KENT, Conn.—The Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy (NCLC), which is headquartered in Kent, has received funding approval for up to $725,000 from the Connecticut State Bond Commission to support the Colebrook Reservoir Easement acquisition.
NCLC will purchase the conservation easement on the 5,500 acres of land owned by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), which comprises 4,300 acres in Connecticut and 1,200 acres in Massachusetts, for $1 million. The effort to acquire the land was announced in 2023.
The project has received significant funding from the Connecticut State Bond Commission, as well as grants from the LEAP program (Land Easement and Acquisition Program), and support from various partner organizations.
According to the environmental group Save the Sound, a party to the proceedings, the Colebrook Reservoir is one of the state’s last few remaining large, untapped surface drinking water supplies. It feeds directly into the Farmington River, a National Wild and Scenic River.
The water company will be permitted to continue its existing uses of the property, and new public access to the property will be allowed for passive recreation such as hunting, fishing, hiking and boating, subject to NCLC and state health department approvals. Residential, industrial, commercial and other forms of development will not be allowed.
Besides Save the Sound, NCLC has collaborated with the Metropolitan District (MDC) landowners and partners, Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, the Farmington River Watershed Association, Connecticut Land Conservation Council and The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut, to secure this significant stretch of land.
With final funding in place, NCLC can proceed with the purchase of the conservation easement, which is expected to close by the end of the year.
“This is one of the largest land protection projects in our state’s history and safeguards our state’s clean water, environmental health, and continued public access to nature,” said NCLC Executive Director Catherine Rawson.
MDC CEO Scott Jellison termed it an “important next step” in the process of moving forward with the agreement for the long-term protection of the regional asset. The MDC is responsible for the environmental stewardship of more than 31,000 acres of watershed land.
“In Connecticut we’re proud of our natural landscapes and resources,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “The Colebrook Reservoir Conservation Project is another step forward in helping to protect our state’s natural beauty for generations to come.”
I use to love 5 minutes down the road from colebrook. Here’s the weird thing about this article. The Army Corps owns the launch, the dam, and there has never been any access issues and there won’t be. Regardless of this transaction. So why is it written that this move will open up access that already exists.