Hearing on Grupes Reservoir Dam construction Sept. 29 on Zoom
The New Canaan Land Trust and the Norwalk River Watershed Association are encouraging public participation in an online hearing about plans for construction at the Grupes Reservoir along the Silvermine River in New Canaan.
The hearing will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 3 p.m. The link to join can be found on the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) calendar at http:// www.ct.gov/deep/calendar or at NorwalkRiver.org.
The reservoir is the waterway that runs along the New Canaan Land Trust’s Browne Wildlife Sanctuary on Valley Road.
The proposed plans, submitted by the First Taxing District of Norwalk, include raising the height of the Grupes Reservoir Dam by 4 feet and constructing 1,500 feet of berms and walls along the eastern shore of the reservoir.
NRWA and NCLT, petitioners in the hearing, are concerned about the potential negative environmental impacts of the project, their announcement said.
“The construction of the berms and walls will necessitate the permanent clearing of over 400 native trees and shrubs which comprise important riverbank habitat. The barrier also will disconnect wetlands and streams at Browne Sanctuary from the reservoir.
“The application, as submitted to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) by the First Taxing District, does not address potential impacts to the eastern riverbank.”
The petitioners are seeking alternative plans that protect the wetlands and watercourses in the vicinity.
The Grupes Reservoir Dam was built in 1871, and is one of four reservoirs along the Silvermine River that supply drinking water to Norwalk and a small section of New Canaan.
NRWA and NCLT stated that they appreciate the importance of the dam safety issues involved. “We want to work with CT DEEP and the First Taxing District to arrive at a solution that ensures the safety of the dam while minimizing environmental impacts,” said Louise Washer of NRWA.
The public hearing comes as a result of an official petition, signed by 30 local citizens concerned about the impacts of the project. The online hearing will be conducted by DEEP, and the public will be invited to submit comments afterwards.