Salisbury — wet and wild

A quarterly letter from the Salisbury Conservation Commission

Welcome to the Salisbury Conservation Commission’s quarterly missive. Our mission is education — educating ourselves as well as fellow Salisburyians on the important natural habitats specific to our beautiful and fascinating town, and how to preserve them.

Thomas Blagden

In this article we summarize “Water – Wetlands and Watercourses,” a chapter from the Town’s Natural Resources Inventory (NRI).You can find the whole NRI at www.salisburyct.us/town-documents/.

We like to think holistically about our natural resources and how they all work in concert to support the nature we love and steward.As we consider the lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, bogs, swamps, fens, and vernal pools of Salisbury, we are also thinking about what drains into them and how we can help to keep them clean, productive and viable habitats during our time here in Salisbury.

Salisbury is Wet and Wild — Summary of the NRI’s Water Section

Salisbury’s rich assemblage of wetlands and watercourses are the lifeblood of our landscape.We are fortunate to have many large bodies of water and riparian areas in town, all of which support and provide a multitude of habitats making up our unique and precious ecosystem.

For instance, Salisbury is home to two high elevation lakes that sit atop the Riga Plateau, also known as the Taconic Uplift: Riga Lake and South Pond.These lakes, sitting at a high elevation have colder water than any other water source in town, which flows down to swamps, wetlands and streams, supporting important native plants and animals such as brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) (DEEP website) as well as the threatened spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus). (Klemens et al.2021, Salisbury POCD, 2024).

Salisbury’s northwestern location within the state of Connecticut, its elevation gradient of close to 2,000 feet, and its relatively unfragmented landscape, have resulted in the town being a reservoir for biodiversity of statewide and regional significance. (Klemens et al, 2021) Using climate change modeling, it is predicted that Salisbury will be the only area in the state where certain cold-water species will be able to continue to flourish despite climate change.

Thomas Blagden

Hidden from view are extensive sand and gravel deposits known as till, which were deposited by the last glaciation some 12,000 years ago. Driving north on Undermountain Road these glacial terraces are clearly visible as gently undulating agricultural fields. Water percolates through these terraces and feeds the subterranean aquifer.This gives rise to many unusual habitats, such as fens, that contain endangered and rare species.

Salisbury’s rich assemblage of wetlands and watercourses are the lifeblood of our landscape.They add to our lives in obvious ways for recreation such as fishing, boating, and for drinking, but they also support productive and exceptional ecosystems that are not readily apparent.

Thomas Blagden

It is imperative to protect Salisbury’s waters as we protect our way of life in our town.Increased flooding from climate change along with development, especially around the lakes, is increasing runoff and pollutants into our water system.This toxic runoff threatens many wetland-dependent species of plants and animals that are at the core of our ecosystem.

The Conservation Commission wants to encourage landowners to not use fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides on their properties.The quality of our water resources is directly dependent on the choices we residents make in caring for our properties. Applied fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides eventually reach our waters with detrimental effects.For more science on this topic, please read: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844....

We would like to be interactive, so please send topic suggestions and comments to leepotter@salisburyct.gov.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Mountaineers strike gold at BL track championships

HVRHS sophomore Ryan Segalla went three-for-three May 17 with Berkshire League gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m races. He was also on the gold-winning 4x400m relay team.

Photo by Riley Klein

Berkshire League track and field wrapped up a season of competition with the league finals in Litchfield May 17. The BL festival followed with decathlon, heptathlon, steeplechase and hammer in Falls Village May 20 and Thomaston May 21.

The events included athletes from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Gilbert School, Lakeview High School, Nonnewaug High School, Northwestern Regional High School, Shepaug Valley High School, Terryville High School and Thomaston High School.

Keep ReadingShow less
Salisbury approves traffic detour for June NASCAR event

Lime Rock Park is slated to host the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Friday and Saturday, June 26 to 28, in Lime Rock, Connecticut.

Photo by Nathan Miller

SALISBURY — First Selectman Curtis Rand agreed to sign approvals for changes in traffic patterns and a “hauler parade” for Lime Rock Park’s NASCAR event June 26 to 28 after a lengthy and detailed discussion at a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen Wednesday, May 21.

Lime Rock Park is hosting a weekend of NASCAR events. In anticipation of a larger than usual crowd, park leadership has asked to have one-way traffic on Route 112 — Lime Rock Road — from the junction of Route 7 and Route 112 to White Hollow Road and the main track entrance between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and one-way traffic in the opposite direction between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28.

Keep ReadingShow less
MIRA enters agreement for private sale of Torrington Transfer Station
Torrington Transfer Station’s entrance.
Photo by Jennifer Almquist

TORRINGTON — USA Waste & Recycling’s $3.25 million offer to purchase the Torrington Transfer Station was conditionally accepted by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority Dissolution Authority at a meeting of its board of directors May 14.

Torrington Transfer Station was one of two facilities in the state, along with Essex Transfer Station, that was still owned by MIRA-DA following the closure of the Hartford trash-to-energy plant in 2022. Municipalities in these service areas were given until July 1, 2027, to establish alternative solid waste contracts.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joan Anderson Turnure

Joan Anderson Turnure, 91, died after a long illness on May 3, 2025, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, CT. She was the loving widow of Michael DeBurbure Turnure.

A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Church in Salisbury on June 1, at 1:00PM, followed by a reception at The White Hart Inn.

Keep ReadingShow less