It's About Dam Time!
Removing Kinneytown Dam to Restore Fish Passage and Advance Environmental Justice on the Naugatuck River
Introduction
The Naugatuck River has made a remarkable comeback. Once one of the nation's most polluted rivers, it is now a beautiful natural resource, supporting an array of recreational activities and providing habitat to a wide variety of wildlife. It has become a focal point of the Naugatuck Valley's resurgence.
The Naugatuck River also features miles of prospective spawning and rearing habitat for migratory fish... if they could only reach it.
Just a few miles upstream from the Naugatuck's confluence with the Housatonic River, Kinneytown Dam is the only obstacle preventing migratory fish from accessing miles of restored habitat. Once needed to power industry in the lower Naugatuck Valley, and later used to produce electricity, Kinneytown Dam now serves no useful purpose. It no longer generates power, yet seriously impacts the health of the river, presents safety concerns, is preventing residents from accessing recreational opportunities, and is keeping the region from realizing the full benefits of hundreds of millions of dollars invested to improve water quality and habitat.
Now, funded in part by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), a plan to remove Kinneytown Dam and restore the Naugatuck River to its rightful course is being implemented by the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) and Save the Sound.
This storymap presents background information about the Naugatuck River and Kinneytown Dam, along with updated information about the Kinneytown Dam Removal Project.
Use the chapter links above to skip ahead to the section of your choice, or continue scrolling to view the entire story.
Naugatuck River
The Naugatuck River is the largest tributary of the Housatonic River. Stretching 45 miles from headwaters in northwest Connecticut, the Naugatuck drains a watershed area of approximately 310 square miles.
Historical Fish Migration
Before European settlement, migratory fish had free passage from Long Island Sound through the Housatonic River to miles of habitat in the Naugatuck and its tributaries.
The name “Naugatuck” is derived from an Algonquian term meaning “lone tree by the fishing place,” hinting at the bounty of Salmon, Shad, Trout, River Herring and other fish species that once inhabited the river.
An Industrial Legacy
European settlers put the river to work. The steep grade of the Naugatuck and its tributaries provided an ideal source of power for early grist and saw mills. Later, the river powered the production of textiles, metal and rubber products, driving the economy of the valley for nearly two centuries.
Industrialization had a devastating impact on the river and species that once flourished in it. Dams were constructed all along the watercourse, blocking fish passage. For decades, the river was a dumping ground for sewage and industrial waste degrading water quality.
The river became known for its odor and changing colors depending on what dyes and wastes were being discharged upstream at the time. The river no longer supported aquatic life and became toxic to humans. In Ansonia, the river even caught fire in 1943 when industrial discharges ignited.
A Remarkable Recovery
Following the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, sewage treatment plants were upgraded, and industrial wastewater discharges were regulated. These actions, in addition to a general decline of certain industries in the region, greatly reduced pollution impacts to the river and water quality improved.
Over the past several decades, the Naugatuck River has made a remarkable comeback. Fish , birds and other wildlife have returned, and the river is increasingly a destination for anglers, paddlers and sightseers.
A Plan to Restore Fish Passage
In 1996, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection released and began implementing a plan to return migratory fish to the Naugatuck by removing obstacles to fish passage.
In 1999, a fish ladder was constructed at Kinneytown Dam in Seymour.
Between 1999 and 2004, The Anaconda Dam, Freight Street Dam, Chase Brass Dam and Platts Mill Dam in Waterbury and the Union City Dam in Naugatuck were removed.
In 2014, a $6.3 million fish bypass channel was constructed at the Tingue Dam in Seymour. The dam could not be removed without endangering supports for the adjacent Route 8, so the fish bypass channel was developed to mimic a natural streambed, providing a route for fish around and past the dam.
The opening of the Tingue Dam Bypass Channel should have provided access for migratory fish to the Naugatuck River and tributaries north to the Plume and Atwood Dam in Thomaston.
HOWEVER....
HOWEVER....
The Kinneytown Dam fish ladder is not providing effective fish passage. Migratory fish are being prevented from accessing the restored habitat upstream.
Kinneytown Dam
Kinneytown Dam is a Hydroelectric facility located in Seymour and Ansonia, Connecticut on the Naugatuck River.
As currently configured, it was designed to produce electricity by driving turbines in two powerhouses rated for 2.3 megawatts (mW) total energy production. The Seymour Powerhouse (rated for 1.5 mW) is adjacent to the dam. The Ansonia powerhouse (rated for.8 mW) is located approximately one mile south fed by a canal and reservoir (A.K.A. Coe Pond) that delivered water to power it.
Kinneytown is currently operated by Kinneytown Hydro Inc, which is owned by Trimaran Energy LLC. Kinneytown Hydro Inc. was previously owned by Enel North America, Inc., a large energy corporation, and more recently by Hydroland Inc., a small hydropower company.
Kinneytown Dam History
A diversion dam was first built around 1840 where Kinneytown Dam now stands to divert water from the Naugatuck River and into a newly constructed reservoir and system of canals, delivering it into downtown Ansonia to power factories.
Later, the Ansonia Copper and Brass Company constructed a powerhouse (Ansonia Unit or Unit 2) along the canal and generated electricity for use in the adjacent factory.
Use the swipe tool on the underlying map to compare the site in 1934 to present day. Slide to the right to see a present day image, slide to the left to see a 1934 aerial image of the site (with present day features overlaid and labeled).
Kinneytown Dam History (continued)
In the early 1980s, the ARCO Metals Company, then owner of the copper and brass mills in Ansonia, developed additional electrical generating capacity at Kinneytown Dam by installing a new generating station at the dam in Seymour.
Power generating facilities are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As a small facility, Kinneytown was granted an exemption from licensing in 1983. As a condition of that exemption, the facility operator was required to meet a number of conditions, including that it would operate both power generators, and would provide fish passage at the dam when called upon to do so by regulators.
Kinneytown Dam Fish Ladder
In the late 1990s, the facility operator was called on to establish that fish passage, and a fish ladder was constructed and began operating in 1999.
Fish ladders are designed to allow fish to ascend beyond a dam by swimming against the current through a series of chambers in a chute that conveys turbulent water released from the top of the dam.
The fish ladder at Kinneytown Dam was built to attract fish to the mouth of the ladder, where they could enter and navigate up and past the dam.
It became apparent several years ago, however, that the fish ladder was not operating as designed.
Raising an Alarm
For years, local environmental activist Kevin Zak, President of the Naugatuck River Revival Group (NRRG) had been noticing a lack of migratory fish above Kinneytown Dam, and began documenting upstream and downstream conditions. He recorded migratory fish schooling below the dam, unable to pass upstream. It was clear that the fish ladder was not working as it was intended to.
Mr. Zak brought his concerns to municipal leaders along the river, who, in turn brought them to the NVCOG, making the issue a regional priority. NVCOG joined Save the Sound and, along with the NRRG, began a campaign to investigate the cause of fish passage failure, and advocate for a solution. They formed the Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition, and began researching and reaching out to state and federal regulators to get to the bottom of the issue.
Fish Ladder Design Concerns
A fish ladder is most effective when the ladder is straight and short. The Kinneytown Dam's ladder is neither. Fish entering it must swim through about 5 chambers towards the dam, then make an abrupt turn for another 10 chambers in the downstream direction, then another sharp turn in the upstream direction and then up through approximately 75 more chambers.
These factors limit the effectiveness of the Kinneytown fish ladder even under ideal conditions.
Ineffective Fish Passage
The ladder was also designed with the understanding that both powerhouses would be operational, with minimal water spillage over the dam. An evaluation of the fish ladder by then CT DEP shortly after its construction noted that during certain flow conditions, excess flow over the spillway at the dam could limit the effectiveness of the ladder by attracting fish to the base of the dam rather than the ladder.
While there was some modest fish passage in the years after the fish ladder was opened, fish passage since 2013 has been virtually non-existent. In a letter to FERC dated September 29th , 2020, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provided documentation of a substantial decrease in fish passage after 2013.
In that letter, FWS explains that the Ansonia Powerhouse (Unit 2) has not operated since 2013, causing the dam to spill more frequently, attracting fish to the base of the dam and limiting the ladder's effectiveness.
Evidence of Ineffective Fish Passage
On November 30th, 2020, Save the Sound and the Naugatuck River Revival Group submitted a letter to the FERC docket and presented documentary evidence of the long-standing lack of fish passage at Kinneytown Dam. The submission included:
On January 12th, 2021, the Mystic Aquarium and Maritime Aquarium submitted a letter to the FERC Docket detailing the downstream ecological impact of ineffective fish passage at Kinneytown Dam.
FERC Docket
Since 2020 the Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition has been participating as intervenors in FERC docket proceedings concerning Kinneytown Dam (Docket # P-6985). The coalition has entered numerous filings into the record to bring the issue of fish passage and other public health and safety issues to the attention of FERC, and pushing for a permanent solution to restore fish passage at Kinneytown Dam.
You can review an annotated timeline of documents submitted to that docket HERE .
Despite numerous requests from regulators, the dam owners (Since 2020, successively Enel, Hydroland and Trimaran) have not provided any solution to the fish passage issue.
Through the docket, it also came to light that the Seymour powerhouse (Unit 1) went offline in 2020, and there is no plan to bring it back online. With both powerhouses now offline, the entire river's flow is passing over the spillway, and the fish ladder has virtually ceased to function.
Currently, Kinneytown Dam is not producing any energy, and there are no plans to restore energy production at the facility. It is completely blocking migratory fish from accessing spawning and rearing habitat in the Naugatuck River and tributaries, presents a downstream flood risk should one of the facility dams fail, is a health and safety concern, and is preventing residents and visitors from accessing the Naugatuck River.
Why Dam Removal?
With a long history of ineffective fish passage at the site, a facility that is falling further and further into disrepair, and no commercial interest in the site as an economically viable energy producer, dam removal has emerged as the preferred method of restoring fish passage.
In 2022, the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection published The Plan to Restore Diadromous Fishes to the Naugatuck River Watershed recommending removal of the Kinneytown Dam:
"Given the major investments in fish passage and watershed improvements upstream of the Kinneytown Dam, the significant habitat available upstream of the dam, the current state of disrepair and disfunction of the current facility, the historic ineffectiveness of the fish passage system, and the relatively low energy output from the dam, DEEP's preferred option to restore fish passage on the Naugatuck River is the removal of the Kinneytown Dam."
Dam removal will not only restore fish passage, but it will also eliminate dam safety concerns, reduce up and down-stream flood risk, improve water quality, restore natural sediment flows, and restore access to the Naugatuck River for residents and visitors.
Scroll through this map tour to explore reasons for dam removal.
01 / 11
1
Restore Fish Passage
The Denil fish ladder built in 1999 never provided safe, timely, or effective fish passage, and passage has virtually ceased with the closure of the two electrical generating units. To bring the fish passage facility up to modern fish passage standards would likely require construction of a completely new passage facility at the cost of millions of dollars, and may simply not be possible due to site constraints.
Target species, including American shad, alewife, and blueback herring, as well as sea lamprey and American eel, have been identified below and approaching the dam through video, photo, and/or eDNA documentation -but these fish currently have no effective way to access the miles of quality habitat upstream.
Dam removal is a permanent solution to the fish passage issue. Removing the dam will restore the river to its former course allowing fish and other wildlife to pass up and down stream freely.
2
Eliminate Dam Safety Concerns - Kinneytown Dam
Previous owners of Kinneytown Dam did little to maintain the facility, and it has fallen into disrepair over the course of several decades. Bringing the facility into compliance on dam safety issues alone would likely cost millions of dollars.
Kinneytown Dam is listed as a "Hazard Class B-Significant Hazard Potential" Dam. As such, if it were to fail, there could be:
- possible loss of life
- minor damage to habitable structures and residences, including, but not limited to, industrial or commercial buildings, hospitals, convalescent homes, or schools
- damage to local utility facilities including water supply, sewage treatment plants, fuel storage facilities, power plants, cable or telephone infrastructure, causing localized interruption of these services
- damage to collector roadways and railroads
- significant economic loss
The FEMA-approved 2021 NVCOG Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan identified the poor condition of Kinneytown Dam as a concern and identified dam removal as a permanent solution to eliminate flood risk downstream from a dam failure.
Dam removal is the only permanent solution to the dam safety issue, and one that will require no continuing investment going forward to maintain safety.
3
Eliminate Dam Safety Concerns - Coe Pond/ Canal Reservoir Dam
Coe Pond/ Canal Reservoir is impounded by a half-mile earthen dam that was built in 1845 and has been completely unmaintained. The southern portion of the earthen dam is vegetated with mature trees, a serious threat to the integrity of the structure. The northern portion shows signs of overtopping during heavy rain events. The dam sits adjacent to and directly above the Metro North Waterbury Branch commuter rail line, presenting a clear threat to rail and commuter safety should it breach.
An independent dam safety inspection was conducted by Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, with an inspection report published on March 6, 2024. The report details numerous deficiencies in the condition of Coe Pond Dam and explains that any one of them could lead to a breach of the dam at any time which would inundate and damage the adjacent rail line with potential for loss of human life and property. The report recommends the water level in Coe Pond be lowered as soon as possible to reduce the risk of dam failure.
Lowering the level in Coe Pond will also reduce or eliminate the need to make costly repairs and upgrades to Coe Pond/ Canal Reservoir Dam, and prevent ongoing long-term maintenance and safety costs.
4
Reduce Flood Risk Upstream
This project will build resilience against extreme weather and help communities adapt to climate change by reducing flood risk. Upstream from Kinneytown Dam, four stretches of Route 8, 25 homes and a cemetery are located in floodplains along the river.
Dam removal will reduce the level of the 100- and 500-year flood plains upstream of Kinneytown Dam, giving the Naugatuck River more access to floodplains, wetlands, side channels and marshes which will help attenuate flood risks to communities while helping enhance fish and wildlife habitat.
5
Remove a Health and Safety Concern
The abandoned Ansonia/ Unit 2 Powerhouse and Canal present a serious risk to public health and safety, and are directly adjacent to a federally designated environmental justice community . Despite attempts at securing it, trespass into the dangerous facility is common. The property is littered with trash, stagnant water in the abandoned canal is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and neighbors complain of foul odors coming from the property.
Removing the Kinneytown Dam facility will remove these threats to human health and safety. Residents in the adjacent community will be included in the planning and design process to ensure that their needs are met during site restoration and into the future.
6
Restore Access to the Naugatuck River
The Kinneytown Dam facility completely prevents residents and visitors from accessing vast reaches of the Naugatuck River.
Improvements in water quality over the last several decades have made recreational fishing possible along the Naugatuck River, but Kinneytown Dam is hindering regional participation in the outdoor recreation economy by preventing popular sport fish from accessing substantial habitat upstream.
Restoration plans that will be developed as part of the dam removal will include plans to restore safe access to the Naugatuck River, and that access will be developed as part of the dam removal project. Removal will result in full restoration of habitat connectivity and creation of related economic and recreational opportunities for local communities.
7
Improve Downstream Water Quality
The reservoir behind Kinneytown dam is very shallow due to the large amount of accumulated sediment trapped behind the dam. During the summer, the shallow water heats up in the sun, and it is the superheated water that flows over the spillway, heating the lower Naugatuck River to dangerous levels for aquatic organisms.
Removing Kinneytown Dam will restore natural flows, and reduce the occurrence of dangerous water temperatures.
8
Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The EPA has identified the release of greenhouse gases from reservoirs as a source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The decomposition of submerged organic matter produces carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Notably , methane has up to 30 times the global warming potential of CO 2 , and nitrous oxide has 273 times the global warming potential of CO 2 .
Removing Kinneytown Dam will reduce future greenhouse gas production at the site by greatly reducing the amount of submerged organic material.
9
Realize the Benefits of Upstream Investments
Tens of millions of dollars have been invested to remove obstacles and improve habitat upstream within the Naugatuck River and tributaries, including dam removals, habitat restoration, and the construction of a fish bypass channel at Tingue Dam in Seymour. In addition, municipalities have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade wastewater treatment facilities on the Naugatuck, resulting in much improved water quality. Kinneytown Dam is the last remaining obstacle to realizing the full benefit of those investments.
10
Bring Improved Sportfishing to the Naugatuck Valley
According to the American Sportfishing Association, anglers spend $381 million annually while fishing in Connecticut. Improvements in water quality over the last several decades have made recreational fishing possible along the Naugatuck River, but Kinneytown Dam is hindering regional participation in the outdoor recreation economy by preventing popular sport fish from accessing substantial habitat upstream. Removal will result in full restoration of habitat connectivity and creation of related economic and recreational opportunities for local communities.
11
Restore Natural Sediment Flows
Sediment is currently being trapped behind Kinneytown Dam. Removing Kinneytown Dam will restore natural sediment flows that will replenish downstream wetlands and marshes like those at the Charles Wheeler National Wildlife Management Area, enhancing estuarine habitat value, and improving coastal flood attenuation.
Kinneytown Dam Removal Project
In the summer of 2022, the Coalition held meetings with the dam owner, and it became clear that restoring power generation and fish passage at Kinneytown Dam was not economically feasible.
In August, 2022, NVCOG, in partnership with Save the Sound, and with the support of the dam owner, submitted an application to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Funding Opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund a project to acquire and remove Kinneytown Dam. In December of that year NOAA Announced that:
"The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments will be awarded up to $15,000,000 over three years to remove the Kinneytown Dam Facility (Kinneytown Dam / Canal Reservoir Dam) on the mainstem of the Naugatuck River in Connecticut. The effort will open 29 mainstem miles for blueback herring, American shad, and alewife, and an additional 28 tributary miles for American eel. Both dams are located in underserved communities, and public river access points will be developed at both sites, improving opportunities for boating and river use. The dams are safety hazards due to potential for public injury and high risk of facility failure. Dam removal will reduce the flood risk to communities upstream and downstream of the project."
Now, with grant funding from NOAA, supplemental funding from CT DEEP, and project support from EPA, NVCOG has initiated the Kinneytown Dam Removal Project.
As laid out in the application for NOAA funding, the planned approach is for The Connecticut Brownfield Land Bank (CTBLB) to acquire the facility from the current owner and hold it while the engineering for dam removal is completed, the decommissioning process is worked through with FERC, and permitting is completed. Project partners will then work together to oversee the deconstruction of the dam and restoration of the corridor. Once complete, the intent is to restore public access to the river.
NVCOG is also receiving project support from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which is leading Phase I and Phase II Environmental Assessments of the property through the EPA Region 1 Targeted Brownfield Assessment Program . Those assessments will identify any areas of contamination in the sediments behind both dams, and in and around facility structures. This assessment will inform the design of the dam removal so that it is done safely.
Project Timeline
Links and Press
More Information
Kinneytown Dam Removal Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments webpage
Restoring Fish Passage at Kinneytown Dam Save the Sound webpage
Press
NVCOG Sounds The Alarm About Ansonia Embankment Dam , Valley Independent Sentinel 3/11/2024
Thousands of Dams in CT Pose Risks and Challenges , CT Mirror 3/10/2023
Local leaders praise $15M to remove Kinneytown Dam , Waterbury Republican-American, 12/18/2022
Officials demand FERC act on ‘useless’ Kinneytown Hydroelectric Dam, Waterbury Republican-American, 6/6/2022
CT officials demand action on Seymour dam to aid Naugatuck River ecosystem , CT Post, 6/6/2022
Politicos Up The Pressure On Kinneytown Dam Operator , Valley Independent Sentinel, 10/23/2021
Senators ask authorities to crack down on Naugatuck River dam , Waterbury Republican-American, 10/22/2021
A Determined Man: Kevin Zak's Historic Impact on the Naugatuck River , Waterbury Observer, 10/21/2021
Hugh Bailey: The dam that holds the key to the Naugatuck River's rebirth , CT Insider, 10/18/2021
Towns & Environmental Groups Target Kinneytown Dam Owner , Valley Independent Sentinel, 9/30/2021
Power struggle: What you have here is a fish-killing machine with no positive benefit , Waterbury Republican-American, 9/25/2021
Advocates, officials call for improvements to neglected dam , Citizen's News, 12/31/2020
Senator, environmentalists push for improvement of Kinneytown Dam , WFSB Eyewitness News, 12/28/2020
Our Opportunity to Restore Fish Passage at Kinneytown Dam Save the Sound Blog Post 12/10/2020
Let the Naugatuck River Run Silver Again Op-Ed by John Waldman published in Hearst Media publications 12/4/2020
Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition (NRRC)
The NRRC is fighting to ensure that safe, timely and effective fish passage returns to the Naugatuck River.
Coalition Partners
Coalition Supporters
This story will be continually updated as the effort to remove Kinneytown Dam and restore migratory fish to the Naugatuck River continues, so please check back often!