Friends of Salmon River

The 425-acre Salmon River Division is located in the lower Connecticut River valley at the confluence of the Salmon River and the Connecticut River in the Haddam Neck section of Haddam, Connecticut. Habitats include tidally influenced rivers, internationally recognized freshwater tidal marshes and flats, riparian meadows, cold-water streams, floodplain forests, mixed hardwood forest, hemlock stands, and vernal pools.

The aquatic habitats found within the Salmon River and Salmon Cove are recognized as important areas for fish species. American shad, river herring, and a variety of other migratory fishes use this river system, and adult Atlantic salmon have entered its tributaries to spawn. Extensive beds of submerged aquatic vegetation provide significant overwintering, spawning, and feeding habitat for a large number of fish species, including finfish and shellfish. The lower Connecticut River system is important stopover and breeding habitat for neo-tropical migrants as well, and supports one of the largest concentrations of migratory waterfowl in southern New England. At the mouth of the Salmon River, Salmon Cove’s freshwater tidal wetlands, flats, and adjacent intact forest provide neotropical birds and shorebirds with sources of food, water, and shelter. The site also serves as bald eagle winter roost and perch sites.