Wild & Scenic

National Wild and Scenic Rivers

by Susan Murray and Hank Prussing

Hartland is characterized by expansive natural resources, providing the foundation for inclusion into the National Park Service’s Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers program. With a majority of Hartland containing vast contiguous tracts of land, water continues to play an ever-important role. The town is fortunate to possess a significant network of streams, rivers and waterways with an abundance of natural resources, offering recreational and aesthetic benefits. Moreover, Hartland’s pristine waters are supplied to over 400,000 Hartford county residents via the Barkhamsted Reservoir, which bisects the town.

Based on the geographical locations and the quality of its watercourses, Hartland is the only town in Connecticut to be part of two Wild and Scenic River designations. This designation under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is a federal-level recognition of the exceptional natural and cultural resources that these watercourses provide. It calls for the establishment of an advisory management committee to foster the protection and enhancement of these resources, without infringing on local autonomy. The committee also offers technical and financial assistance from the National Park Service to qualified applicants in support of local river-related endeavors.

The upper 14-mile stretch of the Farmington River in Connecticut, since extended by 1.1 mile, was among the first to be designated as a Partnership Wild and Scenic River by an act of Congress in 1994. The section of the river that runs through Hartland is located in the southwest corner of town. The Farmington River Coordinating Committee (FRCC), a non-regulatory advisory group, provides stewardship management for this upper stretch of the river and its watershed. The FRCC, which Hartland is partnered with, is committed to ensuring that the river’s beauty and character will be enjoyed by generations to come.

More recently, Hartland joined a second coalition of river towns and other stakeholders that worked to designate a section of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook as a Partnership Wild and Scenic River. The related watercourse within Hartland is a segment of the West Branch of Salmon Brook, which is located in the southeast corner of town. This designation was officially granted by Congress in 2019. The Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee (LFSWS) is a non-regulatory advisory group that provides stewardship management for the 62.3 miles of these designated watercourses. Similar to the FRCC, the LFSWS operates as a partnership of local, state, and federal entities as well as other stakeholder organizations.

For more information about the FRCC and the LFSWS, visit: