REDDING, CT WATER
SUPPLY AQUIFERS
Each of the ten municipal plans of conservation
and development has policies towards aquifers and water supply
watersheds. Redding's
and the other nine have been copied and placed
into one regional file to facilitate comparisons.
1)
Sugar Hollow Aquifer: At the very northwesternmost
corner of Redding is a small part of the Sugar
Hollow Aquifer, the bulk of which lies east of
Route 7 within Danbury and a lesser portion within Ridgefield.
2)
Umpawaug Pond Aquifer: Then to the south and
bordering Ridgefield is the Umpawaug
Pond Aquifer, north of Topstone Road and and
east of Simpaug Turnpike.
3)
Simpaug Aquifer: Continuing
south down Route 7 is the Simpaug
Aquifer. It is centered on the intersection of
Route 7 with Simpaug Turnpike in Ridgefield, with parts extending
easterly into Redding.
4)
Branchville Aquifer: Then further to the south,
in the Georgetown Area, is found the Branchville
Aquifer, shared with Ridgefield and Wilton.
5)
Upper Saugatuck Aquifer: Along the Saugatuck
River and Route 53, just east of West Redding Center, is the Upper
Saugatuck Aquifer.
6
) Aspetuck Valley Aquifer: On the eastern
edge of Redding near Newtown, crossed by Valley Road and near
the Aspetuck River, is the Aspetuck
Valley Aquifer.
REDDING, CT EXISTING
AND POTENTIAL WATER
SUPPLY WATERSHEDS
Whereas 25% of the Region's total land area
lies within existing water supply watersheds, 87% of the Town
of Redding is so designated. This is the highest municipal
percentage in the Region, followed by 62% of the land area
of Ridgefield and 42% of Danbury.
The
southward runoff from Redding's water supply watersheds contributes
greatly to the safe yield of the Aquarion Water Company. note
that the Norwalk River Watershed in western Redding also flows
south, but that there are no plans to convert it to water
supply use. However, some historic discussion of that option has
been preserved. A map
of the entire Norwalk River Watershed from the
Norwalk River Watershed Initiative group is available, showing
its relationship to western Redding.
The
sole public water supply in Redding arrives from the south
via a regional pipeline. A 12/8/2000 CT DEP diversion of water
application reads: “The applicant proposed to construct
a pipeline and pump station to divert a maximum of 1.9 million
gallons of water per day from the BHC Main System to the Georgetown
section of Redding and Ridgefield for the purpose of providing
public water supply.
The diversion will supply up to a maximum of 1.15 million
gallons of water per day to Ridgefield and a maximum of 0.24
million gallons of water per day to the Georgetown section
of Redding. The proposed activity will affect the Saugatuck,
Aspetuck, and Mill Rivers, and Clicker Brook.”
According
to Redding’s 1998 Town Plan “The runoff from about
nine-tenths of Redding’s land and water surface either
directly or potentially recharges public drinking water supplies.
The Saugatuck, Aspetuck and Hemlock Reservoirs, which receive
streamflow directly from Redding (as well as Easton and Weston)
and store over 16 billion gallons, supply about half of the
total water consumed in the populous coastal towns to the
south.”
1
) Saugatuck River Watershed: All of the Saugatuck
River Watershed, except for a small portion tributary to the
West Branch, flows to the Saugatuck Reservoir straddling the
Redding-Weston line. This area totals to about 13,600 acres,
or about 75% of Redding’s land area.
Route 53 bridge over the Saugatuck
River
The highly
scenic Saugatuck Reservoir became operational
in 1942 and is owned by the Aquarion Water Company.
2)
Wolf Pit Brook Watershed: State policy identifies
the northward running Wolf Pit Brook Watershed into Bethel
as a potential future source. The Wolf
Pit Brook Watershed has only a very minor presence
in Redding and flows northward from the Sunset Hill Road area.
3)
Aspetuck River Watershed: All of the Aspetuck
River Watershed in Redding, the easternmost quadrant of the
Town, drains south to the Aspetuck Reservoir in Easton and
Fairfield. Some of this drinking water is then pumped back
up gradient into the Region, to Ridgefield, CT.
4)
Mill River Watershed: The southeastern tip
of Redding, only about 45 acres, is located in the Mill River
Watershed flowing toward the Easton Reservoir in Easton. Landmarks
are small sections of North Park Avenue and Rock House Road
at the Easton Town Line.
CT
DEP CLASSIFICATION
OF STREAMS IN REDDING
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 Redding
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. Aspetuck River tributary that is unnamed
and flowing from the north end of the old Redding Landfill
entering Newtown easterly towards the Aspetuck River: B/AA.
Then the main stem of the Aspetuck River from this point south
to the Easton Line (including two small tributaries, from
south the end of old Redding Landfill, and from the Newtown
Line southwesterly to east of Valley Road #2): B/AA.
Also, a tributary that joins the Aspetuck in Easton that cuts
through easternmost Redding via Lyons Swamp north to the old
Easton Landfill: B/AA.
2. Chestnut Ridge Reservoir tributary reaching
south into Redding from Bethel: AA/AA.
3.
Mill River tributary entering from Easton: AA/AA.
4. Norwalk River in the Georgetown Area,
entering from Wilton and flowing south to again cross the
Wilton Line: B/B.
5. Saugatuck River and tributaries: AA/AA.
6. Wolf Pit Brook and tributaries reaching
south into Redding from Bethel: A/AA.
7. All other streams in Redding such as Gilbert
Bennett Brook, West Branch Saugatuck River, etc: A/A.
