Wild & Scenic

In 1994, 14 miles of the Upper Farmington River — stretching from Colebrook to Canton — was added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system with an act of Congress. In Fall, 2003, the Farmington River Watershed Association (FRWA) embarked upon an effort to have the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook similarly considered for this tremendous distinction.

FRWA sought letters of support from 10 towns – Avon, Bloomfield, Burlington, Canton, East Granby, Farmington, Granby, Hartland, Simsbury, and Windsor – and based on a strong showing of support, our Congressional leaders introduced “The Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Study Act” in 2004 and then again in 2005. Senators Dodd & Lieberman introduced a bill that passed the Senate in late 2005, and in November, 2006 the House passed a companion bill with the support of Congressional Reps Nancy Johnson and John Larson. On November 27, 2006 the bill, S. 435, was signed into law by President Bush.

Thus begins the Feasibility Study that will involve volunteers from the 10 towns who will oversee research into areas of interest, and will work with the National Park Service to develop a management plan to help protect the outstanding natural, recreational, and/or cultural values of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook. The area that will be studied is shown on the maps on this website.

If you are interested, you can review each organization’s testimony on the Lower Farmington River & Salmon Brook Study Act below:

For more on the Wild & Scenic process, please see the frequently asked questions (FAQ’s).

Join us on an interactive tour of the ten Wild & Scenic Study Towns.