A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT - PROTECTING THE NORWALK RIVER

Thanks to decades of work by Trout Unlimited and our partners, the Norwalk River has recovered as a home to wild trout, sea-run fish like Alewife and native Sea Lamprey and all manner of wildlife like mink, osprey, heron and egrets!

Three unused and abandoned dams have been removed to reconnect the Norwalk River to Long Island Sound and three more removals are in the planning stages! So far, more than 20 miles of river habitat has been restored and we’ve planted nearly 15,000 native trees and shrubs along the river.

The impact of this work has improved water quality, lowered river temperatures and helped return the river to a healthier place.

But there is still more to be done, and the ever-increasing pace of climate change makes it critical that we focus on the types of projects that will build resilience to increased droughts, more frequent floods and the damage they cause to the habitat of this precious local river.

Join us in the effort!

NORWALK RIVER DAM REMOVAL - THREE PROJECTS IN PROGRESS TO RE-OPEN THE RIVER!

Trout Unlimited is proud to be leading the charge on three more projects to topple deadbeat dams and restore even more habitat for wild trout and important migratory fish species on the Norwalk River! Thanks to a $1.3m grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife, we’ve recently hired a dedicated project manager - dramatically increasing our capacity to get big projects done on the Norwalk and across the state.

Right now, Trout Unlimited is working on the full removal of the Cannondale Dam - first breached by Mianus TU volunteers in 2018, a small-stone dam on the Wilton - Redding town line and design plans for the removal of the Factory Pond Dam in Georgetown. These projects will help restore over 20+ miles of spawning habitat, reduce water temperatures and make a big difference in the health of the Norwalk River all the way down to the Long Island Sound.