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A Newsletter for
Municipal Inland Wetlands Agencies
CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Inland Water Resources Division
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Agency and Staff Contact Information
Update it Now!
The DEEP Wetlands Management Section provides a directory of municipal inland wetlands agency staff and contact information on the DEEP's website. An effort is underway to update this directory. As a result, you may receive a call from DEEP Wetlands Management Section staff requesting current information. If you have not received a phone call, please review the information provided in the directory, and if incorrect, please update using this web based form. The Wetlands Management Section will post an updated directory on the website in early October 2014. |
Legal and Administrative Updates Workshop
The DEEP Wetlands Management Section, along with the Office of the Attorney General, conducted a Municipal Inland Wetlands Agency Continuing Education Workshop on legal and administrative updates in June. All handouts provided to workshop participants have been placed online. Handouts include a 2014 court case synopsis and a fact sheet on expert witness testimony in agency proceedings. Please see the Wetlands Management Section's training web page to view the training materials. |
Foam, Scum and Slim
What's That Stuff in the Water?
Lakes and streams don't always look or behave the way we expect. Water can be  full of strange colors, unidentified blobs, and swimming creatures. Something that at first glance looks like pollution actually might be a natural phenomenon. The aquatic world is diverse. There are all kinds of cool, weird, and interesting things waiting to be discovered in your nearby lake or stream. A Field Guide to Aquatic Phenomena will help you identify some common occurrences, and help you distinguish pollution from something natural. The field guide is published by the Mitchell Center at the University of Maine, and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
Spotted Salamander egg mass photo courtesy of CT DEEP
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Aquatic and Wetland Invasive Plants
In 2012 the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station produced the second edition of Connecticut's Aquatic and Wetland Invasive Plant Identification Guide. Aquatic plants are essential components of healthy ecosystems in lakes and ponds. They  cleanse water and provide habitat for rich communities of aquatic organisms. Invasive species are not native and have few natural enemies. The dramatic growth rates of invasive species can clog water intakes, decrease recreational opportunities and alter native ecosystems. The guide is intended to provide information on the identification and distribution of twenty-two aquatic plants listed as invasive or potentially invasive by the Connecticut General Statutes section 22a-381d. The guide includes comparative pictures that help differentiate the invasive species from similar native plants. View the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station's invasive aquatic plant program website for additional resource information.
Water Chestnut photo courtesy of Leslie J. Mehrhoff
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Outdoor Pools
Disposal of Swimming Pool Wastewater
Each summer the DEEP Wetlands Management Section receives phone calls from citizens concerned about the release of pool wastewater into wetlands or watercourses. Outdoor pools are synonymous with summer fun, but if pool wastewater is discharged to a stream, pond or other waterbody, it might make these waters unlivable for beneficial insects and amphibians. Chlorine and other chemicals (bromine) used in maintaining pools and spas often include acidic or alkaline cleaning compounds that can have a negative impact on aquatic life if mismanaged. Even at extremely low levels, chlorine can be toxic to life in wetlands and watercourses. Swimming pool wastewater can also contain solids and harmful bacteria. It is best for swimming pool discharges such as pool water, filter backwash, or any maintenance water associated with cleaning a pool or deck to be directed to a sewage treatment plant if a sanitary sewer connection is available. If a sanitary sewer connection is not available, the DEEP prefers that the discharge is made to a subsurface disposal system or to the ground surface, not a storm drain. The discharge of swimming pool wastewaters to a storm drain often results in a direct discharge to a wetland, pond or stream. The discharge of pool wastewater into a wetland or watercourse, either directly or through a storm drain system, is an activity subject to the regulatory authority of DEEP and must be done in compliance with the DEEP's General Permit for the Discharge of Swimming Pool Wastewater. The general permit describes the activities eligible for authorization under such permit, and identifies the conditions that apply to such authorization. Additionally, such activity is subject to the regulatory authority of municipal inland wetlands agencies.
Article modified from DEEP's eNewsletter "Your Environmental Connection: News for Connecticut's Businesses & Municipalities" July 2014 edition. Swimming pool photo courtesy of Constant Contact.com.
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Need to Wash Your Car?
Protect Water Resources - Follow These Tips!
The arrival of summer brings many people out to clean and shine one of their most prized possessions - their car. But many don't realize that the soapy water that is washing dirt and oil off their car can pollute local waterways if that wash water winds up in a storm drain system discharging to a wetland, stream, or Long Island Sound. Following these pointers can help prevent this from happening:
 1. Use a commercial car wash where wash water is directed to a sewage treatment plant;
2. Wash cars on a grassy surface so wash water does not enter a storm drain;
3. Use as mild a detergent or soap as possible. Even biodegradable ones pollute water;
A mailed reminder to residents, or a spot on the town website including the above points, will count toward a town's MS4 Stormwater Permit Outreach requirement.
Article reprinted from DEEP's eNewsletter "Your Environmental Connection: News for Connecticut's Businesses & Municipalities" July 2014 edition. Car wash photo courtesy of Xenia at morguefile.com.
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Need to Contact the DEEP?
New Information Available Online
To make it easier for the public to find appropriate contact information the DEEP has added an "A to Z Directory" on it's website. A link to the directory can be found in the "Contact Us" section on the DEEP's home webpage.
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The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at 860-418-5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have a disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint.
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A Newsletter for Municipal Inland Wetlands Agencies is published by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, Inland Water Resources Division, Wetlands Management Section. Editor: Darcy Winther, (860) 424-3019.
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