel of land located adjacent to Cockaponsett State Forest. Although the forest parcel is five times the size of the 17 acre conservation land, the Gateway Commission saw the smaller piece located on a hillside next to the Goodspeed Bridge as a key piece in the battle to preserve the undeveloped nature of the lower Connecticut River. In a larger sense, the overall concern on the part of the conservation community is the precedent set by conveying land, purchased by the State of Connecticut specifically for conservation purposes, to a private developer. The backlash includes statements by numerous owners of signficant natural parcels of land that say that they'll never deed land to the State for fear of the land being conveyed to developers at the whim of the General Assembly.

As we close out the year, the appraisers who have been given the task of valuing the two parcels involved in the conveyance are finishing their work. That information will be provided to the State Property Review Board which is charged with insuring that the State is getting equal or greater value from the parcel that they're receiving in trade for the parcel they're conveying to the private developers. As one appraiser commented, this conveyance and the appraisal work that he was engaged in doing was the most unusual thing he's seen in his 25 years of work. Although the way the conveyance occurred was most extraordinary, he said, his job was to appraise and not to question. Gateway, committed to working with their member town Haddam on any development that may occur as a result of the conveyance, awaits the outcome of the process which includes local rezoning of the Tylerville area of Haddam.

Marina Village, Old Saybrook. Although having dealt with this riverfront development project over a several year period, the property owners proposing the redevelopment of the "Between the Bridges" marina complex were able to get their approvals for their project during the 2011 calendar year. Although the marina portion of the facility will remain essentially unchanged (although aesthetically upgraded), the developer will be building 90 new units of upscale housing that includes 27 units of "affordable housing" on both the riverfront and non-riverfront sides of Ferry Road. Make no mistake, the "affordable" units will still be quite expensive, although not nearly as much as the "at market" units. By applying under statutes governing affordable housing applications, the developer was able to take advantage of the fact that they don't have to abide by the zoning regulations that apply to the underlying property.

Affordable housing projects often include structures that are larger and higher than the zoning regulations would normally allow, this in return for setting aside at least one third of the housing units as "affordable" according to a State definition. The larger higher structures allow for more units, thereby offsetting the loss of revenue that occurs for the affordable units when sold. At this site, the riverfront residential units will be built on a street-level platform which renders the structures almost 50feet high as seen from the river. Gateway standards contained in the Old Saybrook Zoning Regulations, under a non-affordable housing application, would only permit a total height of 35 feet. The residential units on the western side of Ferry Road (not on the riverfront) will essentially be 35 feet in height.

In that the development is located within a highly visible portion of the Gateway Conservation Zone, Gateway had an important role in the application process. Numerous discussions and site visits, including viewing the facility from a boat, occurred so that Gateway Commission members could fully understand and explain their objectives in minimizing the visual impacts of what would be large riverfront structures. Gateway, statutes provide, has the last say on the adoption of any regulations that impact property in the Conservation Zone. The proposed regulations that allowed this new development were subject to that Gateway review. In the end, although the new development will be slightly larger than what exists on the site at present, Gateway's opinion was that the new development will be (1) in character with traditional design in the lower river, (2) offers a signficant improvement over the decades-old development that exists on-site at present, and (3) generally upgrades the character of the river in that location. As a result, the Gateway Commission "approved" the Old Saybrook Zoning Commission's adoption of the proposed zoning regulations, paving the way for reconstruction at the site. Most acknowledge that the decisions made by the Zoning Commission and the Gateway Commission were thought to be a "win-win" for the town, the developer and the river scene.

The Adoption of 2004 Gateway Standards in Essex. After seven years of little progress, the Essex Zoning Commission held an informational meeting on December 19, 2011 to solicit input from the public on the adoption of standards that the other seven Gateway member towns had adopted as far back as 2004. With Essex Gateway representative Tony Chirico being the communication conduit, Zoning Chairman Al Wolfgram agreed to move forward with discussions. Although there has been no consensus on how or when the Zoning Commission will move forward with the adoption of the standards, having a public discussion on the issue is a giant step in the right direction. Although a vocal minority expressed the opinion that such protections "aren't needed" and that Essex didn't have to go along with the other seven member towns because Essex is "special", it's thought that the majority would likely want to see Essex step up to their Gateway responsibilities and adopt the 2004 standards like their river "colleagues". Such responsibilities include preservation of their shores for their own residents as well as those living in Lyme and Old Lyme across the river.

Essex and the 2004 Gateway Standards

November 30, 2011: At 7:30pm on Monday, December 19th, 2011, the Essex Zoning Commission will convene a public hearing to consider the adoption of the 2004 amended Gateway standards. Although almost seven years following the adoption of the standards by the Gateway Commission, Gateway members are pleased that the Zoning Commission has gotten to the point of adopting the new standards. Essex will be the eighth and final Gateway member town to adopt the standards.

As most know, the Gateway zoning standards are adopted to manage the visual impact of development - primarily residential in nature - on the "natural and traditional riverway scene". The 2004 standards include the requirement for a local Zoning Commission to conduct a Special Exception hearing for structures in excess of 4,000 square feet, a structure setback of 100 feet from the river where 50 feet used to be required, a new riparian buffer of 50 feet designed to protect the river's water quality, and a structure height requirement that limits the height of structures as seen from the river. All of these standards were designed to preserve and protect the visual quality of the river scene consistent with the almost 40 year mission of the Gateway Commission.

The Gateway compact, established in 1973, is based upon a collaborative relationship with the zoning authorities in the eight Gateway member towns. State statutes authorize Gateway to establish zoning standards that are to be "promptly" adopted into local regulations by their member towns. Because of the collaborative nature of the protective mission, the Gateway Commission has been reluctant to be "heavy-handed" when it came to standards adoption. For this reason, the Gateway Commission has sought during the intervening seven years to have their various Essex representatives conduct internal discussions with the powers-that-be rather than to create any sort of adversarial relationship. Until recently, that strategy hadn't worked. As for the local Zoning Commission, there have been members who felt that they don't need any more standards in their regulations; they felt that they were doing just fine without more regulations. Others in town, however, have felt that the Zoning Commission should adopt the newest standards just as the other seven member towns have. Lately, such groups have included the everpresent Essex Garden Club and the Essex Conservation Commission. Most express surprise that Essex has lagged behind in adoption of the standards.

Whatever the reason for not adopting the newest standards in a "prompt" manner, the Gateway Commission greatly appreciates that the issue has gotten to the point of a public hearing with the likely adoption of the new standards.

For those interested in supporting the adoption of the 2004 standards, testimony can be submitted to the Essex Zoning Commission in person or by mail. Since the Gateway Commission operates on a regional scale, it is appropriate that testimony come from citizens in any of the eight lower river member towns The address is Essex Zoning Commission, 29 West Avenue, Essex, Connecticut 06426. The public hearing commences on Thursday, December 19, 2011.

Hamburg Cove, Lyme

November 23, 2011: The Eight Mile River, where it flows into the Connecticut River, is known as Hamburg Cove. In this particularly desirable area of the Gateway Conservation Zone, one can find many larger homes with many varying designs. Most designs seem to "fit" into the character of the area while some are less typical. One thing they all have in common, however, is that they're located on steep hillsides which plunge at steep angles into the cove below. For the most part, the hillsides have remained covered with visually-buffering trees.

The photographs shown within this report were taken within the inner portion of Hamburg Cove in the area delineated by the red circle in the aerial photo above (the main stem of the Connecticut River is located in the lower left). In this inner area, many of the homes have been built to blend into the hillsides and, for the most part, have been finished with materials and colors that mute the appearance of the structures, consistent with the mission of the Gateway Commission. The photo at right shows two of the hillside houses that are finished in dark colors. The trees on the cove slope have been left primarily intact. Although there are many structures that have been built with the same care toward not having them stand out, there are several within the outer portion of the cove that many feel could have been hidden or visually buffered to a greater degree then they were.

The Town of Lyme has very little land zoned for commerical use. In fact, the limited non-residential zoned area is located around the periphery of Hamburg Cove. The photograph above shows a portion of the limited marine development that is located within the inner cove area.

Camp Claire, an almost 100 year old camp established for kids, sits atop a bluff in the inner portion of Hamburg Cove as well. As stated on the Camp Claire website, "...since 1916, Camp Claire has offered a superior summer program for young people. We provide wonderful opportunities for children to grow, laugh, make new friends, and learn new worlds. Camp Claire is a positive nurturing environment that encourages curiosity and creativity, increases self-esteem, while providing a lifetime of memories. Campers are individually challenged and supported to enjoy life, create, and stretch to their fullest potentials...". The camp structures, small and dark in color, fit beautifully into the Conservation Zone. Of course, the camp preceeded the establishment of the Gateway Commission and its mission by almost 60 years at a time when houses were, for the most part, more modest in size and design. If the Camp Claire property were ever to be expanded or redeveloped, new construction would have to conform to the standards of the Gateway Commission found in the Lyme Zoning Regulations.

The photo below left, taken sometime in the past, shows campers lined up in front of their tents. Today, the camp includes a lodge and numerous outbuildings where campers sleep, eat and congregate. Down at cove level is a structure with an elevated porch which sits next to a small ramp used to launch the camp's canoes, kayaks and small sailboats (photo below right). One can only imagine the fun that children have attending Camp Claire.

Moving into the Fall within the Gateway Conservation Zone

November 3, 2011: As we move from the summer into the fall, much of the recreational use of the Connecticut River fades for another season, at least in terms of recreational boating. By this time, local marinas are essentially empty with boat owners having hauled their boats out for winter storage. Moored boats, once tied off with many other vessels, sit amongst empty moorings, emphasizing the quieter indoor times ahead. The morning photograph at left is a view downriver toward Old Saybrook, taken from the docks of the Connecticut River Museum.

The photo at right shows the juxtaposition of two vessels: the nearer historic schooner Mary E anchored off the Connecticut River Museum, which will be less active in coming months, and a far-off dredging vessel tied off to a marina dock (photo below), preparing to begin its off-season work keeping the Village's marinas, harbors and channels clear of constantly accumulated silt. The off-season, between November and the succeeding March, is when Federal and State environmental policies and laws allow local waterfront businesses to do much of their inwater upkeep - especially dredging - so that the recreational boating industry can thrive during the summer months.

A CT Department of Transportation summer boat counting project, conducted by Gateway Commission sister agency CRERPA, suggests that the 2011 summer boating season was off by as much as 35% in the lower Connecticut River. The drop-off, signaled by the counting of the number of boats passing through the Connecticut River Railroad Drawbridge and compared to last summer's totals, is thought to be primarily due to the high cost of fuel that existed throughout the summertime months. In that most of the marinas continue to be 90 to 95% occupied - as was the case in 2010 - its thought that boaters tended to stay close to home and even stayed at their slips for much of the summer. Although less significant in overall boat number impact, the last week of summer - including Labor Day Weekend - saw dramatically reduced boat numbers in the Connecticut River due to the mud and debris existing in the river as a result of Tropical Storm Irene.

The photograph at right, taken through the furled sails of the schooner Mary E, sits by itself among empty moorings just northeast of the Museum. The treed hillsides across the river are located within the Conservation Zone Town of Lyme. Although a few boat owners live in their boats year-round, most do not. Recent environmental laws prohibiting the dumping of waste into the waters of the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound encourage those who live aboard to tie off at marinas where waste pumping facilities are available for public use at a nominal charge.

President Obama's "America's Great Outdoors Initiative"

October 25, 2011: Just days before the release of a 50-state " America's Great Outdoors Initiative " report outlining some of the country's most promising ways to reconnect Americans to the natural world, Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar highlighted two projects in Connecticut that will be included in President Obama's final report. The 100 choices, two per state, represent what each state believes are among the best investments in the nation to support a healthy, active population, conserve wildlife and working lands, and create travel, tourism and outdoor-recreation jobs across the country. The report is the result of 50 meetings with governors and stakeholders held by Salazar and other senior Interior officials to solicit ideas on how to best implement "America's Great Outdoors" initiative in each state.

The two areas in Connecticut include the Connecticut River, which is to be established as a "National Blueway", and the Naugatuck River. In his comments, Salazar identified the Connecticut River as the centerpiece of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge existing throughout the entire Connecticut River watershed. The watershed also includes numerous federally-designated Wild and Scenic Rivers such as the Eight Mile River which flows into the Connecticut through Hamburg Cove in Lyme.

Salazar was quoted as saying that, despite the success in developing varied recreational opportunities on the Connecticut River, there is still a need for more access points for water-based recreation and to draw citizens to the river. The goal is to continue to support local efforts to enhance river access. The state envisions new launch sites for canoes and kayaks, more trails along the river and its major tributaries (including the Salmon River which flows into the Connecticut River in Haddam/East Haddam), added camping areas, hosting public events, and making further investments in open space near the river. Holding title in fee to the 36 acre Mount Tom "Klar" parcel in East Haddam (shown in red below) - which has substantial frontage on the Moodus River which feeds to the Salmon River - the Gateway Commission would seem to have an important voice in the AMO process as it moves forward.

Interestingly, the Connecticut River Gateway Conservation Zone and the Gateway Commission came into being in 1973 as a reaction to a unsuccessful Federal proposal to establish a national park in four areas along the Connecticut River from Canada to the mouth at Long Island Sound. The National Park, sponsored by Senators Abraham Ribicoff and Ted Kennedy and envisioned to be similar to the Cape Cod National Seashore Park in Massachusetts, was to have recreational and conservation components. Of concern to many in the four New England states within which the park would exist was the federal power that could be exerted in each of the states. The federal proposal included language which would require that each of the areas, including the "Gateway Unit" in the lower river, have zoning regulations consistent with standards developed by the federal government. The Secretary of the Interior also had power to "take" property for the purposes of developing the park. What residents in the lower river valley feared the most was (1) the loss of their local control to the federal government and (2) the overwhelming of area roadways with what could be tens of thousands of park visitors. Such consequences, they said, would destroy the unique character of the area, the exact thing the National Park was to celebrate.

It was then that State Senator Peter Cashman introduced a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly to establish the Gateway Conservation Zone and Gateway Commission to embrace the conservation portion of the federal proposal but eliminate the recreational component. And thus the Gateway Commission and mission of preservation was born in 1973.

Lower Connecticut River and the Annual Tree Swallow Migration

September 19, 2011: A remarkable phenomenon that occurs in the lower Connecticut River this time of year is the migration of tree swallows. Just about every night around sunset, one can witness tens of thousands of the little birds as they congregate off a lower river town's shoreline. They are said to fly in every night from upwards of 50 miles away to roost in the Phragmites grasses. The three photos at left and below are successively darker due to the waning of the evening light.

The tree swallow spectacle has become quite popular with conservationists and tourists alike. If you don't have access to a boat, a kayak or canoe, there are specific cruises on the Riverquest ecological tour boat out of Haddam that will allow you to see the swallows for yourself. The picture at left shows the numerous respectful witnesses to the phenomenon of the roosting swallows. A few "late-coming" swallows can be seen in the sky above the boaters and skimming the water as they head toward the roosting island out of the photo to the right.

In another view of the swallows, a lone kayaker watches the cloud of swallows moving as one above the Phargmites below. Although not completely understood, there appears to be a leader or leaders amongst the swallows whom all others follow. The swallows will be flying a hundred feet or so above the island and then the whole mass of birds descends into the grasses below in a manner that almost looks like a tornado of birds. They'll fly up again and do the same thing over and over several times before finally retiring for the night.

The tree swallow phenomenon occurs from about late August through early October prior to the final southerly migration of the swallows. To learn about the tree swallow "ballet" and have an opportunity to see the spectacle for yourself, check out Connecticut River Expeditions and the Riverquest tours out of Haddam. Captain Mark Yuknat can be reached at 860-662-0577.

Flooding Waters of Hurricane Irene

September 9, 2011: The extensive Connecticut River sediment plume as seen in a September 2, 2011 satellite photo on the NASA website. Notice that the Thames River to the east (right) of the Connecticut River has not been noticably impacted by suspended sediments caused by the rains and upstream erosion. Of course, the Thames River watershed is a fraction of that of the Connecticut River which extends 410 miles to the Canadian border. Also notice that the predominant tidal current is from east to west (right to left) as shown by the direction of the flow of waters of both the Connecticut and Thames Rivers. Long Island is seen at bottom center while Fisher's Island is seen at center right. For a better look at the image, go to the Gateway Commission's Facebook page and click to enlarge.

September 8, 2011: Twelve days following the passing of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene, the lower Connecticut River is still running muddy and high, as can be seen in the 9/8/11 photograph at right. The picture shows the Connecticut River as seen from the Old Saybrook side of the I-95 Baldwin Bridge as one looks northeast toward the Town of Old Lyme. Oak Leaf Marina is seen in the foreground. The recent passing of the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee have also contributed quite a bit of rain to the rivers of the state as well, including the Connecticut River. What is clear is that, since the passing of Irene and now the remnants of Lee, recreational boating in the lower river has all but come to a halt. Many boaters who had removed their boats from the water prior to Irene have, for the most part, not relaunched their boats. For some, it means that the 2011 boating season has all but ended. Others, however, will still put their boats back in once the river settles down and the substantial amount of debris floating through is gone.

August 27, 2011: On Saturday, August 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene made landfall in the Greenwich area of Connecticut, approximately 80 miles to the west of the Connecticut River. Within the Gateway Conservation Zone, the most significant impact was likely the damaged trees and downed powerlines that will have left the area without power for upwards of two weeks. As a result of the combination of the hurricane storm surge and all the rain that dropped within the massive Connecticut River watershed, the water elevation in the Connecticut River increased to levels not seen in over twenty years. The river itself was filled with debris including massive trees and logs and just about anything else one can image. In addition, the sediment load increased to the point that the river was running muddy with a plume that could seen well out into Long Island Sound.

In the photo above, taken in within the Borough of Fenwick and within the Gateway Conservation Zone of Old Saybrook, the level to which the river flooded can be seen in the discolored grass next to the driveway at left. The marshes surrounding the river at right were completely inundated as was the South Cove Causeway seen to the right in the distance.

In the photo below, taken in the Borough of Fenwick looking north up-river past Saybrook Point in the left distance with Old Lyme in the center distance, the flooding river produced a debris "strand line" marking the highest extent of flooding, seen at right. The storm surge of Irene was said to be upwards of five to six feet above the high tide that occurred at about 10:30am that morning.

Because of all of the rain dropped throughout New England and within the Connecticut River watershed in particular, the elevation of the river is still quite high. What is most notable, however, is the amount of debris which has washed down from Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and the upper reaches of Connecticut. Due to all of the erosion which has occurred throughout it's 410 mile length, the river is carrying an exceptionally large load of suspended sediment which has the river appear almost like milk chocolate. The August 31st aerial photograph taken above the mouth of the Connecticut River seen above was taken by Tim Cook of the New London Day. The tremendous upstream sediment load caused by the torrential rains of Tropical Storm Irene is clearly seen at the end of the Saybrook jetties and Saybrook Outer Light. The river is flowing from right to left into Long Island Sound.

Gateway Conservation Zone in August

August 23 and 24, 2011: The scenery in the lower Connecticut River within the Gateway Conservation Zone, at times, is overwhelming in its natural and preserved beauty. In various areas, the beauty of the historical features within the lower river often rival the incredible natural beauty. In other areas, the two scenes compliment each other like in this photograph, taken just north of the Deep River Town Landing. Here, the Essex Steam Train is making its way up the western shore of the Connecticut on one of its tourist runs from its home in the Centerbrook area of Essex. To the far left in the distance is Selden Island in Lyme, Connecticut's largest island. The island beyond the two moored sailboats at center is Eustasia Island, owned by the family of Rear Admiral Irwin "Mike" Chase, Jr., who was a member of the Gateway Commission for 23 years. As an historical note, Rear Admiral Chase was aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2nd, 1945 when Japan surrendered to the United States to end World War II. Rear Admiral Chase, who lived his entire life in Deep River, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

The I-95 Raymond Baldwin Bridge, seen at right, is located within the Gateway Conservation Zone between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme and, along with the Between the Bridges Marina, the DEP's Ferry Landing facility and the Amtrak Railroad Bridge, marks one of the most densely developed area within the Conservation Zone. Since 1911, there have always been two bridges spanning the river in this location. This photograph was taken on August 24, 2011 and shows participants in an antique automobile parade celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first automobile bridge connecting Old Saybrook to Old Lyme. Although the Connecticut River railroad crossing had been completed several decades earlier, 1911 was the first time that autombiles could cross the Connecticut River in this location without having to utilize the small ferry boats that carried them back and forth between Ferry Point in Old Saybrook and Ferry Landing in Old Lyme.

August 12, 2011: On a particularly clear and sunny August day, the Connecticut River within the Gateway Conservation Zone provides a beautiful backdrop to this wonderful, lush garden and natural lawn on the riverfront in Essex. The Brockway Ferry area of Deep River is to the left in the photo while the hillsides of Lyme are visible across the river. This scene may not be too different from what might have been seen 150 or 200 years ago! It's this type of "natural and traditional riverway scene" that the Gateway Commission strives to preserve for "present and future Connecticut citizens."

There are numerous areas where you can capture a glimpse of the beautiful Connecticut River in the Gateway Conservation Zone. One particularly nice area for views is the hillside above the river on River Road in Essex and Deep River. The elevation of River Road provides raised views in a number of spots, including this view looking north toward Chester and Lyme (photo at right). Recreational boating is at its height in August as can be seen in this shot taken on a Thursday morning. Public spots to view the river in this general area include the CT River Museum and the end of Main Street in Essex Village, the Essex Village park on Middle Cove (there's a kayak launch dock there), the Town Landing and the Essex Street bridge over Pratt Cove in Deep River, and the Chester Ferry Dock in Chester. Across the river from Deep River Town Landing is Selden Island, the largest island in the State of Connecticut and which is owned and managed by the DEEP. With a permit from DEEP, you can camp on parts of Selden Island.

CTDEP and the Sound Outlook Newsletter

June 23, 2011: Article Reprints from DEP's Sound Outlook Newlsetter, June, 2008

The Connecticut DEP publishes a electronic newsletter three times a year entitled " Sound Outlook" that includes articles and important facts about Long Island Sound and its related resources. In June of 2008, the newsletter was dedicated to the Connecticut River, attesting as to the importance of the Connecticut River, its outstanding esthetics and natural character to the State of Connecticut. Two of the articles concerning the river in the area of the Gateway Conservation Zone that appeared in Sound Outlook three years ago this month are reprinted below:

The Connecticut River: Centerpiece Our State

The Connecticut River’s diverse role in defining the character and culture of Connecticut and much of the rest of New England is revealed in the interpretation of its Native American name, Quinetucket – “long tidal river”. However, while its watershed drains a large part of four states, and even extends into the Canadian province of Quebec, the river’s identity as a coastal resource may be less obvious to some.

The Connecticut River south of the town of Chester can be defined as an estuary, where fresh water and sea water mix, while the river ecosystem is influenced by oceanic tides as far north as the Enfield Dam, close to the Massachusetts border. This connection to Long Island Sound and the ocean beyond influences the ecology of the Connecticut River. The gradient in salt content within the estuarine waters of the river is evidenced in the transition from salt marsh to brackish marsh and then to freshwater tidal wetlands, and in the diversity of the wildlife populations that utilize those habitats. The river functions as a migratory corridor for anadromous fish that winter in the Sound or the open Atlantic and spawn in upstream waters.

The quality of those resources is protected by the relative absence of development at the mouth of the river, owing to its naturally shallow depth and dynamic sedimentary processes. Human impacts on this habitat, at one time resulting principally from inadequately treated upstream sanitary and wastewater discharges, have largely been eliminated through successful regulatory and remedial efforts. As a result, this remarkable resource has received regional and national recognition in recent decades. In 1994, the marshes of the lower, tidal Connecticut River were recognized as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. The Connecticut River’s nomination was sponsored by the DEP, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy (CT Chapter). The area was also designated one of 40 Last Great Places by The Nature Conservancy in 1994. In 1998, significant conservation work in the river culminated in the establishment of the Silvio O.Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, extending the length of the river. In the same year, the Connecticut River received American Heritage River designation through the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in recognition of its economic and cultural history, as well as its natural resource value.

Then and Now: Water Quality in the Connecticut River

During the early to mid 20th century, rivers in New England were some of the most polluted in the United States due to the large volumes of untreated municipal and industrial sewage released directly to surface waters. The Connecticut River was no exception. By 1897, the quantity of raw sewage being discharged into some streams within the river’s watershed had “become unbearable” according to a presenter at a 1965 meeting of the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers. When Connecticut adopted its state Clean Water Act in 1967, the Connecticut River was known as the “best landscaped sewer in the nation.”

A number of initiatives, including the Connecticut Clean Water Act of 1967 and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, led to improvements in the water quality of the Connecticut River and other watercourses. The State’s water quality goal for the Connecticut River is to achieve standards of Class B in riverine waters and class SB in coastal areas. Class B waters are designated as habitat for fish and other aquatic life and wildlife, and for recreation, navigation, and industrial and agricultural water supply. Class B criteria include good esthetics, dissolved oxygen concentrations not less than 5 mg/L, and bacteria levels within established ranges for healthy waters. Class SB waters are also suitable for marine fish habitat and for commercial shellfish harvesting.

Monitoring conducted by DEP and the U.S. Geological Survey and Connecticut DEP in the Connecticut River since 1969, show that water quality in the main stem of the river has improved substantially during that period. For example, total phosphorous decreased from 0.15 mg/L in the late 1960’s to about 0.05 mg/L in 2001m, while the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the river trended upward from the late 1960’s to the late 1980’s. Many of these improvements can be attributed to successful management actions taken over the last 40 years. While problems related to combined sewers still remain in some large urban areas in Massachusetts and Connecticut, all municipal wastewater treatment plants meet required secondary treatment levels, and many now include improved nitrogen removal.

The Annual Gateway Boat Non-Trip

June 9, 2011: The Gateway Commission attempted to have their annual boat trip on the Connecticut River on Thursday evening, June 9th, the day following the close of the 2011 legislative session. Although members and invited guests showed up at the Riverquest (right), severe weather made it impossible to depart. Instead, the discussion was held on the boat (below) while it was still secured at the dock. Ironically, the Riverquest disembarks from Eagle Landing State Park immediately opposite the 17 acre Tylerville property that has been such a controversial inclusion in the state's conveyance bill for three years running.

The Commission's two hour trip is an occasion to have local constituents including member town chief elected officials, planning & zoning commission members, ZBA members, town ZEOs and planners and others see the lower river for themselves. Gateway members point out particular properties that highlight the type of efforts in which the Commission has been involved over the past year, pointing out successes, and some less successful examples as well. The trip is intended to be both educational and enjoyable. The Commission also used the trip as the opportunity to roll out their new Mission Booklet, which will shortly be available to the public in member town libraries and town halls.

What made this year's trip so unique was the passing of a significant line of thunderstorms that wreaked havoc throughout the lower river valley (see two photos below, left looking north, right looking south). With the Riverquest never leaving the dock, Captain Yuknat allowed the Commission and guests to have their discussion onboard after the worst of the storm had passed. To their credit, the Yuknats offered to reschedule the trip and didn't collect their normal fee for the aborted excursion. The Yuknats and Riverquest are definitely friends of the Gateway Commission and the lower Connecticut River.

May 21, 2011: This year's conveyance bill, Senate Bill No. 1196, has created quite a stir among residents throughout the lower river valley and around the state. On Saturday, May 21, 2011, the grass roots organization known as the Citizens for the Protection of Public Land held a "Stop the Swap" rally and picnic at Haddam's Clark Creek Wildlife Management Area, a.k.a. the 17 acre property that is at the center of the conveyance controversy. In all, approximately 100 people were reported to have attended, including State Representative Phil Miller (D-36th District) (seen atop pick-up truck with rally co-organizer Melissa Schlag listening below) who spoke about his plans to submit an amended version of the conveyance bill which would remove the Tylerville property from the bill altogether. Miller has indicated that there appears to be increasing support in the legislature for removal of the Tylerville property from the conveyance bill.

The conveyance controversy and the rally, which have both received substantial coverage in local newspapers including the Hartford Courant and from the online newspaper Patch.com, is now attracting national coverage through the Associated Press with an article appearing in this past weekend's Boston Globe Online.

At the core of the opposition is the opinion that it is improper to convey public lands that were purchased for conservation purposes to private developers for development no matter what the circumstances. How might this impact the confidence of those who want to sell or donate the land to the State of Connecticut for conservation? If the State conveys this parcel, what would stop them from conveying another parcel when there's "good reason" to trade, swap or sell other conservation properties? At the very least, some say, if the State is willing give up this 17 acre parcel along the Connecticut River in trade for an 87 acre parcel located adjacent to the 16,000 acre Conkaponset State Forest, shouldn't other members of the public have the opportunity to obtain the property as well through a public auction of some sort? It was purchased, afterall, on behalf of all Connecticut citizens with public funds.

This year's legislative session ends around June 8th; the conveyance bill is usually handled on the very last day of the session.

May 17, 2011: Since our last report, Senate Bill No. 1196 - the annual "conveyance bill" - has been forwarded to the State Senate. You will recall that a Joint Favorable Substitute bill was forwarded to the Senate from the General Administration and Elections Committee where the Senate then referred the bill to the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. Finance, co-chaired by bill sponser Senator Eileen Daily, then returned a second Joint Favorable Substitute that added a requirement that said the "portion of the property conveyed by the State" would "remain open to the public". All 52 committee members present voted "yea" to the JFS.

Despite the considerable outcry the potential conveyance of the 17 acres of State-purchased conservation land has created through groups like " Stop the Swap", it would appear that the General Assembly is moving toward the inclusion of the 17 acre parcel in the annual conveyance bill, a legislative tool that is usually reserved for the disposal of non-controversial state owned parcels of land. The Gateway Commission, however, remains adamant about their opposition to the timing of the Tylerville conveyance and will be informing the leadership of both parties of their continued concern over the precedence the conveyance of public land for private use may create. The timing issue is based on the opinion that agreements on the development, including necessary conservation easements, should be worked out and in place prior to the conveyance of the property and not after the transfer.

As most know, one of the tools in the Gateway Commission's tool box for protecting the "natural and traditional riverway scene" is acquisition of undeveloped land located in important areas of the Gateway Conservation Zone. Most are protected through the purchase or donation of development restrictions which are then transferred to the State of Connecticut for stewardship. A limited number of properties, however, have been bought outright with two or three remaining in Gateway ownership. One such parcel, located in East Haddam, is known as the "Klar" property. The 37 acre parcel, purchased by the Commission in 1987, is strategically located near Mount Tom and within the boundaries of the State's Machimoodus State Park (see map showing the Klar property in red). Among other things, Mount Tom is known for several small pits where the gem " golden beryl" had been mined in the early 1960's (collecting of minerals on state land is not permited without a permit). Then there are the mysterious "Moodus Noises " (Machimoodus was the Native American name for the area which meant "the place of noises"), thought to be the rumblings of "micro" earthquakes, that are said to originate from the Mount Tom area. Most would agree that the Klar property SHOULD be part of the State Park.

Because of the uncertainty created by the conveyance controversy and despite having already begun discussions with the Land Acquisition Division of DEP, the Gateway Commission is now reconsidering the transfer of the property to the State of Connecticut, instead looking at the possibility of donating the Klar parcel to another conservation partner. This may unfortunately result in the restriction of public use, depending upon what entity ultimately ends up with the title.

The Gateway Commission, like everyone else, awaits the conclusion of the legislative process to determine how to handle the 37 acre Klar property.

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Tree Removal in the Gateway Conservation Zone

April 12, 2011: As indicated throughout this website, one of the biggest challenges for the Gateway Commission is the issue of tree removal . It's understood that with the beautiful scenery that the lower Connecticut River valley offers, those with river views desire as much of a view of the river as possible. In the situation presented here, a property owner decided to have two significant stands of trees removed without proper authorizations from the Town. Fortunately, the property owner will have to rectify the violation by replanting a significant number of replacement trees.

The three pictures presented here show the property, located within the Gateway Conservation Zone, and the areas where the trees were removed (the riverfront edge was already clear of trees). In the photo above, one stand of trees was removed down to the water (located at left) on the far side of the left/right oriented low stone wall. In the photo at left, that same area is seen from the water extending up toward the stand of trees at upper right. Essentially, the trees at at upper right, prior to cutting, extended to the embankment at the lower edge of the photo. Finally, the photo below right shows the removed stand of trees (colorized) as they formerly appeared on the left side of the adjacent property (the property in question would be located immediately to the left of this photo). Presumably, the sideline trees were removed to allow for a wider panoramic view of the river. Rather than performing the "clear-cutting", it would have been preferrable that selective trees were removed and limbs trimmed in order to provide the desired views.

Another issue that further complicates this situation is the fact that the property is located in the only Gateway town that has not adopted the most recent Gateway standards. Those recent standards include a 50 foot riparian buffer measured from the water's edge where no vegetation removal can take place, other than a five foot wide path to gain access to the water. If those standards were in place, at least the waterward 50 feet of the tree stand may have stood a chance of remaining.

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Conveyance of Land in the Tylerville Section of Haddam

April 5, 2011: As most who have been following the path of Raised SB1196 likely know by now, the GAE voted 13-2 to pass the conveyance bill out of committee with no change to the Section 14 "placekeeper" language put in the bill by Senator Eileen Daily (33rd District). Only Senator Meyer (D - S12) and Representative Fleischmann (D - 018) voted against approval of the conveyance bill. The "Joint Favorable Substitute" was approved on Friday, April 1, 2011.

The next stop is review by the Senate and, following that, the House. Comments from the GAE were mainly noncommittal with most saying that they don't necessarily support the bill and its conveyances, rather they feel that the bill should be debated by the legislature as a whole. In an April 2, 2011 article in the Hartford Courant, co-chair Senator Gayle Slossberg(D - S14) said that she is "reserving judgment" while co-chair Representative Russell Morin (D - 028) was quoted as saying that " ...you have to keep an open mind, listen to your constituents and listen to the debate that occurs " on the floor of the house. This strategy is contrary to that of last year when the GAE removed the section referencing the Haddam property from the bill altogther prior to passing it on to the entire legislature.

In addition to the many concerns that have been raised on the proposed conveyance of 17 acres of conservation land into private development is the feeling that this exchange is too controversial to be handled in a conveyance bill. The conveyance bill is most often the tool used to dispose of state land that is non-controversial in nature. Some are complaining that the firestorm that has erupted over this conveyance clearly indicates that the "disposal" of this property (who hasn't taken an official position on the conveyance) should be handled in another, more transparent and deliberate way. Perhaps the Senate or the House may raise this issue as well.

Another interesting issue that has emerged is that there have been rumors that the Goodspeed Foundation continues to be involved behind the scenes despite public statements to the contrary by Senator Daily. That may explain leaving the "placekeeper" language - which includes reference to the Goodspeed - in the version of Section 14 that was moved forward along with the bill. For the Gateway Commission, it could be said that most feel that the Goodspeed Opera House and the health of the Goodspeed organization are an important part of the "character" of the lower river and the Gateway Conservation Zone. The Commission would welcome Goodspeed "at the table", if they are indeed involved, as conversations continue. Several years ago the Gateway Commission assisted the Town of East Haddam in developing independent zoning regulations for the East Haddam Village in order to help them accommodate Goodspeed. The regional Gateway standards, it was thought, needed some "tweaking" to accommodate the town and the 60+ foot high Goodspeed Opera House. Although the Gateway standards have always been consistent for all eight member towns, the Gateway acknowledged that there are some spots within the Conservation Zone, like East Haddam Village, where slightly differing standards may be needed that could benefit both the Town and the Gateway Commission. This effort clearly shows the willingness of the Gateway Commission to meet the needs of their member towns, even when a private organization like Goodspeed is an indirect benefactor.

For those who continue to want to follow the path of this bill, navigate to the webpage of the GAE.

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March 31, 2011: As of today at 2pm, the GAE has not voted SB 1196 out of committee. The word "on the street" is that the GAE will forward SB 1196 onto the entire legislature including the conveyance of Section 14, the 17 acre Tylerville parcel.

Complicating this scenario somewhat is that as of the end of the day on March 30th, the Department of Environmental Protection has not entered any testimony for the bill nor has it taken a position on the conveyance. If the "owner" of the property is not going to take a position either way, what does that indicate to the GAE and the rest of the legislature? Given the Department's opposition in last year's session, taking no position at all would certainly seem to be a statement of "non-opposition". In a March 30th email, DEP Chief of Staff Graham Stevens indicated that the Commissioner is coming up to speed with all of the issues that the Department is facing - including this conveyance issue - and is hoping to enter testimony. Given that the Governor and Commissioner Esty are supportive of a revitalized state economy, perhaps the delay in taking a position is in part apprehension to vote against economic development even in the face of a very important conservation question. Their time is short, however, as the final vote on the bill by the GAE will likely come tomorrow, April 1st.

Given that the Section 14 conveyance has raised considerable comment both pro and con, not the least of which is the wisdom of conveying state-owned conservation land for the purpose of private development, perhaps the GAE would rather this politically-charged conveyance be handled by the entire legislature. On one hand, it would mean that they wouldn't have to make a hard, politically sensitive decision, and on the other hand, perhaps it is such an important issue that they feel the 15 members of the GAE shouldn't decide the question themselves. It will also be interesting to see what language Section 14 contains as it moves on to the legislature. Currently, the language is identical to that included in last year's conveyance bill, language that includes the Goodspeed organization as one of the partners. At this point, it is not clear whether Goodspeed is or isn't involved.

Either way, it appears that we'll be following SB 1196 and Section 14 as it moves on to the entire legislature.

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March 16, 2011: In this year's legislative session of the Connecticut General Assembly, a hearing will be conducted at the Legislative Office Building on March 21st by the Government Administration and Elections Committee on an annual conveyance bill - S.B. No. 1196 (scroll down to Section 14 of the bill), the legislative tool for conveying state land to other parties. Of interest to the Gateway Commission is a 17.40 acre property proposed for conveyance for a third consecutive year which is located close to the Connecticut River in the Tylerville section of Haddam (see picture). The developers that would benefit from the conveyance, owners of The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station, are offering to trade the state an 87 acre parcel of undeveloped land they currently own located immediately adjacent to Haddam's Cockaponsett State Park. The conveyance has been sponsored all three years by Senator Eileen Daily, 33rd Senate District.

In 2009, the entire conveyance bill was vetoed by Governor Rell. In last year's session, the Tylerville property was removed from the bill by the GAE following opposition from the CTDEP (holder of the property since 2003) and the Gateway Commission. Due to the submission of the property into the conveyance bill yet again this year by Senator Eileen Daily, the Gateway Commission has again been put into a position to oppose the conveyance, contrary to the wishes of some officials in member town Haddam - the Commission had requested that she hold off submitting the property into the bill until ongoing local negotiations could result in more definitive ideas of what that development may look like. The partnership-oriented Gateway Commission would have rather not been put in this position.

To some in Haddam, including the Riverhouse partners and some town officials, the conveyance/exchange seems like a good idea. From the perspective of the Gateway Commission, however, the conveyance is problematic for numerous reasons. The Gateway's concerns are led by the fact that, to their knowledge, no other state-owned conservation land in Connecticut has ever been conveyed by legislative action to a developer for the purposes of private development. This conveyance would create a precedent that concerns many in the conservation community, including the Gateway Commission. For those who are willing to either sell or donate their land to the State of Connecticut for the purposes of conservation, how can they be sure that their donations or sales will not someday end up back in development? Many are looking to the Gateway Commission to stand up for this important conservation principle, or at least fight to make sure that what results is acceptable to the "natural and traditional riverway scene" in that very public and visible portion of the lower river.

Since the first two times the property appeared in the conveyance bill, several members of the Gateway Commission have been meeting on a continuing basis with Haddam 1st Selectman Paul DeStefano, Haddam Town Planner Liz West Glidden and Riverhouse partner Steve Rocco in an effort to come to an agreement on how the property might be developed and how that development might be done to protect the viewscape of the lower river in that location. Understand that the Gateway Commission, with its 37-year mission of protection of the scenic value of the lower Connecticut River, would rather not see the property conveyed back into development at all. But, because some in Haddam would like to see the property conveyed in order to jump start needed economic development in the Tylerville area, Gateway has been willing to meet with Haddam officials in an attempt to come to a mutually agreeable solution despite the differing viewpoints.

The most immediate problem that has yet to be solved, as the Gateway sees it, is that no definitive plans have either been presented or agreed upon that would indicate how this property would be developed; only conceptual plans of what could be there have been discussed. Much needed protective scenic easements have only been briefly discussed, with no agreement as to where and to what extent such easements should be established. Further, numerous questions regarding the appraised values of the two parcels to be swapped have been raised as well. Finally, and perhaps most important, the Town of Haddam has recently appointed an investigative committee to commence a planning study to determine how to rezone the Tylerville area within which the 17 acre parcel exists, and that effort is along way from coming to any conclusions let alone any recommendations. The level of detail presented so far may be adequate for marketing and sales discussions, but not to support the conveyance of state-owned conservation land, even with the offered exchange of the 87 acres of undeveloped land.

Although preferring that the property be left in conservation as was intended by the property owner who sold it to the State in 2003, Gateway isn't saying the property shouldn't be conveyed at all, rather it is asking the GAE and the legislature to step back and allow negotiations to play out at the local level. The uncertain nature of possible development raises the question, why can't conveyance of the 17 acre property wait until safeguards and definitive plans are in place so the protection of the "natural and riverway scene" of the Connecticut River in that location can be assured for the residents of Connecticut? Under state law, state-held conservation land cannot be transferred to another party without a legislative conveyance. So, some have asked, what's the hurry? Work out the details and convey it in next year's session.

Although the Gateway Commission will continue to negotiate with Haddam officials to determine if there is a mutually agreeable development plan that (1) sufficiently protects the scenic quality of the property and the river in that location and (2) satisfies the economic development needs of Haddam, conveying the property before the agreements are in place is akin to "putting the cart before the horse." For the Gateway to be willing to step aside and allow the 17 acre parcel to be conveyed into private hands (the Gateway will never support conveyance of conservation land into private hands for the purpose of development), they must be sure of what form the development will take, what the uses will be, where the development will occur on the site, and what visual and ecological impacts it may have on the Conservation Zone in that location. MANY questions remain at this time.

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Coastal Resilience and Sea Level Rise

March 30, 2011: The next chapter of the Coastal Resilience Project, an ongoing sea level rise educational effort from The Nature Conservancy, was presented to Connecticut shoreline officials in Old Lyme Town Hall on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. This second phase presentation included the unveiling of the Project's mapping website, designed to allow for the investigation of potential sea level and storm inundation along the Connecticut coast. The Project implementors walked participants through a demonstration of the types of displays and information that are available on this website, information that can also be accessed by the general public.

Navigating through the website in order to get to the maps takes alittle effort, but the effort is well worth it. The project coordinators are continually refining the website and the information that it can access and, with more use and comment from those that use the site, improvements will be ongoing. The information that you will find is based upon model predications of sea level rise for four periods; the present, and years 2020, 2050 and 2080. Reading the textual information alone is quite an education and will get you thinking, but to most of us, seeing the maps and the potential levels of inundation is what makes the most impact.

To investigate an area of interest under the differing sea level rise scenarios, follow these instructions (NOTE that you have to use a browser OTHER THAN Internet Explorer, such as Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome); IE doesn't handle this type of map application well:

1. Go to the Coastal Resilience website.

2. Click in the "Geographies" box.

3. Click in the "Long Island Sound" box.

4. Click in the "Future Scenarios Map" box.

5. "Agree" to Disclosure and Use policies.

6. Click on the "Long Island Sound" radio button and then click "Finish ".

In the navigation bar at the top of the map, click on the Zoom rectangle button (yellow magnifying glass with green "+") to draw a rectangle around the area of the map that you want to investigate.

Go to the "Flood Scenarios" dropdown menu. The choices are "Present", 2020, 2050 and 2080. For each of those periods, you can choose " no storm", a Category 2 and a Category 3 hurricane, and then choose sea level predictions that are "conservative", "medium" and " high" in terms of confidence level. Present conditions will show predictions for inundation for the two hurricanes at present day sea level. 2020 will show increased sea level rise predictions with the storm inundation added on top of that. 2050 will show sea level predictions at that time, and so on. NOTE that to look at another area of the map, the best thing to do is to zoom out a bit using the little arrow in the navigation bar and then redrawing the investigation triangle.

What Is The Value?

The value in the modeled inundation maps and the project as a whole is to start us thinking about how to plan for a future where sea level is rising and more frequent coastal storms are consistently pushing water further and further inland. The project coordinators remind that the inundation levels and other resource impacts are only indicators based upon modeled increase water levels over topographic elevations existing along our shorelines and shouldn't be used to plan for, say, the sale of your house in 2049 because the map says it'll be flooded in 2050. Like most predictive models, this one cannot accurately predict the future due to the unknowns of nature and the many variables involved. What it can and should do is prompt dialogue about how to plan for the future.

Additional Mapping Resources

If you find navigation through the information simple enough, perhaps you can try looking through the additional information layers to see what impacts sea level rise may have on tidal wetlands, land use, socio-economic and other resources. In order for our town and state leaders to begin to plan for a slow but consistent sea level rise that will become more and more significant in the decades to come, we all have to understand the ramifications and be ready to make tough decisions on what to do with those developed areas that will be inundated. Do we continue to rebuild those areas through insurance payouts despite the escalating costs of such insurance? As municipal projects are approved in years to come, do we take care to make sure that the improvements will be safe from rising sea level even if that means increased costs? Is there anything we can do to insure the viability of tidal and other natural resources that will be flooded? We have many questons to ponder, and it's not too soon to ponder now!

For questions about the Coastal Resilience project, contact Mr. Nathan Frohling at The Nature Conservancy in New Haven, Connecticut, phone number (860) 344-0716.

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Connecticut Yankee Conservation Project

September, 2010: The Gateway Commission participates, along with numerous conservation partners, in an ongoing multi-year effort to acquire the 582 acre parcel that was once the home of the Connecticut Yankee nuclear power plant on the Connecticut River in Haddam for conservation purposes (photo at left and below right). A significant portion of the primarily undeveloped property is located within the Gateway Conservation Zone.

In an effort to coordinate discussions between Connecticut Yankee, owner of the property, and the conservation community, the Connecticut Yankee Conservation Project (CYCP) was formed to act on behalf of the conservation partners in those acquisition discussions. With assistance from the Gateway Commission, the Middlesex County Community Foundation and private benefactors, CYCP hired Melissa Spear, a seasoned practitioner in conservation efforts throughout Connecticut, to act as their coordinator. Connecticut Yankee is working with CYCP and others to determine what the value of the property would be, if developed, and is trying to determine whether or not development interest may exist, this before selling or donating the parcel for conservation.

At issue is whether the 582 acre parcel is one that developers would like to purchase for what would primarily be residential development (the riverfront portion where the power plant was situated is zoned “Industrial” while the remainder of the site is zoned “Residential”). It is assumed that there has been some level of interest from developers, but development challenges for the property include that (1) it’s the site of a decommissioned nuclear power plant (photo below and at right), (2) it is, throughout much of the property, exceptionally steep and rocky, (3) it has access challenges due to topography and numerous restrictive easements that crisscross the property, (4) it is the site of the homestead of an important historical figure – former slave Venture Smith and (5) it is the ultra high-security site of the dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel rods located within the interior of the property (top photo).

For CY to protect the investments of their partners, this process of development viability must be carried to a conclusion before the company will agree to donate or sell the property to the conservation partners at a price affordable to the partnership. With the DEP interested in the conservation of the property and a primary partner in the effort, the financial burden will likely fall on the shoulders of the State of Connecticut.

For more information on this important lower Connecticut River conservation effort, contact CY Project Coordinator Melissa Spear at melissa.spear@gmail.com .

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Sea Level Rise and the Lower Connecticut River

JUNE 10, 2010: The photo below shows the mouth of the Connecticut River and, in the foreground, Great Island, the Great Island tidal marsh system and Griswold Point area of Old Lyme, a Gateway member town. All of the area in the foreground and along the river heading north is located within the Gateway Conservation Zone and is therefore subject to jurisdication of the Gateway Commission. With just a small measure of sea level rise, most of the marshes shown will be impacted and, ultimately, disappear. Although sea level fluctuations, mostly associated with glacial advances and retreats, are known to have occurred throughout geological history, current predictions of sea level rise within the next 100 years will be the first which impacts modern man and his shoreline development on a global scale. As a result, it will be the responsibility of public officials and planners to look ahead and plan for the long-term impacts of sea level rise in our communities.

As many already know, the density of population at our coasts is significantly higher than in other locations. Further, with the predicted sea level rise (which most believe results from increased human-generated Green House Gas emissions), those people and the infrastructure of the towns in which they live will have to react in some manner to slowly rising water levels. Although there is great concern over the impact to natural resources such as the tidal marshes shown in this photo, a more critical issue is, what happens to the people who live in the affected areas of the coast? What happens to homes and businesses, low-lying roadways and other public infrastructure? These impacts will also occur in the lower reaches of the Connecticut River as well, and, as a result, will ultimately impact the development and resources within the Gateway Conservation Zone.

The New York and Connecticut chapters of The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with NOAA, NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Pace University Law School, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Association of State Floodplain Managers , are beginning to look ahead at what can and should be done in the face of sea level rise. In the Connecticut River Estuary Region, which also encompasses the Gateway Conservation Zone, staff of the Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency (and the Gateway Commission) has been coordinating with The Nature Conservancy to discuss this important, far-reaching issue with representatives of its member towns. Further, CRERPA has assisted its member towns in developing Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans through the CTDEP and FEMA, plans that sort out impacts of natural hazards including hurricanes. In the update of those plans, CRERPA will be working toward the inclusion of more significant language and policy that concerns sea level rise in this area.

Although sea level rise is slow with impacts reaching far beyond the terms of current local, state and federal administrations and beyond many of our lifetimes, serious discussion of these impacts must begin today with tools for dealing with the impacts being developed for use at the local level where the impacts will occur. To read more about the efforts of the Coastal Resilience partnership, go to www.coastalresilience.org.

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Woodlands and the Lower River's "Natural and Traditional Riverway Scene"

JUNE 9, 2010: The Executive Summary of the Harvard Forest organization's publication entitled Wildlands and Woodlands: A Vision for New England Landscape states that New England's distinctive landscape is "a testament to the resiliency of the land and the conservation ethic of its people." This same statement could easily apply to the four decade-long effort of the Connecticut River Gateway Commission and other conservation organizations which have partnered to protect the "natural and traditional riverway scene " in the lower Connecticut River. Where the Wildlands and Woodlands conservation effort attempts to strike a balance between "active, long-term forest management and preservation", the Gateway's conservation efforts must balance between protection of the natural and traditional riverway scene and the residential and marina development that has and continues to occur in the beautiful lower Connecticut River Valley.

In order to be most effective in conservation efforts, it is of utmost importance for organizations to be aware of the efforts of other conservation organizations in order to learn of the most proven techniques in preserving the landscape. In that the Gateway Commission's preservation tools include the acquisition of undeveloped land, both in fee and in easement, they will often keep abreast of the efforts of other conservation groups such as the Harvard Forest ecological research organization through publications such that posted here. Among the Commission's other acquisition tools: the Connecticut River Land Trust, a sister organization used for such acquisitions. In addition, the Gateway Commission participates with the Lower Connecticut River and Coastal Region Land Trust Exchange whose members include many of the land trusts operating in the lower river area.

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The Rockfall Foundation and the CT River Gateway Commission

MAY 7, 2010: On Thursday, May 6, 2010, the Rockfall Foundation held their "75 Years Green... and Growing" anniversary celebration to benefit their Green Grants and to honor four people who have had a tremondous impact in conservation efforts in Middlesex County. The four honorees included Gateway member and Midstate Regional Planning Agency representative Raul Debrigard of Haddam (standing on right, receiving his Rockfall Foundation award from Brian McCarthy of Rockfall). Mr. Debrigard was honored "...for valuable contributions to land conservation and river protection in Middlesex County."

In addition to his regular work representing the Midstate RPA on the Commission and among many other activities, Mr. Debrigard has been involved as a designated representative of the Gateway Commission in ongoing discussions regarding the Connecticut Yankee site in Haddam and its possible acquisition for conservation purposes.