The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) received a federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant to develop a Watershed Based Plan (WBP) for the Mad River. Funding comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP). The plan will identify sources of nonpoint source pollution and recommend strategies to improve water quality in the watershed.
The Mad River flows from Bristol through Wolcott and into Waterbury, where it joins the Naugatuck River. NVCOG is partnering with all three communities and a consultant team to develop this plan, which will support future restoration and protection efforts.
Why should people care about the Mad River Watershed?
The Mad River is a valuable natural resource in the upper Naugatuck Valley. It supports local wildlife, scenic landscapes, and recreational areas such as Scovill Reservoir and Hitchcock Lake. The condition of the entire watershed, which includes all the land that drains into the river, directly affects water quality. Pollution from surrounding areas can enter the river and also impact the Naugatuck River downstream.
What challenges are facing the Mad River?
Sections of the Mad River, including some tributaries and waterbodies, are listed as impaired by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP). This designation means the water contains pollutants at levels that have been determined not to support recreation and/or certain aquatic life. CT DEEP analyses in 2008 and 2012 found elevated bacteria levels that impact recreational use, which have continued through 2022 according to the most recent Integrated Water Quality Report submitted to Congress.
What can be done to restore the River?
Improving the river’s health begins with identifying the sources of pollution. A Watershed Based Plan (WBP) focuses on nonpoint source pollution, such as runoff from roads, parking lots, commercial and residential properties, and farms. The plan is developed using input from local stakeholders, existing studies, field assessments, and water sampling data (as funding allows). It outlines practical strategies to reduce pollution and improve water quality throughout the watershed.
Watershed Context
The Mad River begins at Cedar Lake in Bristol and flows through Wolcott and Waterbury, eventually draining into the Naugatuck River. This watershed encompasses a mix of land uses, with suburban and undeveloped areas in Bristol and Wolcott, transitioning to more urbanized and industrial areas in Waterbury. The Mad River is a vital resource, providing recreational opportunities, especially at Scovill Reservoir in Wolcott, and supporting local wildlife.
Four river segments and one waterbody in the Mad River Watershed are listed as not supporting (a.k.a. “impaired”) for recreation and/or aquatic life per CT DEEP’s 2022 Integrated Water Quality Report to Congress. Data is visualized on the Impaired Rivers, Lakes, and Estuaries viewer.
In 2008, CT DEEP (then DEP) published a “Total Maximum Daily Load Analysis (TMDL) for the Naugatuck River Regional Basin,” which includes three segments of the Mad River which are impaired for recreation due to high levels of bacteria. In 2012, CT DEEP released a TMDL specifically for Lilly Brook and Hitchcock Lake within the watershed, which are also impaired for recreation due to high levels of bacteria. Note that these two TMDLs only apply to recreation impairments, not the aquatic life impairments.
As the region continues to experience both suburban expansion and urban redevelopment, the need for a Watershed Based Plan (WBP) is critical. The WBP will help identify and provide recommendations to address nonpoint source pollution, ensuring that water quality is improved and protected for the future.
Project Methods
NVCOG has hired consultant firm Resilient Land And Water to document existing conditions, create implementation strategies, and ultimately publish a nine element WBP.
Objectives:
- Create a steering committee that, upon project completion, will transition into a long-term stewardship organization to oversee plan implementation
- Meaningfully engage community stakeholders to gather input on existing conditions and desired outcomes
- Identify and characterize the sources of water quality impairment in the Mad River watershed
- Develop a robust, detailed implementation strategy to improve water quality in the Mad River watershed, including specific projects
- Incorporate all of the above into a nine-element WBP
Funding Acknowledgement
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.
Nine elements are required in a federal Clean Water Act Section 319 funded Watershed Based Plan (WBP), in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance. Learn more about these elements below (excerpted from CT DEEP’s WBP webpage).
- IMPAIRMENT – An identification of the causes and sources of pollution, that will need to be controlled to achieve the desired load reductions to address the impairment, and to achieve any other watershed goals identified in the watershed-based plan.
- LOAD REDUCTIONS – An estimate of the load reductions expected for the management measures described. Modeling can be simple or quite complex depending on the application. Spreadsheets and landcover mapping are typically employed in these models to estimate load reductions. Plans should also identify and incorporate existing TMDLs.
- MANAGEMENT MEASURES – A description of the nonpoint source pollution management measures that will need to be implemented to achieve the estimated load reductions. This may include maps, detailed descriptions, and concept plans.
- TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE – An estimate of the amounts of technical and financial assistance needed, and/or the sources and authorities that will be relied on, to implement this plan.
- PUBLIC INFORMATION & EDUCATION – An information/education component that will be used to enhance public understanding of the project and encourage their early and continued participation in selecting, designing, and implementing the NPS management measures that will be implemented.
- SCHEDULE – An expedited schedule for implementing nonpoint source pollution management measures identified.
- MILESTONES – A description of interim, measurable milestones for determining whether nonpoint source pollution management measures or other controls are being implemented.
- PERFORMANCE – Criteria to determine whether loading reductions are being achieved over time, and if progress is being made towards attaining water quality standards and, if not, the criteria to determine if this plan, or a related TMDL, needs to be revised.
- MONITORING – A monitoring component to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation efforts over time.
Public Meeting
- Public Meeting #1: December 2, 2025 | 6:00 PM | Virtual | Presentation Slides | Live Recording | Storymap
Stay Updated on Social Media
In addition to this website, NVCOG staff will keep you up-to-date regarding the project’s status and progress on NVCOG’s social media platforms, which include Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
NVCOG has put together a Steering Committee that meets on a quarterly basis to guide Watershed Based Plan development.
Meeting Dates
- July 15, 2025 at 10am via Zoom
- October 21, 2025 at 10am via Zoom
- January 20, 2026 at 10am via Zoom
- April 21, 2026 at 10am via Zoom
- July 21, 2026 at 10am via Zoom
- October 20, 2026 at 10am via Zoom
- January 19, 2027 at 10am via Zoom
Committee Members
- Samantha Dow, Environmental Analyst III, CT DEEP
- Ray Rogozinski, Director of Public Works, City of Bristol
- Roy Cavanaugh, City Engineer, City of Waterbury
- Mark Possidento, Town Engineer, Town of Wolcott
- Mark Sussman, President, Hitchcock Lake Association
- Chris(tine) Parsons, President, Wolcott Land Conservation Trust
- Kevin Zak, President, Naugatuck River Revival Group
- Nicole Davis, Watershed Coordinator, Save the Sound
- Chris Sullivan, Director, Southwest Conservation District
- Mike Jastremski, Water Conservation Director, Housatonic Valley Association
- Brenny Alcantara, Student, UConn
- Mike Guerrera, Lake Association Member, Cedar Lake Owners Association
NVCOG serves as staff to the Committee. Resilient Land and Water provides regular updates on project progress and responds to Committee concerns.
Background on Mad River and Watershed Planning
- Watershed Management Overview (CT DEEP webpage)
- Integrated Water Quality 305b Report to Congress (CT DEEP webpage)
- Total Maximum Daily Load Analysis (TMDL) for Recreational Uses of the Naugatuck River Regional Basin in 2008
- Total Maximum Daily Load Analysis (TMDL) for Hitchcock Lake and a segment of Lilly Brook in 2012
Our Partners
- CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (nonpoint source pollution management webpage) – grantor
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA CWA Section 319 grant guidance webpage) – grantor
- City of Bristol – partner
- City of Waterbury – partner
- Town of Wolcott – partner
- Resilient Land And Water – consultant
Related Resources
Explore these valuable resources to gain insights into watershed planning.
Staff Contact
Christine O’Neill, AICP
Senior Environmental Planner
coneill@nvcogct.gov