FINAL NIANTIC RIVER WATERSHED PROTECTION PLAN
Dial-up Users Warning: The final plan is available by sections. However, several files below are still very large. (1,000 KB = 1 MB)
Project Overview 
Project History
Purpose: To develop a watershed protection plan for the Niantic River watershed
to guide efforts to improve water quality throughout the basin and to set
a foundation for future watershed protection. The overall goal of this project
is the development of a holistic watershed protection plan. All the objectives
and components will provide the data, information, stakeholder
input, and support for developing plans that will be adopted by the watershed
communities, nongovernmental organizations, and federal, state, and local
government agencies. Once public comments are received, the draft
plan shall be revised and a final watershed plan shall be prepared.
Past and current efforts to protect and restore the Niantic River and Estuary underscore the general concern that it is a “Treasure Worth Protecting.” The Niantic River has significant natural, cultural, recreational and economic value to its stakeholders. This worth is based on water of a certain quality sustaining a diverse and productive aquatic ecosystem. It is this ecosystem that supports the many uses that watershed residents treasure.
We envision a watershed protection plan for the Niantic River that is driven by a vision of future watershed conditions as articulated by the watershed stakeholders. We propose a process (as described below) that will result in a plan owned and endorsed by the community. Our role in this process is to assist and facilitate development of the plan, work closely with staff from DEP, Towns, and other stakeholders. We envision a process that recognizes and builds upon the existing data, analytical tools, and ideas to formulate a practical and useful plan that can serve as a model for the region.
Funding Sources
This project was prepared by Kleinschmidt Associates, Inc. under award NA04NOS4190033 from the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of OCRM and NOAA.
