BRIDGEWATER, CT
WATER SUPPLY AQUIFERS
Each of the ten municipal
plans of conservation and development has policies towards
aquifers. Bridgewater's
and the other nine have been copied and placed
into one regional file to facilitate comparisons.
1)
Minor Aquifers: There are only minor
aquifers in Bridgewater, scattered around the
Town. These include the Hitchcock Mill Brook, Clatter Valley,
Iron Ore Hill Road, Second Hill Brook and Shepaug River shoreland
areas.
BRIDGEWATER,
CT POTENTIAL
WATER SUPPLY WATERSHED
1) Shepaug River Watershed: At present there are no active water supply watersheds in
Bridgewater. However, much of the eastern section of the municipality
is within the Shepaug
River Watershed which is designated by the state
as a potential future water supply source.
This watershed gets special recognition as to the need for
its protection in the 2001 Town Plan, First , the 2001 Plan
recommended the implementation of additional buffer zones
along Lake Lillinonah and the Shepaug River.
Then as a second step, the additional buffers are proposed
to extend inland, to all of the watercourses and wetlands
comprising the Shepaug River Watershed in Bridgewater.
CT
DEP CLASSIFICATION
OF STREAMS IN BRIDGEWATER
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT
DEP) has developed water
quality standards in conjunction with the principles
of the federal Clean Water Act.
As a result each stream or water body in the Region has two
classifications, one for existing use, and one for ultimate
future use, written in a existing/future format such as "B/A"
or "A/AA". The highest standards are reserved of
existing and potential water supply areas, which are AA.
The DEP
seeks to bring every water body in the State to a minimum
classification of "B" or better, which would not
be suitable for human consumption without treatment, but could
be suitable for recreational use, fish and wildlife habitat,
agricultural and industrial supply, and other legitimate uses.
There
is a non degradation policy such that stream now AA or A cannot
be reduced to B to allow discharges from industries or treatment
plants. The classification system and application to Bridgewater
is summarized below:
Class
AA: Designated uses are existing or proposed drinking
water supply, fish and wildlife habitat, some recreational
use, agricultural and industrial supply. Discharges severely
restricted.
Class
A: Designated uses is potential drinking water supply;
fish and wildlife habitat; recreational use; agricultural
and industrial supply and other legitimate uses including
navigation. Discharges severely restricted. No reclassification
of A or AA allowed down to B.
Class
B: Designated uses are varied and include discharges
from industrial and municipal wastewater treatment facilities
providing Best Available Treatment and Best Management Practices
are applied. All water bodies must eventually reach the minimum
standards of the B classification.
Classes
C and D: Indicates unacceptable quality, the goal
is Class B or Class A and DEP will issue orders to require
improvement.
1.
Housatonic River forming western boundary of Bridgewater
(as Lake Lillinonah): D/B. The severe D rating is due to PCB
contaminated bottom sediments.
2. Shepaug River tributaries reaching westerly
into Bridgewater such as Hop Brook, Second Hill Brook, etc:
A/AA.
3. All other streams in Bridgewater such
as Clapboard Oak Brook, Hitchcock Mill Brook, Wewaka Brook,
etc: A/A.
