Conn. River watershed in the national spotlight

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Over 2 million Connecticut residents live in an area that's getting some national attention.

On Saturday, September 29th, Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes visited Goodwin college in East Hartford along with officials from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Army (Civil Works).

The three federal agencies signed an agreement to work together to improve the health of the Connecticut River Watershed and facilitate outdoor recreational access for the 2 million Connecticut residents of the 7.2 million-acre watershed.

The agreement stems from the designation of the watershed in May as the nation's first National Blueway as part of the America's Great Outdoors Initiative.

From the forested hills of Bakhamsted and Stafford, to the highlands and floodplains of Glastonbury to the forests of Lyme to it's mouth in Old Lyme and Old Saybrook, the watershed comprises roughly 1/3 of the state, including the cities of Hartford and Middletown.

Each year in late summer and early fall, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Tree Swallows gather in the lower Connecticut River to fatten up for their migration. Nearly the entire northeast population of these beautiful birds passes through the lower river in this annual phenomenon. 

For more information, visit WXedge.com