Watershed management through transportation funding

Abstract

The Pequonnock River is located in southwestern Connecticut and drains into Long Island Sound. 80% of the river does not meet minimum water quality standards for habitat or recreation. The Pequonnock River Trail is generally aligned with the course of the river. Trail sections have been constructed in three communities, but the goal of an uninterrupted regional trail has not yet been realized. Several trail sections have recently been completed through a combination of public and private funding. Concurrent with the development of a watershed management plan to address water quality impairments in the Pequonnock River, the final designs for several sections of the Pequonnock River Trail were in preparation. Through inter-agency collaboration and the leveraging of transportation funds, watershed management plan recommendations were integrated into the design and construction of the trail, such as the use permeable material for the trail surface, the removal of nonnative, invasive vegetation and the restoration and repair of riparian buffers. While transportation projects often places stresses on the natural environment, the continued collaboration with multiple stakeholders that represent a diverse set of interests illustrate that a transportation project can achieve economic and environmental sustainability. © 2014 WIT Press.