Submitted by Stephen Zakur on Tue, 2014-07-22 18:26 Candlewood Valley - 309 Vote Up Down +23 + Deep Brook Fish Sample 1998-2014v2.jpg The Candlewood Valley chapter has worked for over a decade to improve water quality and trout habitat on Deep Brook in Newtown, Connecticut. Sadly, both the State of Connecticut and the Town of Newtown were responsible for oil spills into the brook in 2003 and 2004. The long term impact of those spills seems to be the eradication of Brook Trout in the stream as one of the spills directly affected important spawning habitat. Brown trout seem to have thrived especially in good water years and in 2012 the healthiest trout population was sampled since monitoring began in 1998. In July 2013 a catastrophic poisoning occurred when an unknown substance emerged from the storm water drains serving the Fairfield Hills campus. All trout for 1/4 mile were killed. The state investigated and could not determine the source of the poisoning. The campus serves is owned by the Town of Newtown and serves primarily town organizations. The 2014 sampling counted a solid population of 1-2 year trout indicating that trout are moving in from affected areas. The state continues to pursue water quality issues emanating from the storm water system.