Squantz Pond State Park

Squantz Pond is located approximately 8 miles (13 km) north of Danbury, Connecticut in the towns of Sherman, Connecticut and New Fairfield, Connecticut, in Fairfield County. It is part of Candlewood Lake but is separated from the main body of the lake by Connecticut Route 39. Squantz Pond is natural in origin; however, its level was raised when Candlewood Lake was impounded in 1923. The pond has a surface area of approximately 288 acres (1.2 km²), a maximum depth of 47 feet (14 m), an average depth of 22.9 feet (7 m), and holds approximately 2 billion US gallons (7,600,000 m³) of water.

The shoreline bottom materials consist mostly of rocks, ledge, and gravel. Mud and organic muck cover the relatively flat areas of the bottom. The pond is fed by Glen Brook from the north, Worden Brook from the west, and several small unnamed streams.

The watershed of Squantz Pond is 3,635 acres (15 km²). Woodlands, wetlands, and water comprise approximately 80 % of the watershed, 15 % is moderate to low-density housing, while the remaining 5 % is open land and farm land.

The eastern shoreline is developed with homes, while the western shoreline is steep and wooded. The southwestern shoreline borders Squantz Pond State Park. Facilities in the park include concession stands, picnic areas, beach and swimming areas, toilets, and hiking trails.

Public access to Squantz Pond is provided through a state owned boat launch located in the State Park. Boats launched from the State Park are limited to a maximum of 7.5 horsepower (6 kW). The launch can be reached by taking Interstate 84, Exit 6 to Route 37 north, to Route 39 north to the State Park entrance.

The launch has a ramp of concrete pads with an asphalt approach. There is parking for 25 cars at the launch.

An aquatic survey of Squantz Pond was published in 1988. The survey found aquatic vegetation in Squantz Pond to be sparse and limited to the shallower areas in the northern section. Species observed included bushy pondweed (Najas flexilis, Najas minor), bulrush (Scirpus sp.), and cattail (Typha sp.)

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection periodically stocks both brown and rainbow trout in Squantz Pond. Other species found in the pond include largemouth bass, yellow perch, white perch, walleyes, and chain pickerel.

Please refer to the current Connecticut Angler's Guide for specific fish consumption advisory information, as well as, the most recent rules governing sport fishing.

SOURCE – Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Copyright 1998–2004

History

Squantz Pond State Park takes its name from Chief Squantz of the Schaghticoke Indians who lived at the northern tip of the pond, which is now separated from the rest of Candlewood Lake by the Rte. 39 causeway. Despite its many changes (before becoming a State Park and Forest, the area around Squantz Pond was also a farm and an apple orchard) the presence of the original residents is still marked by occasionally uncovered artifacts such as stone adzes, mallets and other tools. The remains of an Indian canoe over 22 ft. long and 5 ft wide was raised from the bottom of the pond leading to speculation that even before the settlers came, Squantz Pond may have been much larger than it was just prior to its expansion during the flooding of the Candlewood Lake.

Plant species

Dr. Patrick L. Cooney; February 27, 2002

Trees

Acer pensylvanicum (Striped maple) lots, Acer rubrum (Red maple), Acer saccharum (Sugar maple), Betula lenta (Black birch), Betula papyrifera (White birch), Betula populifolia (Gray birch), Carpinus caroliniana (Muscle wood), Carya ovata (Shagbark hickory), Cornus florida (Flowering dogwood), Juniperus virginiana (Red cedar), Larix sp. (Larch), Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip tree), Picea sp. (Colorado blue spruce), Pinus strobus (White pine), Populus grandidentata (Big-toothed aspen), Prunus serotina (Black cherry), Quercus alba (White oak), Quercus prinus (Chestnut oak), Quercus rubra (Red oak), Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)

Shrubs

Chimaphila maculata (Spotted wintergreen), Clethra alnifolia (Sweet pepperbush), Hamamelis virginiana (Witch hazel), Kalmia latifolia (Mountain laurel), Lindera benzoin (Spicebush), Mitchella repens (Partridgeberry), Rosa multiflora (Multiflora rose) Rubus occidentalis (Black raspberry), Rubus phoenicolasius (Wineberry), Viburnum sp. (Viburnum)

Vines

Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet), Toxicodendron radicans (Poison ivy), Vitis sp. (Grape vine)

Herbs

Alliaria petiolata (Garlic mustard), Artemisia vulgaris (Common mugwort), Epifagus virginiana (Beech drops), Galium sp. (Bedstraw), Monotropa uniflora (Indian pipe), Rumex crispus (Crisped-leaved dock), Rumex obtusifolius (Broad-leaved dock), Solidago spp. (Goldenrod), Typha sp. (Cattail), Verbascum thapsus (Common mullein)

Sedges

Carex laxiflora type (Sedge), Carex stricta (Tussock sedge), Scirpus sp. (Bulrush)

Grasses

Setaria sp. (Foxtail grass)

Ferns

Dryopteris sp. (Woodfern), Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive fern), Polypodium sp. (Rock cap fern) lots, Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern) lots

Others

Liverworts, Najas flexilis, Najas minor

Fish species

Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch, White perch, Sunfish, Walleye, Chain pickerel, Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Catfish

Water quality

The water of Squantz Pond is moderately productive, and of suitable quality for all recreational water uses, including swimming, boating, and fishing. The productivity, or ability to support plant life, is due to the concentrations of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, found in the water. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has classified Squantz Pond, as mesotrophic, due to its moderate nutrient concentrations, good clarity, and other water quality characteristics.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a requirement for the respiration of fish and other aquatic organisms. The concentration of DO depends, in part, on water temperature, as cold water can hold more DO than warm water. Because of this, season also effects the distribution of DO in the pond. In the fall, as temperature decreases, the cooled DO-rich surface waters begin to descend toward the bottom because of the difference in density, (water density increases with falling temperatures until it reaches it’s maximum density at 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), below which it decreases). This mixing of the water due to the difference in density, along with mixing by wind, transports DO to the deeper waters of the pond and results in relatively uniform conditions from the surface to the bottom of the pond by winter. This condition can be seen in the winter profile of DO and temperature (Winter Profile), where the DO concentrations are relatively uniform with depth.

In the spring and summer, the surface waters of the pond are warmed by increasing temperatures and the sun. This warmer, less-dense water remains at the surface, and the lake becomes thermally stratified. As a result of this stratification, there is little mixing of the shallow and deep water in the pond. Thus, DO, which enters the water primarily from the atmosphere and from photosynthesis carried out by aquatic plants, is not transported to deeper water. Near the bottom, the consumption of DO by aquatic organisms and chemical reactions exceed the rate of replenishment, resulting in lower DO levels. This condition can be seen in the summer profile of DO and temperature (Summer Profile), where the DO concentrations decrease rapidly below about 18 feet and are less than 1 milligram per liter below 24 feet. During periods when these low DO conditions exist, there is insufficient DO to support most types of game fish in deeper waters of the pond, and they will normally move to upper layers of the pond where higher DO concentrations are found.

The pH of the water indicates whether it is acidic or alkaline. The pH level is measured on a scale from 0 to 14, where 7.0 is considered neutral, less than 7.0 acidic, and greater than 7.0 alkaline. Highly acidic or alkaline water can be detrimental to aquatic organisms. The ideal range for most freshwater game fish is from 6.5 to 9.0, however, most adult game fish can tolerate pH as low as 5.5. The pH of Squantz Pond ranges from 6.8 to 8.9, which is adequate for most gamefish.

Alkalinity, which is a measure of the ability of water to neutralize acid, is relatively high in Squantz Pond. For this reason, the pond is not very susceptible to acidification.