An Ecological Disaster

To the Editor,

Last week a beautiful natural pond and surrounding wetlands, encompassing 160 acres on Boggs Hill Road, were drained nearly down to the bottom by this town’s road crew, stranding untold numbers of nesting water birds, fish, turtles, migratory birds as well as many interdependent species of shore-dwelling wildlife.

It was pitiful and alarming to watch as Canada geese and wild ducks frantically circled, trying to reach their nestlings, but were unable to land on the exposed mucky bottom.

Today there are only a few large puddles left on what was a sparkling pond with a wildlife- sustaining and well balanced eco-system. One of a pair of great blue herons who have occupied the water’s edge for as many years as I can remember, now stands bewildered, in a few inches of water at the center of this destroyed habitat.

The order to tear apart the rip-rap dam which kept this wetland and pond in perfect balance, ecologically, and to install two perforated pipes, was given without warning or notice to any of the property owners whose land supplies this environment.

The natural pond was established and enlarged by the beavers over 20 years ago. Twelve years ago, in an effort to discourage the beavers, the town road crew installed a drainage pipe in a rip-rap dam, at the pond’s edge. It was almost immediately plugged up (beaver engineering?) and the water rose gradually back to the level of 20 years ago, where it supported a wondrous variety of wildlife until last week. The road did not flood.

This whole area on Boggs Hill Road, shown on the very early Newtown maps, is called “The Great Bog.” It feeds into brooks and ponds all the way into town and is actually the headwaters of the Pootatuck River. Instead of sustaining healthy wildlife, it will now make a great breeding place for billions of mosquitoes as the sun and approaching hot weather will leave only stagnant puddles remaining. The pipes are in place and are still flowing.

We want the rip-rap dam and the environment restored and the water allowed to return to its recent level. Please help us to reverse this ecological disaster. Even the “peepers” are gone. We truly have a “Silent Spring” on Boggs Hill Road.

Very truly yours,

Paula and Chet Hopper

Boggs Hill Road, Newtown                                               May 12, 2009