West River Planting

April 11, 2016

On Saturday, Save the Sound hosted a celebration and volunteer event at the site of the former Pond Lily Dam on the West River. Over 70 volunteers joined forces to plant native vegetation along the river where the dam once blocked water flow and fish passage.

Attending were Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Cong. Rosa De Lauro, Rep. Pat Dillon, US Fish and Wildlife, CT DEEP, New Haven Land Trust, and additional Save the Sound project partners.

“I'm thrilled to see the West River run free,” Rep. Dillon said. “The dam was good for hydropower, but bad for fish, for the homeowners and businesses in Westville. An Econoline van pancaked near here during Hurricane Gloria from the force of floodwaters; in 2007 diners were evacuated in rowboats from the Athenian after a nor'easter; properties were damaged; and the fish were long gone - It was time for the dam to go to let the river run free.”

“This community-wide effort is another step to the return of fish spawning and a healthy West River,” Dillon said.

Photo: Rick Bennet, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Rep. Pat Dillon and Steve Gephard of CT DEEP Fisheries