4. SITE DESCRIPTION:

A. Project Area, Core Sites, and Designated Areas:

The project area constitutes all of the tidal waters of the mainstem, tributaries, and coves of the Connecticut River, including all associated tidal wetlands, from Long Island Sound to the northern boundary in Cromwell/Portland, approximately 58 river kilometers (36 river miles). Consistent with the Ramsar Convention, primary emphasis is placed upon wetlands but, in several instances, proposed sites include riparian and coastal zones adjacent to these wetlands, such as Griswold Point barrier beach, and riverine levees between the coves and rivers and islands, such as at Seldens Neck and Goose Island. This area represents the complex of all wetlands and tidal waters that meet the criteria for Wetlands of International Importance (see Criteria for Inclusion), regardless of ownership.

Figure 2

Within the overall project area boundary are approximately 20 discrete major wetland complexes, listed below, referred to within this document as core sites. These are relatively large wetland units occurring along, and connected to, the river itself; they are commonly identified by specific geographic place names, such as Lord Cove and Great Meadows. While meeting the Ramsar wetlands inclusion criteria from strictly a biological standpoint, these core sites may be comprised of various ownership parcels, often numerous, not all of which are included in the designation, particularly if such lands are not being managed for conservation purposes. In some cases, the number of individual parcels in a core site may be fairly extensive and may represent a mosaic of conservation and non-conservation lands. Only those parcels within each core site that specifically meet both the ownership requirements and inclusion criteria are included in this nomination, with the owners' permission. These sites are the actual designated areas (i.e., those areas specifically included in the Ramsar designation), and include all tidal waters of the Connecticut River from the mouth to the vicinity of Cromwell/Portland below mean high water (i.e., public trust waters and submerged lands), as well as adjacent wetlands owned by the state, municipalities, land trusts, and other private conservation organizations where these lands are held specifically for conservation purposes. For non-state properties, the owners have formally agreed to allow their lands to be included in the designation and to conform with the requirements of the Ramsar Convention. A list of designated areas and their extent is listed in Appendix A. The location of these areas is shown on a set of maps (1:24,000) contained in Appendix B. A summary table showing the breakdown of original designated areas by ownership follows:

Establishing a project area boundary serves to emphasize the ecological connectivity of all of the wetlands, tidal waters, and adjacent uplands over the entire estuarine complex, and will further allow for and facilitate the expansion of the number and size of designated areas within each of the core sites and project area as new acquisition projects arise or as interest by existing or future land owners to include their wetlands under the Ramsar designation continues to grow. Additions will be on a voluntary basis. (Additions have been made; see Addendum 1 in Appendix A.) It is anticipated that additional designated areas would be submitted to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) for review and approval on a regular basis.

List of Core Sites: Those core sites containing the majority of designated areas are listed below along with the town names (in parentheses) where they occur. It should be noted that the public trust waters and submerged lands of the Connecticut River mainstem represent the primary core site linking all of the other core sites in the project area.

1. Connecticut River Mainstem - All tidal waters and submerged lands below mean high water of the mainstem of the Connecticut River. All these waters and submerged lands are under public trust ownership. Except for some dredged navigational channel areas, most of these waters are less than 6 meters (18 feet) in depth.

2. Great and Upper Island Complex (Old Lyme) - An extensive system of salt and brackish meadow marshes, including Griswold Point, an important barrier beach and dune complex at the mouth of the river. Great and Upper Islands are mostly state-owned, but include parcels owned by The Nature Conservancy, Old Lyme Land Trust, and private owners. In the tidal tributaries, ownership is mostly private, with the exception of a number of properties owned by the Old Lyme Land Trust. Griswold Point is owned by The Nature Conservancy.

3. Ragged Rock Creek and South Cove Complex (Old Saybrook) - Brackish marsh system including Lynde Point, a coastal barrier with one of the most extensive sandflat communities in Connecticut. Ragged Rock is owned mostly by the state, but includes private lands and lands owned by the town of Old Saybrook and The Nature Conservancy. Ownership in South Cove is mixed state and private.

4. Turtle Creek (Essex, Old Saybrook) - Brackish reed marsh with some wild rice. Owned by The Nature Conservancy.

5. Lord Cove Complex (Lyme) - An extensive area of brackish reed marsh and floodplain forest. Includes Nott, Goose, and Calves Islands. The Lord Cove wetlands are predominantly held for conservation purposes by the state, The Nature Conservancy, Lyme Land Conservation Trust, and the Potapaug Gun Club. Nott Island is owned by the state, Goose Island is owned by the Potapaug Gun Club and the Old Lyme Land Trust, and Calves Island is owned by the Old Lyme Land Trust and private owners.

6. Great Meadows (Essex) - A brackish reed marsh. Mostly privately owned; three parcels on Great Meadow are owned by the Essex Land Conservation Trust, and Thatchbed Island is owned mostly by the Essex Land Conservation Trust and the state.

7. Hamburg Cove (Lyme) - A tidally-influenced freshwater cove noted for its ecologically important intertidal flats and diversity of submerged aquatic vegetation. In late summer, salt water reaches the deeper waters of the mouth of the cove, which allows access by estuarine fish such as bluefish. Public trust waters; the uplands to the south of the cove inlet are owned by The Nature Conservancy.

8. Pratt and Post Coves (Deep River) - Well-developed freshwater tidal marshes dominated by dense stands of wild rice on low marsh and diverse forb communities on the high marsh. Extensive submerged aquatic vegetation in the tidal creeks. Mixed ownership, including the state, the town of Deep River, Deep River Historical Society, and Deep River Conservation Trust.

9. Selden Creek and Joshua Creek (Lyme) - Area consists of Selden Neck (bedrock island), Selden Cove, and Selden Creek, extensive freshwater tidal marshes and alluvial wetlands, and a narrow upland slope. Numerous creeks flow into the cove from the surrounding uplands. Joshua Creek contains high quality freshwater tidal marsh. The Selden Cove complex is owned principally by the state; the remainder is owned privately and by The Nature Conservancy.

10. Chester Creek and Deep River Complex (Chester, Deep River) - Extensive freshwater tidal wild rice marsh. Chester Creek has mixed ownership with conservation lands owned by the Connecticut River Gateway Commission, The Nature Conservancy, and the town of Chester. Deep River is mostly in private ownership, except for a parcel owned by the Connecticut River Gateway Commission.

11. Whalebone Creek and Cove (Lyme) - One of the most extensive freshwater tidal wild rice marshes in the state, surrounded by forested uplands. Numerous creeks flow into the marsh system before entering the cove. Mostly in private ownership, with two tracts owned by The Nature Conservancy.

12. Chapman Pond (East Haddam) - A 24-hectare (60 acre) tidal freshwater pond connected to the Connecticut River by two narrow inlets. The pond is surrounded by freshwater tidal marsh ringed by floodplain forest and steep, ledgy upland slopes vegetated with hemlock forest. Mostly in conservation ownership, with the largest tract owned by The Nature Conservancy and several small parcels owned by the East Haddam Land Trust.

13. Salmon Cove and River (East Haddam) - A complex of high-quality freshwater tidal marshes, intertidal flats, floodplain forest, and alluvial swamp bounded by forested uplands. Area includes the tidal marshes at the mouth of the Salmon River and Salmon Cove up to Leesville Dam. Mixed ownership: state, East Haddam Land Trust, Connecticut Audubon Society, Northeast Utilities, and extensive private ownership.

14. Haddam Meadows State Park (Haddam) - Alluvial wetlands and floodplain that are entirely owned by the state.

15. Higganum Meadows (Haddam) - Freshwater tidal marshes, alluvial wetlands and floodplain owned mostly by the state.

16. Pecausett Meadows (Portland) - High quality freshwater tidal marsh. Mostly under private ownership, with four parcels owned by the state and one parcel by the Middlesex Land Trust.

17. Cromwell Meadows (Cromwell, Middletown) - Freshwater tidal and alluvial marsh. Mostly state-owned Wildlife Management Area.

18. Dead Mans Swamp (Cromwell) - An alluvial floodplain, swamp, and marsh system with well-developed vegetation characteristic of the upper tidal Connecticut River. All in private ownership.

19. Gildersleeve Island (Cromwell) - Sandy island and sand bar system and floodplain forest on west side of upper tidal Connecticut River. Privately-owned.

20. Wangunk Meadows (Portland, Glastonbury) - A large complex of floodplain forest and alluvial marsh east of Gildersleeve Island. This area is owned in large part by the CTDEP, with a number of private inholdings.

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