Latest News & River Stories

Here in the Connecticut River watershed, we rely on clean, healthy rivers for drinking water, recreation, tourism, wildlife, and flood protection. The Clean Water Act has protected these waters for more than 50 years. Now those protections are under threat. 

CRC is collaborating with the City of Greenfield and the Nature Conservancy to advance Green River restoration projects including partial removal of the Greenfield Electric Light and Power Dam and full removal of the Wiley Russell Dam.

From the Canadian border in New Hampshire to Long Island Sound in Connecticut, the Connecticut River flows through some of New England’s most scenic and historically rich landscapes. This 410-mile-long river provides endless recreational and sightseeing opportunities. Here are ten spots that provide a glimpse into some of the delightful features the Connecticut River has to offer.

The Connecticut River Conservancy’s (CRC) 29th annual Source to Sea Cleanup is back this September 26 – 27th with flexible opportunities for individual groups to choose their cleanup day. The goal is to remove as much trash as possible from waterways, riverbanks, and communities.

The Environmental Impact Statement is the last major step in the hydropower relicensing process. Read full comments from CRC and others.

The Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) and Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), in partnership with the Town of Springfield, will begin the process of removing an old dam on Valley Street on September 3rd.

A video and article documenting 2025's migratory fish research for river herring in the Connecticut River watershed.

Is it clean? It will now be easier than ever to determine whether the waterbody near you is clean for swimming, boating, or recreation at isitclean.us.

The Connecticut River Conservancy has been collecting weekly water samples to test for E. coli bacteria in the Connecticut River and its tributaries. Some of the Hampden County sites in Massachusetts are heavily impacted by combined sewer overflows (CSOs), particularly from the more densely populated communities of Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield.

A look at the migratory fish data for sea lamprey and American shad in 2025 in an effort to determine how a cold, wet spring impacted the migration.

The Deerfield River Watershed Association (DRWA) will present a plan for potential National Wild and Scenic River Designation of the Deerfield River and its tributaries at an upcoming public meeting & virtual event.

Learn about the 7 species of turtles in the Connecticut River watershed, CRC's current project for turtle habitat restoration, and how to help injured turtles you may encounter.

CRC has launched a new program this summer to provide educational boat trips for youth groups and students in Connecticut.

A group of nonprofit organizations are embarking on watershed-based planning for the Scantic River watershed.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released two separate Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS) for the five hydropower facilities on the Connecticut River that are currently undergoing relicensing.

A concrete dam built in 1913 on Jack’s Brook—a tributary of the North Branch of the Deerfield River—is being removed this week in a collaborative effort to restore natural stream flow and improve aquatic habitat in southern Vermont.

The Connecticut River Conservancy sent a letter of support for the Silvio O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, MA, to the Acting Director of the USGS National Center. The full letter is shared for the public.

Angler surveys are an important way to understand recreational fishing pressures on the Connecticut River by allowing for estimates of catch and harvest rates, fishing effort, and angler preferences for specific fish species.

Appeals of Clean Water Act §401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) issued for the Wilder, Vernon, and Bellows Falls dams.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a relatively new tool that can help provide information to answer these questions and can complement, or in some cases, supplant traditional research techniques.

Appeal of the Clean Water Act §401 Water Quality Certifications for two hydropower facilities on the Connecticut River: the Turners Falls Dam and the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Station–one of the largest energy generating projects in the state at 1,100 megawatts.