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Residents urge pause, repairs and grants to preserve Stoddard Reservoir
Summary
Multiple residents told the Board of Selectmen on July 13 that Stoddard Reservoir and its dam support important wildlife and community uses and asked the Town to pursue grants and study repair options rather than removal.
Several Simsbury residents urged the Board of Selectmen to pause any plan to remove or downgrade the Stoddard Reservoir dam and to pursue repair and grant funding to preserve the waterbody and its habitat.
Speakers including former resident and fish‑and‑game advocate Fred Bonini described the reservoir as habitat for freshwater clams, native brook trout, blue herrings and snapping turtles and said the dam merits repair. Norris, Nevin and Nord Christensen described the site’s historical and community value — citing family ice‑cutting and decades of fishing and recreation — and asked for more public outreach and technical study rather than immediate action.
A high‑school student and Fish and Game Club member, Aiden Rhodes, said local youth groups value the reservoir and planned fundraising to support restoration. Several speakers suggested exploring state grants and working with watershed organizations to fund repairs instead of removal.
Why it matters: Residents argued that the reservoir has ecological and cultural value and that premature removal might destroy habitat and community uses; they asked the Town to consider repair alternatives and to increase public outreach and independent study before committing to a removal or major change.
Board response and next steps: Town staff referenced Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) standards and the need to assess dam safety; speakers asked for a slower timetable and additional study. No formal decision to remove or repair the dam was taken at the July 13 meeting.
