Connecticut waterways are home to more than 5,000 dams, many of which no longer provide economic benefit and have fallen into disrepair. These derelict structures pose flood risks to nearby communities and keep migratory fish from reaching their native spawning grounds, disrupting local ecosystems and the Long Island Sound food chain. Removing outdated dams can resolve practical concerns like landowner liability, while improving water quality and restoring fragmented ecosystems.
Since 2015, Save the Sound’s Ecological Restoration team has removed dams on the West River in New Haven, Whitford Brook in Mystic, and the Quinnipiac River in Meriden and Southington, freeing over 23 river miles for migratory fish to swim upstream and safely spawn. Another major removal project on the Norwalk River is underway.
Alex Krofta, a project manager at Save the Sound, will talk about dam removal benefits, planning and implementation, and case studies. Other ecological restoration project types, such as fishways, green infrastructure, and living shorelines will be discussed as well.