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Access a legend for the map below
Source of Map: Water Resources Inventory of CT, Part 6, Upper Housatonic River Basin, by the
U. S. Geological Survey and the CT Department of Environmental Protection, 1972.

THIS IS AN EARLY (1972) GENERALIZED MAP OF ESTIMATED AQUIFER BOUNDARIES ONLY;
COMPARE IT TO LATER DATE USGS SURFICIAL MATERIALS MAP

HISTORIC BASE LINE DATA: 1980 HVCEO
REPORT ON STILL RIVER MIDDLE AQUIFER
The Still River Middle Aquifer is located along the Still River in northeast Danbury and western Brookfield. It is a broad aquifer of 2.9 square miles direct recharge area and 4.8 square miles of indirect recharge. The area is heavily urbanized, although it still contains major areas of wetland and undeveloped land along the river. In many locations extensive gravel mining has removed important surface cover material needed for natural filtration.

A burgeoning urban corridor, more than 90% of the direct recharge area and much adjacent valley land is zoned and planned for industrial and commercial development (CG-20, IG-80 Zones in Danbury; IL-80, IR-80, IG/C-80 & 40, IR/C-80 & 40 Zones in Brookfield).

Major land uses developed to date include the new Route 7 expressway from I-84 north through the whole length of the aquifer; major industrial uses in Danbury adjacent to the I-84 interchange and smaller industrial plants in Brookfield (Grays Bridge Road and near Route 133); a belt of intensive commercial-retail shopping centers, offices, automotive services, trades and general business which stretch along the entire old Route 7 from I-84 to the central business area in Brookfield at Route 25; scattered commercial, industrial and gravel pits along both sides of the new Route 7; and scattered enclaves of single family residential use generally averaging one family per acre density.

Federal Road DOT commuter lot above Still River Middle
Aquifer in Danbury. Photo courtesy of Rick Gottschalk.

Identified potential problem points include: discharges to the Still River, which presently carries State water quality classification of "C" from Danbury sewage treatment plant, from 3 small private sewage treatment plants, and from 3 industrial establishments; 4 industrial waste disposal sites (metals and other materials); and the Town of Brookfield road salt stockpile.

The Still River, a potential source of recharge, is one of 4 streams in the Region considered to have seriously impaired water quality. One contaminated and two "impaired" quality wells appear in the records.

While these problems are substantial, it appears nonetheless that several factors may have helped delay serious degradation of groundwater quality: the relatively large size of this aquifer and its recharge area of nearly 8 square miles, the fine-grained composition of some of the most intensive industrial and commercial area, Danbury’s sewer extensions, Brookfield’s newly strengthened zoning regulations, the relatively low density of much of the current development, the continued existence of major wetlands, and lack of recent drought conditions.

Two sites within this aquifer, whose coarse-grained sediments predominate, were recommended by HVCEO’s engineering consultant for test drilling.

Suitable and adequate control measures are difficult to prescribe for such a complex area. However, the most urgent are: strict prohibition of all deleterious discharges; reduced intensities of development for major uses (low site coverage limits and required storm water recharge); elimination of salt piles, fuel and chemical storage (or severe controls); preservation of all wetlands and flood plains; upgraded Danbury-Bethel sewage treatment plant (presently in planning stages); and stringent standards for on site sewage disposal (Brookfield especially).

Consideration should also be given to encouraging those types of large-site, low coverage, non-waste-producing uses such as corporate offices and "pure research" industries, rather than productive manufacturing uses which will have to store raw materials and dispose of waste.