What is a watershed?
A watershed is “a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean” (NOAA Ocean Service). “The term ‘watershed’ is often used interchangeably with ‘drainage basin,’ which may make the concept easier to visualize” (NOAA Fisheries).
“Not all water flows directly to the sea, however. When rain falls on dry ground, it can soak into, or infiltrate, the ground. This groundwater remains in the soil, where it will eventually seep into the nearest stream. Some water infiltrates much deeper, into underground reservoirs called aquifers. In other areas, where the soil contains a lot of hard clay, very little water may infiltrate. Instead, it quickly runs off to lower ground” (NOAA Ocean Service). “Rain and snowmelt from watersheds travel via many routes to the sea. During periods of heavy rain and snowfall, water may run onto and off of impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads, buildings, and other structures because it has nowhere else to go. These surfaces act as ‘fast lanes’ that transport the water directly into storm drains. The excess water volume can quickly overwhelm streams and rivers, causing them to overflow and possibly result in floods” (NOAA Ocean Service).
The Niantic River Watershed
The Niantic River watershed is a drainage basin where small bodies of water and precipitation flow to the Niantic River from a large land area. The watershed covers 31.3 square miles, or approximately 20,000 acres, and includes areas from the four towns of East Lyme, Waterford, Salem, and Montville.
“The headwaters of the Niantic River are distributed among its major tributaries that originate in forested areas in Salem, Montville, and East Lyme. These freshwater streams flow southerly to tidally influenced coves in the Niantic River, a broad estuary of more than 830 acres. The mouth of the river empties through The Gut into Niantic Bay, an embayment of Long Island Sound. The major tributaries to the Niantic River include Latimer Brook, Oil Mill Brook, and Stony Brook. The subwatersheds that drain into Latimer Brook are Cranberry Meadow Brook, Silver Falls, Barnes Reservoir, and Bogue Brook Reservoir” (Fuss & O’Neill, p. 1).
“Land use is varied in the Niantic River watershed. Areas of residential and commercial development are concentrated around most of the Niantic River Estuary (Estuary) and along the central and southern reaches of Latimer Brook. While pockets of development are found throughout the rest of the watershed, the majority of land (roughly 60%) is covered by core forest and fragmented forest. Approximately 18% of the watershed is developed (including turf grass), and wetlands and agriculture account for 5% and 3%, respectively. Public and private lands that have been protected as open space are approximately 25% of the watershed. Major regional transportation corridors in the watershed include Interstate 95 and Interstate 395. Other major roads are U.S. Route 1, and State Roads 156, 161, and 85.
The watershed’s freshwater system (tributaries, lakes and ponds, and wetlands) drains to the Niantic River, an estuary connected to Niantic Bay and Long Island Sound. As an estuary, the Niantic River is a unique habitat in that both saltwater and freshwater processes influence the river. Certain marine species, including fish, have adapted to rely on estuaries for shelter and nursery habitats. The Niantic River Estuary has also been a valuable natural harbor for centuries, is an important recreational and economic resource for Waterford and East Lyme and continues to support multiple uses in commercial fishing/shellfishing, recreation, and tourism” (Fuss & O’Neill, pp. 1-2).
The Niantic River Watershed Committee approved the 2020 Niantic River Watershed Protection Plan Update prepared by our consultant, Fuss & O’Neill, at the NRWC Board of Directors Meeting in August, 2020.
Why Do Watersheds Need to Be Protected?
“We all live in a watershed, and watershed condition is important to everyone and everything that uses and needs water.
Healthy watersheds provide critical services, such as clean drinking water, productive fisheries, and outdoor recreation, that support our economies, environment and quality of life. The health of clean waters is heavily influenced by the condition of their surrounding watersheds, mainly because pollutants can wash off from the land to the water and cause substantial harm.
Streams, lakes, rivers and other waters are interconnected with the landscape and all its activities through their watersheds. They are influenced by naturally varying lake levels, water movement to and from groundwater, and amount of stream flow. Other factors, such as forest fires, stormwater runoff patterns, and the location and amount of pollution sources, also influence the health of our waters.
These dynamics between the land and the water largely determine the health of our waterways and the types of aquatic life found in a particular area. Effective protection of aquatic ecosystems recognizes their connectivity with each other and with their surrounding watersheds. Unfortunately, human activities have greatly altered many waters and their watersheds” (U.S. EPA).
Issues Affecting the Niantic River Watershed
- Impaired water quality
- Nonpoint Source Pollution
- Watershed Development
- Hydro-Modification
- Degraded Coastal Systems and Habitats
- Impacts of Climate Change
For more information, please see the 2020 Niantic River Watershed Protection Plan Update.
Resources:
Fuss & O’Neill, Inc. Niantic River Watershed Protection Plan Update, June 2020.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Fisheries. Retrieved from: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/habitat-conservation/what-watershed#:~:text=A%20watershed%20is%20an%20area,to%20think%20of%20a%20bowl.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA National Ocean Service. What is a Watershed? Retrieved from: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/watershed.html
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Healthy Watersheds Protection. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/hwp/basic-information-and-answers-frequent-questions#whathealthy
