Just a Fews Days to Weigh In on Farmington River Use and Issues

Area residents have just a few more days to weigh in about usage and recreation in and around a portion of the Farmington River in Collinsville.

Through July 1, the town is facilitating an online survey about the recreational, historic, ecological, aesthetic and economic value of the river and its surrounding area from Town Bridge to the dam alongside Route 179.

The survey, available here, is part of a an effort to develop a master plan for the portion of the river dubbed the "Upper Mill Pond."

The town has received a $100,000 Farmington River Enhancement grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection and a steering committee is working with consultants from Milone and MacBroom to develop the plan.

So far about 200 people have taken the survey and recently the company facilitated a public meeting with some 60 residents.

“We did get some good feedback,” town project administrator Jeff Shea said. “It was very positive overall.”

Some residents did have concerns, however, Shea said, including public access, liability, water quality, trespassing  and the 500-foot buffer referred in the study.

The town included a buffer so it could study land use surrounding the river, Shea said.

“In no way was it meant to regulate those private properties,” Shea said.

What the study will include, however, is a land-use inventory so the project consultants and committee can evaluate ownership and issues and opportunities for activities such as fishing, boating, swimming, hiking and wildlife viewing.

The study will look at sediment that has built up on the bottom of the impoundment. Already a Bathymetric survey has shown what the town already knew to a large degree.

“It does show there’s a lot of siltation that’s occurred over the years,” Shea said. “There was a lot of areas that were very shallow that interfere with recreational boating.”

Part of the study calls to "evaluate alternatives for the removal and disposal of sediments from the impoundment to restore depths in shallow areas to the extent necessary to enhance recreation and aesthetics."

And this summer, borings will be used to gather and study sediment samples.

In addition, the committee and consultants will look at the survey and public meeting results, gather additional information, look at river usage and refer to other studies and issues for surrounding areas, such as wildlife surveys and the possibility of hydro power at the upper and lower Collinsville dams.

Although various opinions were forwarded at the meeting, Shea said there are no set plans for the study area.

“There’s no preconceived notion about what would be propose as part of this plan at this point,” Shea said.

The consultant will work with the town and DEP to come up with recommendations for the area.

That will include a draft plan that will be presented at the next public meeting in the fall. A final plan is due by the end of the year. The funds do not include any further action but should give the town – and possibly service clubs or private individuals - a good planning tool, officials said.

For more on the project, log on the consultant’s site or the town’s committee page.

Editor’s Note: Patch plans to look at river issues in greater depth this summer. If you have an opinion or would like to be contacted for such a story, please e-mail john.fitts@patch.com.