In 1972, Connecticut enacted the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act (IWWA), establishing municipal oversight of activities affecting inland wetlands and watercourses. Each town, including Granby, has a designated commission responsible for enforcing the IWWA.
The Granby Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission is a seven-member volunteer board that meets monthly at town hall. Members must complete the Municipal Inland Wetlands Agency Comprehensive Training Program.
The commission reviews permit applications and issues rulings on development within designated wetlands and within 100 feet of wetland soils or 200 feet of watercourses. Any activity—such as clearing, grading, excavating or construction—within these areas requires prior approval. Unauthorized activities or violations of permit conditions may result in enforcement actions, including fines or legal penalties. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) also has enforcement authority. Residents can check the Granby Geographic Information System (GIS) website to see if their property has wetlands on it: gis.vgsi.com/granbyct/
For inquiries, contact: Abby Kenyon, community director at 860-844-5318 or Kate Bednaz, wetlands agent at wetlandsagent@granby-ct.gov
Submitted by Granby Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission
Wetlands definitions and classifications
Wetlands are identified by soil type, not by the presence of water. The recognized soil types include:
Poorly Drained Soils: Found in level or gently sloping areas with high water tables, common in red maple swamps.
Very Poorly Drained Soils: Typically found in depressions with surface water during most of the growing season; found in marshes and bogs.
Alluvial and Floodplain Soils: Located near watercourses, subject to flooding, and composed of deposited materials like clay, silt, or gravel.
Watercourses are broadly defined to include rivers, streams, brooks, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, and other natural or artificial water bodies. Specific types include:
Marshes: Wetlands with herbaceous plants and minimal woody vegetation.
Swamps: Wetlands with trees and shrubs.
Bogs: Acidic wetlands in glacial depressions, often with deep peat layers.
Intermittent Watercourses: Seasonal streams with defined channels and evidence of water flow, erosion, or wetland vegetation.
Other Waterbodies include ephemeral features such as vernal pools, which are seasonally flooded and critical for wildlife.
Regulatory distinctions
Inland Wetlands: Regulated by municipalities based on soil characteristics.
Tidal Wetlands: Defined by tidal influence and vegetation; regulated by the CT DEEP under the Tidal Wetlands Act.
Federal Wetlands Definition: Under the Clean Water Act, wetlands are identified using three criteria—soil type, hydrology, and hydrophytic vegetation.