Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Press Releases

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07/13/2017

DEEP Closes Swim Area at Rocky Neck State Park

Weekly water quality test results at state park beaches still coming in
Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has closed the swim area at Rocky Neck State Park, Niantic, because the weekly water quality test conducted there showed a level of bacteria in the water above the standard set to protect the health of swimmers.
The water at Rocky Neck will be retested Monday, (July 17), with results available Tuesday morning (July 18).  The swim area at the park can be reopened Tuesday – if the test results show bacteria levels have dropped to safe levels.
While the swim area is closed at Rocky Neck, the state park remains open for picnicking, hiking and other activities.
Water Quality at Other State Park Beaches
DEEP released results of weekly water quality tests today from several other state park beaches
where samples were taken Wednesday.  These test results showed the water was safe for swimming at the following parks:
  • Wharton Brook, Wallingford
  • Silver Sands, Milford
  • Sherwood Island, Westport
  • Kettletown, Southbury
  • Indian Well, Shelton
  • Day Pond, Colchester
  • Hammonasset, Madison
  • Chatfield Hollow, Killingworth
  • Cockaponset State Forest , Chester
  • Wadsworth Falls, Middletown
DEEP conducted its weekly water quality tests at additional state park beaches today – Thursday, July 13 – and results of those test will be available tomorrow morning.
These tests will determine whether two state park swim areas that have been closed – Squantz Pond, New Fairfield and Gardner Lake, Salem – will be able to reopen.  Those two swim areas were closed last Friday when test results showed bacteria levels were above the standard that has been set.
Test results that will be released tomorrow – Friday – will also include the following state park beaches:
  • Stratton Brook, Simsbury
  • Burr Pond, Torrington
  • Black Rock, Watertown
  • Mount Tom, Litchfield
  • Lake Waramaug, Kent
  • Mashamoquest Brook, Pomfret
  • Quaddick, Thompson
  • Hopeville Pond, Griswold
  • Pachaug, Voluntown
  • Gay City, Hebron
Water Quality Testing Program
DEEP conducts weekly water quality tests on Wednesday and Thursday at 23 designated state park beaches.
Samples from these swimming areas are analyzed at a Department of Public Health lab. Samples are analyzed for indicator bacteria, which are not disease causing pathogens, but are one of the tools used by public health and environmental protection officials to evaluate the potential contamination of waterbodies.
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