Connecticut Lake Diving Regulations

[pridkett]

I just moved up to the area east of Hartford and noticed there's a handful of lakes (Coventry, Crystal, Columbia, Andover, Bolton) in the area. While exploring dive shops I mentioned that I might want to hop into some of these lakes (particularly Coventry, Crystal, and Bolton, which have public access) and was told that you can't dive in most of the lakes. I'm trying to figure out if the person was just misinformed, or if there was something more out there that I needed to see.

I've tried my google-fu and found the following text from the 2013 Connecticut Boaters Guide:

In Connecticut, anyone involved in underwater swimming or diving is required to display a clearly visible red flag with a white diagonal stripe. The flag must be two-sided, not less than 13 inches high and 15 inches long. The white diagonal stripe must be reflectorized if the flag is to be used at night. It is extremely dangerous and a violation of the law for a diver to surface or swim more than 50 feet from this flag. No more than four divers may use the same diver flag unless it is displayed from a boat, in which case the number of divers must be limited to the legal capacity of the boat.

The blue/white ALPHA flag is also used to show underwater operations from a vessel in federal waters. it may be used in addition to the state’s diver down flag. it is illegal to snorkel or SCUBA dive from a state boat launch. Boaters must not come within 100 ft. of the dive flag.

This is consistent with the law I found searching the state statutes which indicates that divers need to stay within 50' of their flag.

So, is there someplace easy to find additional SCUBA restrictions on the lakes around Hartford? The DEEP page on Coventry Lake doesn't mention anything about diving and while the DEEP page on Crystal Lake lists all sorts of restrictions on activity, again SCUBA isn't mentioned. I'm hoping the guy at the dive shop was just misinformed.

 

[maniago]

Unlike out west, many lakes on the east coast are diver no-go areas. I've only found quarries to be diver friendly, and not all of those either. That said, there's not a lot to see in lakes usually, and they are often zero viz, fishing line infested danger zones. In the end, I think its lake owner liability that comes into play, and if its the state, forget it. In that vein, CT (my parents live there) tends to be uber-controlling on everything.

 

[FaithC]

I've been diving at Bigelow Hollow State Park in Union. It was maybe 10 feet of vis. Plenty of sunfish and perch to look at.. The info on the CT.gov website clearly state that diving is allowed. It not tropical vis, but if you just want to go diving, it's a decent dive. I would do it again. If you arrive before 8 am you won't have to pay admission.

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325066

 

[pridkett]

Unlike out west, many lakes on the east coast are diver no-go areas. I've only found quarries to be diver friendly, and not all of those either. That said, there's not a lot to see in lakes usually, and they are often zero viz, fishing line infested danger zones. In the end, I think its lake owner liability that comes into play, and if its the state, forget it. In that vein, CT (my parents live there) tends to be uber-controlling on everything.

While I appreciate the anecdote, I'm looking for actual hard information about the regulations. I'm aware that there are additional issues with even getting access to private lakes (Andover and Columbia), but for the public lakes (Coventry, Crystal, and Bolton) that are under joint regulation of the Connecticut DEEP and the towns they reside in, I'm just trying to find actual documentation of what is allowed and isn't - from a DEEP perspective there is not a general prohibition. I know that there are ways to dive the lakes - residents of Crystal Lake organize volunteer milfoil dives and the Tolland County Dive team can be seen in Coventry Lake from time to time.

---------- Post added September 21st, 2013 at 07:46 PM ----------

I've been diving at Bigelow Hollow State Park in Union. It was maybe 10 feet of vis. Plenty of sunfish and perch to look at.. The info on the CT.gov website clearly state that diving is allowed. It not tropical vis, but if you just want to go diving, it's a decent dive. I would do it again. If you arrive before 8 am you won't have to pay admission.

Thanks for the firsthand account. That's really close to us. We may try to go up there and get a dive in before everything ices over (although, we're also looking into ice diving in the area - so it's not like ice is a huge problem once it really comes in). I've also noticed that Squantz Pond has diving - and from what I've read that extends to most of Candlewood Lake, which gives me hope that I'll be able to find a way to hop into other lakes around Hartford.

 

[FaithC]

You can go in down the boat ramp, but if you ask, the staff will unlock a gate and you can drive in to a picnic area, drop your gear off and and dive off the shore there. I believe that there is a submerged platform too. But you will still have to park in the lot by the boat ramp. As long as you leave by 1, they'll let you drive back in to pick up, they don't want to have people driving on the walk paths when the park gets busy though.

I'll have to check out Squantz Pond, but that's a bit of a haul for me, I'm in Bristol. There's also shore diving near Newport, RI and Stonington, CT, but that's salt water.

Brownstone Quarry is in Portland, CT, but there's a decent fee, but they got submerged boats and such.

If you find any more info about freshwater diving or dive Squantz, please post an update as I'm always interested in local shore dives.

-Faith

 

[tkaelin]

I have not heard anything like what the dive shop or shops reported to you. I am unaware of any rules for diving public waters other than to have a flag. I dove Squantz Pond many years ago and regularly dive Lake Quassy (no public access that I know of). I would check with DEEP and try another dive shop. There is a good dive shop in Wallingford that may have some better info. I know there is a shop in Rocky Hill and Brookfield. The shop in Brookfield should have info on diving Candelwood Lake. There are remants of an old town in one section, flooded when the lake was created. Never dove it but remember reading about it. The Brookfield dive shop (gary) should have current info.

 

[AfterDark]

I've dove Beach Pond on the CT side. Met a CT DEM type during the dive. He didn't say a word to me about diving not being allowed in CT lakes/ponds. That Candelwood Lake is big! Too bad it's 100 miles as the crow flies from here. Driving 200 miles in a day to dive is extreme, no?

 

[divin'dog]

Driving 200 miles in a day to dive is extreme, no?

No... pretty routine for me if I want to dive off Cape Ann, MA. It's 114 miles one way.

 

[gcarter]

I did Ottawa to Cape Ann - 450 miles one way.

Of course, I stayed 2 weeks

 

[AfterDark]

No... pretty routine for me if I want to dive off Cape Ann, MA. It's 114 miles one way.

Cape Ann is a little different than a fresh water lake, even with a town at the bottom! I used to drive from Somerset Ma to Cape Ann 2 Fridays a month to dive, of course I was 30 years younger. Maybe I can find a reason to stay overnight...maybe a second day of diving!