Farmington River Flow Plan
- View the draft plan
- View the recording of the public informational session held on January 22, 2025 passcode to view = ^qWJEQC1
- View the presentation used in the public informational session
Background
This draft plan, prepared for the Connecticut General Assembly's Environment Committee, outlines recommendations for managing water levels in Colebrook River Lake per Public Act 24-13. The primary goal of this plan is to lay out a strategy for optimal flow management on the Farmington River to balance needs for fish, wildlife, recreation, river health, flood mitigation, tourism, hydropower, and safety by utilizing storage pools and adhering to seasonal flow targets. Per authority provided in Public Act 24-13, as well as a letter sent to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), DEEP will make requests to release the water stored between 644-701 feet in Colebrook River Lake to achieve the targeted releases.
The plan provides DEEP with options to modify the volume requested for release based on environmental conditions, such as surface flows monitored by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), trends in precipitation data as published by the Connecticut Interagency Drought Workgroup, the pool elevation within Colebrook River Lake, and local/regional weather forecasts and conditions.
Questions about this draft plan may be sent via email to Mike.beauchene@ct.gov.
Content last updated on February 2025