Strong Pond Dam Removal
Background
Strong Pond Dam (also known as Dana Dam and Merwin Meadows Dam) was built in 1941 for recreational purposes. Located in Wilton on the Norwalk River, the 250-foot-long, 11-foot-high earth and concrete dam impounded a 2-acre lake. At the time of its removal, this run-of-river dam was the first barrier that fish encountered when swimming upriver from Long Island Sound. The structure, considered a "BB" (moderate hazard class) dam by DEEP, also reduced natural sediment transport.
Removal
Removal of Strong Pond Dam was proposed as early as 2008. Local officials were opposed to the removal, and so the plan was tabled until 2018. In 2019, DEEP staff began coordinating with Save the Sound and Stantech to determine the feasibility of removal and begin the design process, which lasted until 2023. Meanwhile, permitting with four different entities (DEEP Dam Safety, Army Corps of Engineers, Metro North, and municipal erosion and sediment control) took place concurrently. With site preparation already completed in early 2023, the final phase of dam removal and riverine restoration was completed in September 2023.
The final cost, including design, permitting, implementation, and monitoring, was $3.9M. Funding sources included the Long Island Sound Study, Clean Water Act funds, the EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Anne S. Richardson Fund, and others.
Outcomes
Removing Strong Pond Dam re-connected 10 miles of habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms. Other ecological improvements included 1,400 feet of restored natural stream flows, 800 feet of reconstructed pool-riffle channel, and 1 acre of new riparian buffer habitat. The removal also improved water quality, protected a 200-foot section of railroad, and eliminated the possibility of downstream damage due to dam failure.