The water that that you see flowing from Norwalk Harbor into Long Island Sound comes from the 64-square mile (44,000-acre) Norwalk River Watershed. This Watershed encompasses portions of six other municipalities before entering the City of Norwalk. The mainstem of the Norwalk River enters the City at its northernmost boundary. The Silvermine River sub-watershed, located in the northwest corner of the City, is part of the larger Norwalk River Watershed.

If you live or work anywhere within the Norwalk River Watershed, your actions impact the water quality of the Norwalk River and Long Island Sound.

The Norwalk River Watershed Action Plan

This watershed area was one of the first areas in Connecticut to form a formal watershed group committed to providing a framework for watershed-wide actions to protect the water quality of the Norwalk River.

The Norwalk River Watershed Initiative (NRWI), a collaboration of individuals, non-profits and governments, created The Action Plan in 1998. In 2011, the Plan was updated. This Watershed-Based Plan contains information about the problems facing the Norwalk River and its tributaries, and tasks for the City, towns and citizens to implement to improve water quality throughout the Norwalk River watershed.