For Immediate Release: Friday, May 9, 2025
Contact:
Christine O’Neill
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
203-489-0351
coneill@nvcogct.gov
Watershed Based Plan Under Development for Mad River in Bristol, Waterbury, and Wolcott
WATERBURY, CT – The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) has received a federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and administered by the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) to develop a Watershed Based Plan for the Mad River Watershed in partnership with the City of Bristol, the City of Waterbury, and the Town of Wolcott.
The Mad River Watershed spans over 13,000 acres in the northern Naugatuck Valley. The watershed’s northernmost point is Cedar Lake in Bristol; the river winds south through the majority of Wolcott, feeding one of its premier recreation areas, Scovill/Woodtick Reservoir; and joins the Naugatuck River in eastern Waterbury near Hamilton Park and the Brass Mill Center.
The goal of the Watershed Based Plan is to identify nonpoint source pollution – defined as water pollution that is not concentrated within a drainage system or discharged from a discrete point, like a pipe – through land use analysis, field surveys, and water sampling. Once the existing conditions have been established, implementation strategies to reduce pollution and improve water quality will be developed. The final Plan will be approved by the EPA, CT DEEP, and a Steering Committee made up of stakeholders from the three host communities.
According to the 2022 CT DEEP Integrated Water Quality Report to Congress, 3 segments of the Mad River are impaired for recreation (due to elevated levels of bacteria) as well as for aquatic life (due to unknown causes). In addition, a segment of Lilly Brook, a tributary of the Mad River, and upstream Hitchcock Lake are also both impaired for recreation. Certain portions of the watershed contain dense development with abundant impervious surfaces, which can lead to increased pollution from stormwater runoff. A Watershed Based Plan can help address these issues by identifying appropriate interventions, such as rain gardens, homeowner education, or improving riparian buffers.
“Implementation of a Watershed Based Plan is about more than just improving water quality,” says NVCOG Executive Director Rick Dunne. “It’s a catalyst for broader environmental and community benefits, from reducing flooding and restoring native habitats to deepening public awareness and stewardship of our natural resources. By aligning efforts across the communities of Waterbury, Bristol, and Wolcott, we’re creating a blueprint for long-term resilience and shared success.”
To learn more about the project, visit https://nvcogct.gov/project/madriver/ or contact coneill@nvcogct.gov with ideas and questions.
This project was funded, in part, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The funding is administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have a disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint.
