Water Resources
Protecting Connecticut's lakes, rivers and streams.
Long Island Sound Watershed Operations
Protecting and enhancing shellfisheries is a core priority of the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The Connecticut Council on Soil and Water Conservation and Audubon Connecticut were awarded a PL-566 $100,000 grant to develop, in a collaborative effort, a Watershed Operations Plan to help advance priority restoration and stormwater projects that support shellfish aquaculture and Long Island Sound ecosystem health.
Project Status
A Draft Watershed Operations Plan was completed in August 2024 and reviewed by CT DEEP (habitat & tidal restoration; stormwater management). In 2025, the draft was updated based on DEEP’s review.
As part of this grant, the Council held two public outreach meetings (with a virtual option) and developed an app to identify potential project sites and gather input on priorities to reduce stormwater impacts on shellfish beds and restore tidal wetlands in Long Island Sound.
Seventeen (17) Project Cards (links here) have been developed to illustrate the types of projects that could be funded through an NRCS PL-566 Watershed Operations Plan. As the full planning process moves forward, projects may be refined, added, or removed to reflect current implementation and emerging priorities.
Why This Matters
Long Island Sound is an estuary of national importance and a major economic driver for the region. Shellfishing is vital to Connecticut’s coastal economy—generating over $30 million in farm-gate sales, supporting 300+ jobs, and strengthening recreation and tourism. Shellfish also provide essential ecosystem services that improve water quality, habitat, and biodiversity across the Sound.
Key Challenges the Plan Addresses
Shellfisheries are increasingly impacted by:
Addressing these challenges at scale requires sustained implementation-level funding.
What PL-566 Can Do
Created by Public Law 566 (PL-566) and administered by USDA-NRCS, the Watershed Operations Program provides financial and technical assistance for projects such as: erosion and sediment control, flood prevention, watershed protection, water quality improvements, and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement. Importantly, funds may be used on both public and private lands, and at least 20% of total project benefits must be related to agriculture—a strong fit for shellfish aquaculture.
Using the Cape Cod Water Resources Project (links here) as a model, this plan is designed to identify implementable sites and positions Long Island Sound communities to pursue engineering and construction funding through NRCS—while also strengthening applications for other funding sources.
Partners
Lead Partners
- CT DEEP
- Connecticut Council on Soil and Water Conservation – Denise Savageau, Chair
- Audubon Connecticut – Robert LaFrance
Key Partners
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
- Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquaculture
- Connecticut Conservation Districts (three coastal districts)
Additional Partners
- UConn Sea Grant
- Save the Sound
- Local shellfish commissions
Materials & Resources
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Clean water is crucial to the health of all our residents. See the work we're doing to improve it long term.