The Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited is working to restore a 2,900-foot section of the Mill River, which flows alongside the Easton-Fairfield border, running parallel to the Merritt Parkway. The plan is to restore the wild trout habitat, which has degraded since the river was straightened in the 1930s.
“We’ve been working on this section of the Mill River for at least 10 years,” said Richard Rosen, president of the Nutmeg Chapter. “We’ve done tree plantings, knotweed removal and revetments.”
A revetment is a facing of impact-resistant material, such as stone or wooden piles, applied to a bank to absorb the energy of incoming water and protect it from erosion, according to Wikipedia.
The stretch of the Mill River, once a meandering stream, was straightened when the Merritt Parkway was completed in 1938, disrupting the environment’s aquatic life.
The Nutmeg Chapter has partnered with Trout Scapes River Restoration, an ecologically based river restoration and enhancement firm in Bozeman, Montana. Their proposed plan will allow the river to naturally scour out, improving spawning habitat, increasing the food supply and better enabling the trout population to survive low water and warm summers.
“In 19 specific spots on the river, they are going to enhance the waterway by putting in rocks, hardening banks and enhancing the riffles where bugs often live,” said Rosen. “Once it’s done, you’ll have a stretch of river that’ll be much more compatible with holding fish.”
Currently, the project is in the permit stage, with construction expected to take place in the summer of 2025.
“We’re going to be applying for permits,” said Rosen. “We’ve had individuals from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Fisheries Division involved. We took a tour of the site about two weeks ago, and they are supportive of the project.”
Both the towns of Easton and Fairfield are in favor of the proposal for restoration, and are hopeful to stretch the Class 1 Wild Trout Management Area categorization further down the river.
“We’re excited to see it happen,” said Justin Giorlando, land use consultant for the Town of Easton. “I have every bit of confidence in Trout Unlimited and Trout Scapes and their ability from past projects.”
To begin the revamping process of the 2,900-foot section, the chapter must first raise approximately $100,000. Thus far, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund has raised $20,000 for the project, with another $3,000 coming in from donations and from a Trout Unlimited Embrace a Stream program.
The Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited includes the towns of Fairfield, Westport, Weston, Easton, Redding, Trumbull, Monroe, Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford and Shelton. Its mission is to conserve, protect and restore cold water fisheries and their watersheds. It also does educational outreach.
The chapter runs Trout in the Classroom, a state-sponsored program in cooperation with the Aspetuck Land Trust and Bass Pro Shops. Through the program, students raise trout from eggs to small fish in a cold water aquarium during the school year and then release them into a state-approved body of water.
“Our focus is conservation, so that we can improve the habitat of the rivers and thus the fish population, but we also try and involve youth,” said Rosen.
