Conservation Commission (linked)

December 5, 2023 
 
 
Ms. Maureen FitzGerald 
Environmental Planner 
Town of Waterford 
15 Rope Ferry Road,  
Waterford, CT 06385-2886 
 
RE: 
CLA #7226 
             1122 & 1124 Hartford Turnpike 
 
Waterford CT 
 
 
Dear Ms. FitzGerald: 
CLA Engineers has prepared an application to the Waterford Conservation Commission for the 
proposed construction of parking areas, stormwater management facilities and replacement of a 
chicken coop at the referenced site.  The wetland boundary shown on the submitted plans was 
previously delineated by James Cowen C.S.S. and verified in 2020 by Robert Russo C.S.S.  The 
verification was done using a hand auger and per the definition in C.G.S. sec 22a. The wetland 
delineation is shown on plan sheet 1. 
 
Plan sheet 1 also shows the existing limits of disturbance and plantings install by the owner. The 
limits of disturbance were created by the owner and the subject of a Notice of Violation from the 
Waterford Conservation Commission. In response to the NOV, the owner restored plantings (as 
shown on sheet 1) to a 50 foot wide buffer around the wetlands and that buffer will remain 
undisturbed.  
 
Site Setting 
 
122 & 1124 Hartford Turnpike has existing structures (a residence and barn) that will remain 
and a chicken coop that will be replaced.  As such, a significant portion of the site was 
previously cleared of trees however; the 50-foot buffer mentioned above is now vegetated. 
A portion of the driveway in front of the house is paved. The area a mapped as 
wetland/watercourse includes streamside wooded swamp located along the west side of 
the site and an isolated pocket along the east side. The streamside wooded swamp contains 
Oil Mill Brook and a tributary that enters from the east.  The isolated wetland has a 
localized watershed and receives local surface water runoff.   
 
The current land use surrounding the site is a mixture of commercial, institutional (a 
church) and  residential. The site is also bounded by a wooded buffer to the west.   
 
Throughout the site slopes vary from gentle on the east and west with steeper slopes  in the 
center. The higher elevations (174 ft NAV D) occur near the center while the lower 
CLAEngineers, Inc. 
Civil 
  Structural 
Survey 
317 MAIN STREET 
NORWICH, CT 06360 
(860) 886-1966 
(860) 886-9165 FAX 

 
 
 
 
elevations (164 ft NAVD) are in the southern corner. The surface water drains to the west 
and south to Oil Mill Brook. 
 
Surficial Geology and Soils 
 
Southern New England was overlain by glacial ice as recently as 12,000-15,000 years ago.  
The materials that the glaciers deposited over top the local bedrock determine the surficial 
geology of the region and of the site.  Glacial deposits are generally divided into three 
categories: glacial till (un-stratified sand, silt and rock), glaciofluvial (water sorted, 
stratified sand and gravel), and glaciolacustrine (stratified sand, silt and clay that settled 
out in lakebeds).  The type of glacial deposit present on the site is glacial outwash. This 
finding is based on on-site–observations and the NRCS mapping (attached) and on-site 
investigation, which revealed deposits of coarse sand and gravel. In addition to the  glacial 
outwash, post glacial stream deposits (alluvium) occur along  Oil Mill Brook and organic 
soils (mucks) occur in the northerly wetland. 
 
As noted above, the soils on the site has been partially re-graded for the previous 
development however much of the site area has pervious soils surfaces. 
 
Table 1 is a sumary table of the soils found on the site.   
 
Table 1 - Soil Types and Properties at the 1122 and 1124 Hartford Turnpike Site* 
  
Soil Series 
Parent Material 
Drainage Class 
Texture/Characteristics 
17 Timakwa and 
Natchaug * 
Organic matter 
Poorly drained 
Mucky 
38  Hinckley  
Glacial till 
Excessively 
drained 
Sand and gravel 
103 Rippowam*  
Alluvium  
Well drained 
Fine sandy loam 
* Wetland soil types mapped by NRCS on site. 
 
One upland soil is mapped on the site per the data included in Appendix A. Hinckley soil 
consists of coarse texture sand and gravel and is present in the central part of the site.  
The Rippowan soil series consists of poorly drained, sandy and fine sandy soils that occur 
along stream floodplains.  The Timakwa and Natchaug soils are very poorly drained mucky 
soils that occur in depressions in the landscape that stay wet long enough to slow plant 

 
 
 
 
decomposition and generate organic soils.  Filed investigation revealed on site soils that 
are consistent with NRCS mapping. 
 
Wetland Description 
 
This site has two  wetland systems, one that is not hydrologically connected to offsite 
wetlands, the other is part of the Oil Mill Brook system.  Under the USFWS system, the 
wetland systems are both classified as PFO1E. The USFWS description is as follows: 
(Source:https://fwsprimary.wim.usgs.gov/wetlands/apps/wetlands-mapper/.) 
Classification code: PFO1 E 
System Palustrine (P) : The Palustrine System includes all nontidal wetlands dominated 
by trees, shrubs, persistent emergents, emergent mosses or lichens, and all such wetlands 
that occur in tidal areas where salinity due to ocean-derived salts is below 0.5 ppt. It also 
includes wetlands lacking such vegetation, but with all of the following four 
characteristics: (1) area less than 8 ha (20 acres); (2) active wave-formed or bedrock 
shoreline features lacking; (3) water depth in the deepest part of basin less than 2.5 m 
(8.2 ft) at low water; and (4) salinity due to ocean-derived salts less than 0.5 ppt.  
Class Forested (FO) : Characterized by woody vegetation that is 6 m tall or taller.  
Subclass Broad-Leaved Deciduous (1) : Woody angiosperms (trees or shrubs) with 
relatively wide, flat leaves that are shed during the cold or dry season; e.g., black ash 
(Fraxinus nigra).  
Water Regime Seasonally Flooded/Saturated (E) : Surface water is present for 
extended periods (generally for more than a month) during the growing season, but is 
absent by the end of the season in most years. When surface water is absent, the substrate 
typically remains saturated at or near the surface.  
 
The dominant tree in the on-site wetlansd is red maple (Acer rubrum) typically of 16-24 
inches DBH. The shrub/sapling layer also has red maple as well as clammy azalea 
(Rhodensron viscosum) sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) and spicebush (Lindera 
benzoin). The herbaceous layer has tussock sedge (Carex stricta)  as well as cinnamon 
fern (Osmunda cinnmomea) and skunk cabbage (Symplocarups foetidus). 
 
CLA has coordinated with the CTDEEP NDDB regarding protected species and believes 
that the project design accommodates  CTDEEP concerns.  
 
CLA conducted a wetland investigation in the spring of 2021 and found wood frog egg 
masses in the isolated wetland.  
 
Assessment/Potential for Impacts 
 
The site has been subject to past development and the current proposal maintains the 
existing buildings with the addition of asphalt milling parking areas. The potential for 

 
 
 
 
wetland impacts due to the installation of the new impervious surface will be dealt with 
by the installation of a stormwater treatment basin designed to meet the standards of the 
CTDEEP 2004 Manual as revised. The construction process is designed per the CTDEEP 
2002 Manual and is protective of the wetland resources during construction.  This 
protection is in the form of Best Management Practices (BMPs) specified on the plans. 
These details show how stormwater will be managed during construction using a 
temporary sediment trap and perimeter E&S measures. 
 
 
Summary 
 
The proposed activities will not directly affect wetlands.  The work in the upland review 
zone, which includes construction and grading, can be accomplished without impacts to 
the wetland and watercourse resources if erosion and sedimentation control measures are 
adhered to.  CLA believes that there will be no adverse wetland impacts if the plans are 
adhered to. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
 
Robert C. Russo CS 
 
 

 
 
 
 
Appendix A  
Soils Data 
 

Soil Map—State of Connecticut
(Halls Rd Soils)
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Web Soil Survey
National Cooperative Soil Survey
9/11/2023
Page 1 of 3
4577700
4577800
4577900
4578000
4578100
4578200
4578300
4578400
4577700
4577800
4577900
4578000
4578100
4578200
4578300
4578400
4578500
722400
722500
722600
722700
722800
722900
723000
723100
723200
723300
723400
723500
723600
722400
722500
722600
722700
722800
722900
723000
723100
723200
723300
723400
723500
723600
41°  19' 37'' N
72°  20' 36'' W
41°  19' 37'' N
72°  19' 39'' W
41°  19' 9'' N
72°  20' 36'' W
41°  19' 9'' N
72°  19' 39'' W
N
Map projection: Web Mercator   Corner coordinates: WGS84   Edge tics: UTM Zone 18N WGS84
0
250
500
1000
1500
Feet
0
50
100
200
300
Meters
Map Scale: 1:6,050 if printed on A landscape (11" x 8.5") sheet.
Soil Map may not be valid at this scale.

MAP LEGEND
MAP INFORMATION
Area of Interest (AOI)
Area of Interest (AOI)
Soils
Soil Map Unit Polygons
Soil Map Unit Lines
Soil Map Unit Points
Special Point Features
Blowout
Borrow Pit
Clay Spot
Closed Depression
Gravel Pit
Gravelly Spot
Landfill
Lava Flow
Marsh or swamp
Mine or Quarry
Miscellaneous Water
Perennial Water
Rock Outcrop
Saline Spot
Sandy Spot
Severely Eroded Spot
Sinkhole
Slide or Slip
Sodic Spot
Spoil Area
Stony Spot
Very Stony Spot
Wet Spot
Other
Special Line Features
Water Features
Streams and Canals
Transportation
Rails
Interstate Highways
US Routes
Major Roads
Local Roads
Background
Aerial Photography
The soil surveys that comprise your AOI were mapped at 
1:12,000.
Warning: Soil Map may not be valid at this scale.
Enlargement of maps beyond the scale of mapping can cause 
misunderstanding of the detail of mapping and accuracy of soil 
line placement. The maps do not show the small areas of 
contrasting soils that could have been shown at a more detailed 
scale.
Please rely on the bar scale on each map sheet for map 
measurements.
Source of Map: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Web Soil Survey URL: 
Coordinate System: Web Mercator (EPSG:3857)
Maps from the Web Soil Survey are based on the Web Mercator 
projection, which preserves direction and shape but distorts 
distance and area. A projection that preserves area, such as the 
Albers equal-area conic projection, should be used if more 
accurate calculations of distance or area are required.
This product is generated from the USDA-NRCS certified data as 
of the version date(s) listed below.
Soil Survey Area: State of Connecticut
Survey Area Data: Version 22, Sep 12, 2022
Soil map units are labeled (as space allows) for map scales 
1:50,000 or larger.
Date(s) aerial images were photographed: Jun 14, 2022—Oct 6, 
2022
The orthophoto or other base map on which the soil lines were 
compiled and digitized probably differs from the background 
imagery displayed on these maps. As a result, some minor 
shifting of map unit boundaries may be evident.
Soil Map—State of Connecticut
(Halls Rd Soils)
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Web Soil Survey
National Cooperative Soil Survey
9/11/2023
Page 2 of 3

Map Unit Legend
Map Unit Symbol
Map Unit Name
Acres in AOI
Percent of AOI
12
Raypol silt loam
1.0
0.6%
17
Timakwa and Natchaug soils, 0 
to 2 percent slopes
5.1
3.3%
29A
Agawam fine sandy loam, 0 to 
3 percent slopes
19.0
12.3%
36B
Windsor loamy sand, 3 to 8 
percent slopes
9.7
6.3%
38A
Hinckley loamy sand, 0 to 3 
percent slopes
12.7
8.2%
38C
Hinckley loamy sand, 3 to 15 
percent slopes
11.9
7.7%
62C
Canton and Charlton fine 
sandy loams, 3 to 15 percent 
slopes, extremely stony
4.3
2.8%
73C
Charlton-Chatfield complex, 0 
to 15 percent slopes, very 
rocky
2.3
1.5%
73E
Charlton-Chatfield complex, 15 
to 45 percent slopes, very 
rocky
1.8
1.2%
74C
Narragansett-Hollis complex, 3 
to 15 percent slopes, very 
rocky
6.9
4.4%
75E
Hollis-Chatfield-Rock outcrop 
complex, 15 to 45 percent 
slopes
0.0
0.0%
85B
Paxton and Montauk fine 
sandy loams, 3 to 8 percent 
slopes, very stony
3.1
2.0%
99
Westbrook mucky peat, low 
salt
20.2
13.1%
305
Udorthents-Pits complex, 
gravelly
3.8
2.5%
307
Urban land
18.8
12.1%
703B
Haven silt loam, 3 to 8 percent 
slopes
26.0
16.8%
W
Water
8.1
5.2%
Totals for Area of Interest
154.6
100.0%
Soil Map—State of Connecticut
Halls Rd Soils
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Web Soil Survey
National Cooperative Soil Survey
9/11/2023
Page 3 of 3