Connecticut's Eightmile Watershed Gets Federal Protection

For only a second time in the history of the program, an entire watershed received “Wild and Scenic” designation, meaning that local communities must limit development and runoff that might impact Eightmile and its tributaries. “The Eightmile is one of two ‘wild and scenic’ rivers in Connecticut: The 14 miles of the Upper Farmington River between Colebrook and Canton earned the designation in 1994. An effort is underway to win the same designation for the lower Farmington. The 40-year-old Wild and Scenic Rivers program has protected more than 11,000 miles of 165 free-flowing rivers nationwide.” David Funkhouser in The Hartford Courant.