Since the second half of the 20th century, however, the Connecticut River and its tributaries
have made a remarkable recovery. Major contributors to this change include the passage
of the Clean Water Act and the banning of DDT in 1972 and the passing of the Endangered
Species Act in 1973. Improved water quality soon resulted in the return of eagles and
osprey and their populations continue to increase. A state-wide program to build fishways
along dams is bringing anadromous and catadromous fish back to the Connecticut River
and its tributaries.
The Nature Conservancy in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection, and with support from the Essex Land Trust, work has begun
to reestablish the Falls River as a viable fish spawning resource. In 2014, the first fishway
was built on the Falls River at the Mason Post (Tiley-Pratt Pond) Dam off Dennison Road.
It brought alewives and blueback herring to the base of the Wright’s Dam, the next dam
upstream at the Brush Mill facility.
Plans exist to construct a fishway at the Wright’s Dam, which will be followed by a fish
ladder at the Connecticut Valley Manufacturing site in Centerbrook (the current location
of Centerbrook Architects). The goal of the restoration program is to enable the migrating
fish to reach the lush habitat in Mill Pond above the Centerbrook dam. These small
anadromous fish are an important food source for larger predatory fish as well as for fish-
eating birds. Bass, perch, sunfish, catfish, eel and carp already populate the ponds of the
Falls River and North Cove today.
Today, the Falls River estuary, including Falls River Cove and Essex’ North Cove support
a burgeoning list of wildlife and vegetation. The entire area is populated by turtles,
salamanders, frogs, and Northern water snakes. Grey foxes, white-tailed deer, squirrels,
chipmunks, skunks, rabbits, and coyotes can be observed on Essex Land Trust properties
along the River. A stopover for migrating birds, it also provides habitats for many other
birds, raptors and waterfowl. Thus, the land along Falls River once again provides the
natural habitat for many species familiar to the Native Americans who once fished
these waters.
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