Soil Samples To Be Taken from River in Collinsville

A proposal by the Town of Canton to take soil samples from an area of the Farmington River in Collinsville has been approved by the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency, pending a 15-day appeal period.

The study’s objective is to test for PCBs, heavy metals and other factors that could affect the town’s tentative plan to make the river deeper to make it more suitable for recreation.

As previously reported on , one goal of the study is 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."

The town had conducted a 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.” Town officials, working with a consultant, survey results and comments from residents, are trying to determine the best use for a $100,000 Farmington River Enhancement grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The town proposed boring into the river bed, gathering 10 samples, each up to 10 feet deep. The samples would only remove a small amount of earth, as each would be just two inches across.

A small barge resembling a floating dock will be put onto the river in August, and it will be pulled around by another vessel. The entire sampling process is expected to take two days, with the barge remaining on the water overnight. The vessel with a motor that towed the barge will be removed as an extra precaution to prevent contamination, said Jeff Shea, the town’s project administrator.

Shea assured the Inland Wetlands agency during Thursday’s meeting that the entire project will be supervised at all times, and the river will remain open to the public. The town does not want this to obstruct recreation or daily use in any way, he said.

The agency asked project advisor and environmental scientist Matt Sanford, a consultant, whether there was a chance of harmful substances being brought to the surface and mixing with the water. Not only is the area of earth disturbed by the borings miniscule, he said, but any material pulled from the earth would stay in the sample container and not mix with the water.

The town has no set plans for the study area, though a final plan is due by the end of the year.