Conservation Commission Regular Meeting Materials (linked)

Cowen EcoDesign, LLC 
Ecological Design, Wetland, Biological and Soil Sciences 
 
                                                         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
138 Mystic Road, North Stonington, CT 06359 
Phone/Fax 860-535-0625  
jrcowen@comast.net 
 
 
August 17, 2022 
 
Mr. Skip Adams 
42 New Shore Road 
Waterford, CT 06385 
 
RE: 48 Great Neck Road 
         Waterford, Connecticut 
 
Dear Mr. Adams; 
 
At your request I have conducted field observations of 4 test pits in the locations of proposed 
stormwater basins and field review of the proposed wetland crossing Alternative A and have 
worked with Joe Wren to incorporate my recommendations. 
 
In all 4 test pits there was no indication of seasonal high groundwater well below the bottom of 
the proposed basins.  The underlying soil was medium loamy sand.  No restrictive layer or water 
table was observed.  This is consistent with the mapped soil units (Canton & Charlton) Both soil 
units have a depth to a root restrictive layer greater than 60 inches and the natural drainage class 
is well drained. 
 
The soils excavated to create the basins are suitable to use in the biofiltration soil mix. 
 
 
Wetland Crossing Alternative A 
This is the preferred alternative as shown on the plans with a single span.  I concur with Joe 
Wren’s analysis.  In addition, the existing wetland functions and values will be protected: the 
watercourse function and the upstream seasonal pool. There are 2 large boulders one on each 
side of the streambank at the southern edge of the proposed box culvert.  These boulders stabilize 
and define the stream channel banks.  Leave them in place or reposition them if needed so that 
they continue to function. 
 
 
Additional Recommendations: 
1. The two boulders that stabilize and define the stream channel banks at the south side of 
the box culvert shall be left in place or repositioned if needed so that they continue to 
function. 
2. Mow Japanese Stiltgrass in the vicinity of the farm crossing as soon as possible before it 
sets seed 
3. Since most of the on-site invasive plants are on the west side of the wetland, any 
excavated or graded soil on that side should be used on that side to avoid spreading 
invasives onto the east side. 

 
2 
4. Construct the road crossing during the dry season to the extent feasible. 
5. Existing farm road may be used for construction access with the use of matting. 
6. Remove invasive non-native plants from the work area 
7. Do not disturb the ponded area 
8. Stabilize disturbed soils with biodegradable erosion control mats and seed with New 
England Wetmix 
9. Salvage mountain Laurel stumps and black huckleberry mats to the extent feasible and 
replant along the limit of disturbance.  This will provide quick stabilization and 
revegetation of the edge. 
10. Install native plants along the disturbed edge. 
11. Use on site soils to the extent feasible to create the biofiltration soil mix. 
12. Install a wood chip berm at the toe of slope within the basins to keep sediment out of the 
basin bottoms. 
 
 
 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
James R. Cowen 
Registered Soil Scientist 
Certified Professional Wetland Scientist 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
3 
 
 
 
 
 
Test Hole 1 
 
 
 
Horizon 
Depth 
Color 
texture 
Organic (leaf 
litter 
0-2" 
 
fibric 
A 
2-4"  
10YR2/2 
fine sandy loam 
B 
4-30" 
10YR6/6 
fine sandy loam 
C 
30'+ 
10YR3/2 
loamy sand 
No water or redoximorphic features 
 
 
 
 
 
Test Hole  2 
Horizon 
Depth 
Color 
texture 
Organic (leaf 
litter 
0-4" 
 
fibric 
A 
4-8" 
10YR2/2 
fine sandy loam 
B 
8-20" 
10YR6/6 
fine sandy loam 
C 
20-75" 
10YR3/2 
loamy sand 
No water or redoximorphic features 
 
 
 
 
 
Test Hole 3  
 
 
 
Horizon 
Depth 
Color 
texture 
Organic (leaf 
litter 
0-3" 
 
fibric 
A 
3-8" 
10YR2/2 
fine sandy loam 
B 
8-31" 
10YR6/6 
fine sandy loam 
C 
31-51"+ 
10YR3/2 
loamy sand 
No water or redoximorphic features 
 
 
 
 
 
Test Hole  4 
 
 
 
Horizon 
Depth 
Color 
texture 
Organic (leaf 
litter 
 
 
fibric 
A 
0-1 
10YR2/2 
fine sandy loam 
B 
26-Jan 
10YR6/6 
fine sandy loam 
C 
26-47" 
10YR5//3 
loamy sand 
No water or redoximorphic features 
 

 
4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wetland Mitigation & Stormwater Basin Plant List 
 
 
 
 
 
48 Great Neck Road 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Waterford, CT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Scientific Name 
Common Name 
Quan. 
 
 
Size 
Root 
Trees 
 
 
Basin 
Wetland URA 
 
 
ARA 
Acer rubrum 
Red Maple 
6 
6-8' 
HT 
Cont 
CF 
Cornus florida 
Flowering Dogwood 
 
 
4 
6-8' 
HT 
Cont 
LT 
Liriodendron 
tulipifera 
Tulip Tree 
 
 
3 
6' 
Cont 
NS 
Nyssa sylvatica 
Black Gum 
 
 
6 
6' 
Cont 
PT 
Populus tremuloides 
Quacking Aspen 
 
 
3 
6-8' 
HT 
Cont 
PV 
Prunus virginiana 
Chokecherry 
 
 
6 
4-6' 
Cont 
QB 
Quercus bicolor 
Swamp White Oak 
 
 
6 
6' 
Cont 
SA 
Sorbus americana 
Mountain Ash 
 
 
3 
6' 
Cont 
Shrubs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ac 
Amelanchier 
canadensis 
Shadblow 
6 
 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 

 
5 
Am 
Aronia/Photinia 
melanocarpa  
Black Chokeberry 
9 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
CEA 
Ceanothus 
americana 
New Jersey Tea 
12 
 
 
18-
24" 
Cont 
CO 
Cephalanthus 
occidentalis 
Buttonbush 
12 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
CA 
Cornus amomum 
Silky Dogwood 
9 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
CR 
Cornus racemosa 
Gray Dogwood 
6 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
COR 
Corylus americana 
American Hazelnut 
 
 
12 
2-3' 
Cont 
DL 
Diervilla lonicera 
Northern Bush 
Honeysuckle 
6 
 
 
18-
24" 
Cont 
HV 
Hamamelis 
virginiana 
Witchhazel 
 
 
12 
3-4' 
Cont 
IV 
Ilex verticillata 
(female) 
Winterberry 
5 
 
5 
3-4' 
Cont 
IVM 
Ilex verticillata 
(male) 
Winterberry 
1 
 
1 
3-4' 
Cont 
Mp 
Morella pensylvanica Northern Bayberry 
12 
 
6 
18-
24" 
Cont 
RT 
Rhus typhina 
Stafhorn Sumac 
 
 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 
SC 
Sambucus 
canadensis 
Common Elderberry  6 
3-4' 
Cont 
SD 
Salix discolor 
Pussy Willow 
6 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
SL 
Spiraea latifolia 
Meadowsweet 
12 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
ST 
Spiraea tomentosa 
Steeplebush 
12 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
Vc 
Vaccinium 
corymbosum 
Highbush Blueberry 
6 
 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 
VA 
Viburnum 
acerifolium 
Maple-leaved 
Viburnum 
 
 
18 
3-4' 
Cont 
VD 
Viburnum dentatum 
Arrowwood 
6 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
VL 
Viburnum lentago 
Nannyberry 
6 
 
 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vines 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Parthenocissus 
quinquefolia 
Virginia Creeper 
 
 
6 
1 Gal. 
 
CV 
Clematis virginiana 
Virgins Bower 
 
 
6 
 
 
LS 
Lonicera 
sempervirens 
Trumpet 
Honeysuckle 
6 
Herbs 
 
 
 
 
 
2" 
plugs 
 
 
Achillea millefolium 
Common Yarrow 
 
 
50 
 
 
 
Aquilegia canadensis 
Wild Columbine 
 
 
50 
 
 

 
6 
 
Asclepias incarnata 
Swamp Milkweed 
50 
 
 
 
 
Asclepias syriaca 
Common Milkweed 
50 
 
Asclepias tuberosa 
Butterfly Weed 
50 
 
50 
 
 
 
Aster cordifolius 
Blue Wood Aster 
 
 
50 
 
 
 
Aster laevis 
Smooth Aster 
50 
 
 
 
 
Aster novae-angliae 
New England Aster 
50 
 
Aster puniceus 
Swamp Aster 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Caltha palustris 
Marsh Marigold 
 
50 
 
 
 
 
Carex vulpinoidea 
Fox Sedge 
50 
 
 
 
 
Cinna arundinacea 
Stout Wood-
Reedgrass 
50 
50 
 
Chelone glabra 
Turtleheads 
 
50 
 
 
 
 
Eupatorium 
maculatum 
Spotted Joe-pye 
Weed 
50 
 
 
 
 
Eupatorium 
perfoliatum 
Boneset 
50 
Eurybia divaricata 
White Wood Aster 
50 
 
Juncus effusus 
Soft Rush 
100 
 
 
 
 
 
Iris versicolor 
Blue Flag 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Lobelia cardinalis 
Cardinal Flower 
50 
 
 
 
 
Lupinus perennis 
Lupine 
50 
 
Monarda fistulosa 
Wild Bergamot 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Rudbeckia laciniata 
Cut-leaf Coneflower 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Packera aurea 
Golden Ragwort 
50 
 
50 
 
 
Penstemon digitalis 
Foxglove 
Beardtonge 
50 
 
Rudbeckia hirta 
Black-eyed Susan 
 
 
50 
 
 
 
Solidago speciosa 
Showy Goldenrod 
 
 
50 
 
 
 
Vernonia 
noveboracensis 
New York Ironweed 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Zizia aurea 
Golden Alexanders 
50 
 
50 
 
 
Seed Mixes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New England Roadside Matrix Upland Mix  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Application Rate: 1 LB/1250 sq. ft. 
 
 
 
New England Erosion Control/Restoration Mix for 
Moist Sites 
 
 
Application Rate: 1 LB/1250 sq. ft. 
 
 
 
 
New England Semi-Shade Grass and Forbs 
Mix 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Application Rate: 1 LB/1450 sq. ft. 
 
 
 
 
Seed mixes are available from New England Wetland Plants, Inc (newp.com) 
 

 
7 
 
"No Mow" Lawn Mix (areas to be mowed) 
 
 
 
 
 
6 Festuca spp. 
fine fescues 
 
 
Application Rate: 5 
LB./100sq.ft. 
 
 
 
 
 
available from PrairieNursery.com 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wetland Crossing 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Scientific Name 
Common Name 
Quan. Size 
Root 
 
 
Shrubs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ac 
Amelanchier 
canadensis 
Shadblow 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
Am 
Aronia/Photinia 
melanocarpa  
Black Chokeberry 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
IV 
Ilex verticillata 
(female) 
Winterberry 
5 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
IVM 
Ilex verticillata 
(male) 
Winterberry 
1 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
SC 
Sambucus 
canadensis 
Common Elderberry  6 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
SD 
Salix discolor 
Pussy Willow 
3 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
Vc 
Vaccinium 
corymbosum 
Highbush Blueberry 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
VD 
Viburnum dentatum 
Arrowwood 
6 
3-4' 
Cont 
 
 
Herbs 
 
 
 
2" plugs 
 
 
 
 
Asclepias incarnata 
Swamp Milkweed 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Caltha palustris 
Marsh Marigold 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Carex vulpinoidea 
Fox Sedge 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Chelone glabra 
Turtleheads 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Juncus effusus 
Soft Rush 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Iris versicolor 
Blue Flag 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Lobelia cardinalis 
Cardinal Flower 
50 
 
 
 
 
 
Zizia aurea 
Golden Alexanders 
50