Freshwater Conservation
The Nature Conservancy is helping to reconnect and protect rivers and streams around Connecticut.
It can be good to go with the flow . . . whether you’re a person or water. The Nature Conservancy is helping more rivers and streams to get back to their roots and do exactly that in Connecticut.
Reconnected rivers—free from dams, culverts and other infrastructure—can have positive ripple effects far beyond their banks. Fish can migrate to spawning grounds, surrounding habitats are restored and wildlife returns. When dams or culverts are required, improved design can make a world of difference. Reconnected and restored rivers benefit people, too: They often mitigate flooding and damage in severe storms.
As extreme weather intensifies, nature needs free-flowing waterways and stronger ecosystems more than ever. TNC is working to conserve 620,000 miles of healthy rivers and streams by 2030.
“We hope that as more people understand the immense value of reconnecting rivers, we’ll see additional support for these efforts,” says Emily Hadzopulos, TNC's freshwater restoration project manager in Connecticut.
“Removing dams and letting rivers flow freely allows for transportation of sediment to revitalize marshes; fish to access historic spawning grounds; and flood plains to function more naturally and grow resilient to a changing climate, which can reduce flood risk.”
Our freshwater ecosystems—the rivers, floodplains, tidal wetlands and coastal areas of Connecticut—work hard to sustain our way of life, and themselves. The good news is that degraded ecosystems can recover quickly, and those still intact and functioning can be protected for future generations—all with your help.
Did you know . . . ?
There are more than 20,000 culverts across Connecticut.
Mapping Coastal Culverts
TNC is conducting the state’s first ever inventory and assessment of culverts, bridges and other stream crossings in the Long Island Sound Coastal Watershed Boundary through a grant. The project, "Building a Coastal Crossings Inventory to Evaluate and Prioritize Fish Passage Efforts," will identify those in need of support.
These structures create barriers for fish passage and can fail during extreme storms. There are more than 4,600 culverts within this area, and more than half of the state’s culverts aren’t mapped at all. The project will train practitioners in North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative protocols as well.
Quote: Stream Smart Training Participant
There’s no point in fighting nature. Nature wins.
Being Stream Smart
TNC, alongside state and community partners, has launched a Stream Smart Training program on improved culvert design. At the first training in May 2025, a demonstration stream table showed on a miniature scale how different types and sizes of culverts can react in heavy storms, and potential for flooding or destroying roads. Improved designs can help mitigate flooding, maintain a thriving habitat,and allow wildlife to travel along the waterway.
Reconnecting Rivers
TNC is part of the Long Island Sound River Restoration Network, a collaborative of river-focused partners, to assess dams and identify those that should be removed while considering river health and equitable solutions, from the Appalachians to Long Island Sound. The network identifies and assesses dams and culverts for those most in need of removal or improvement, when considering river health, climate resilience, and community needs to assess dams and identify those that should be removed while considering river health and equitable solutions.
In May 2024, the Network held a World Fish Migration Day Celebration at Northwest Park in Windsor along the Farmington River—which ranked 6th on the 2024 Most Endangered Rivers list for the United States due to concerns for fish and the local ecosystem.
Celebrating World Fish Migration Day
The Migration Celebration brought guests together to enjoy time outdoors and learn about Connecticut’s rivers through a fish’s point of view.
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Let's have some fun! Take this quiz about fish and rivers in Connecticut!
Celebrate World Fish Migration DayThe Nature Conservancy and Long Island Sound River Restoration Network hosted a public celebration of World Fish Migration Day with a guided river walk, outdoor activities and a special documentary film premiere—along with a look at how local rivers affect us all.
“World Fish Migration Day: The Migration Celebration” took place on May 21 from 3-7:30 p.m. at the Northwest Park Nature Center, 145 Lang Road, Windsor, near the Farmington River.
“The Long Island Sound region spanning Connecticut is a gateway to hundreds of miles of critical freshwater habitat across New England,” says Emily Hadzopulos, TNC's freshwater restoration manager in Connecticut. “That's why this is such an important place to celebrate World Fish Migration Day and advocate for free-flowing rivers so that our migratory fish friends can live, breed, and thrive.”
The event was packed with diverse, educational activities about fish, waterways that link to Long Island Sound and the barriers that impact them.
The afternoon started with a three-mile round-trip guided walk along the nearby Farmington River. An outdoor meet-and-greet with community groups followed under the park’s pavilion, with refreshments and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
The event concluded with an evening screening of “Reconnected: Restoring the Rivers of Long Island Sound,” highlighting the challenges presented by dams, the benefits free-flowing rivers have on nature as well as entire communities, and how efforts directed toward one river can affect so many others.
World Fish Migration Day is an international movement dedicated to raising awareness of migratory fish and the roles they play in riverine and marine ecosystems, as they travel to spawn and serve as key food sources for other fish, birds and mammals.
Their populations support the larger ecosystem, but barriers such as dams and misaligned or undersized culverts can disrupt their travel and a river’s flow. While these man-made structures were once built to provide hydropower or recreational ponds, many of them no longer serve a purpose and are now in fragile condition.
The Migration Celebration event was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic. Funding for the video was provided in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure and administered by NOAA.
Restoring Habitat by Removing Dams
Earlier in 2024, the Long Island Sound River Restoration Network released a report on dam removal, examining the solutions for people and nature, while highlighting a project on the West River in New Haven.
The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut is a partner within the network and contributed to the Dam Removal Report, having been involved in dam removals for many years.
“It is exciting to have a collaborative report that all River Restoration Partners can share,” says Hadzopulos. “The dam removal report provides an engaging and succinct overview on why free-flowing rivers are important to Long Island Sound and how we can achieve free-flowing rivers through projects like dam removal.”
There are more than 5,000 dams in Connecticut alone, equating to nearly one dam per square mile. Given their prevalence, and more intense storms across our state, dams are an important segment of infrastructure and demanding a growing amount of attention. As weather events escalate, aging and fragile dams are at risk of failure—that means local communities are at risk, too.
Restoring free-flowing rivers builds community resilience, provides a clear and unobstructed path for fish especially during important migratory periods, allows native flora and fauna to thrive, improves local ecosystems, and much more.
Did you know . . . ?
Did you know…there are more than 5,000 dams in Connecticut? They may be owned by private residents, businesses or governments. This once-transformative technology is now often forgotten and no longer serving their original purpose. But ignoring them isn’t an option.
Pin Shop Dam
The Pin Shop Dam, primarily located in Watertown on Steele Brook, is a focus of TNC's water team, local partners and the River Restoration Network. It’s been identified as a priority dam for potential removal or improvement.
Two students from the Yale Strategies for Land Conservation Clinic course worked with TNC in 2025 to study environmental, historical and social aspects of the dam and local community. Long ago, the area included a more resilient floodplain, but changes to the waterway in the early 1990s have caused disruption. A severe storm in summer 2024 resulted in significant flooding.
Historically, the brook has been central to the town’s industrial growth, but this legacy has left environmental impacts, including pollution and habitat degradation. However, with strategic investments and continued community involvement, the vision of transforming Steele Brook into a sustainable natural asset is well within reach.
Thanks to your support, The Nature Conservancy protects critical lands and waters in Connecticut.
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