Project Description
The Pomperaug River is a 13.4-mile-long tributary of the Housatonic River in southwestern Connecticut. The river is classified as Class B Surface Waters by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) with habitat for fish, aquatic life and wildlife, recreation, navigation, and industrial and agricultural water supply listed as its designated uses. Ballantine Park is located along the Pomperaug River in Southbury. By the mid 2000s, the eastern riverbank at Ballantine Park had become unstable and experienced severe erosion forming a steep bluff rising approximately 40 feet above the river. The eroded sediment had impacted water quality and aquatic habitat downstream.
The Town of Southbury received funding from the Connecticut SubCouncil of the Housatonic River Natural Resource Trustees to stabilize and restore the eroded streambank at Ballantine Park. The slope was graded, and native riparian plant species were planted to stabilize the bank. To reduce erosion as the plants grew and matured, erosion control blankets and coconut coir logs were installed.
DOI Project Representatives
Fish and Wildlife Service