Housatonic River Valley Stewards Emphasize Water Safety with 2026 Summer Recreation Season Underway

With summer officially here, public, private, and non-profit organizations in the Housatonic Valley Region join forces to urge vigilance when recreating on waterways

New Milford, CT – June 26, 2026 – With summer officially here, FirstLight joined fellow Housatonic River Valley Stewards, including, State Representative Patrick Callahan and New Milford Mayor Peter Bass, to remind the public to stay safe and vigilant when enjoying outdoor recreation, including swimming and boating. FirstLight owns and operates numerous hydropower and recreation sites along the Housatonic River, including the hydroelectric facilities that create Candlewood Lake, Lake Zoar, and Lake Lillinonah.

“As stewards of some of the region’s most beautiful and active waterways, we are committed to balancing our clean energy mission with public access and safety,” said Andy Brydges, Director of Community Relations, FirstLight. “The rivers and lakes where we are located are great resources for recreation during the summer months, and our top priority is keeping the public safe and informed. Individuals recreating on waterways should remember that water conditions can change rapidly, including water levels, river currents, water temperature, and visibility; vigilance and caution should always be exercised when enjoying water-based recreation.”

By carefully managing over 14,000 acres around its clean energy projects, FirstLight plays a key role in both environmental stewardship and public recreation. Its facilities offer access to some of the most popular rivers and lakes in New England.

In the Housatonic River Valley, heavy rainfall often brings high water levels and heightened river flows on the river, which can cause flooding in low-lying areas, particularly in Lower Housatonic communities. FirstLight urges the public to be extra cautious during and after rainfall, as high water levels and elevated flow rates are extremely dangerous, and the public should avoid the river during periods of heightened flows until river conditions return to normal. When resuming recreation activities on the river following rainfall events, the public should exercise care and caution as weather events can result in increased debris in the water and disrupt existing public safety devices such as boat barrier buoys.

To support the Lower Housatonic community’s need to anticipate and respond to high flows that could potentially bring flooding, FirstLight launched a flood notification system for the communities downstream of the Stevenson Dam, which issues emergency notifications when flows exceed a certain threshold and flooding is possible. Learn more and sign up for the Housatonic River Flood Notification System.

In anticipation of increased recreational activity along with high temperatures, FirstLight is sharing a few simple but vital steps to keep you safe:

Boating Safety Tips:

• Always wear a life jacket or personal floatation device.
• Take a boating safety course.
• Avoid alcohol use.
• Check the weather forecast before heading out.
• Learn to swim.
• Never stand up in your small powerboat, canoe or similar watercraft.
• Don’t overload your boat.
• Use common sense and operate responsibly.
• Pay attention to signage and buoy signals and heed warnings on waterways.
• Show respect to the waterways and community spaces.

Swimming Safety Tips:

• Swim only in designated swimming areas.
• Look for signage and never swim in the restricted areas near a dam or hydropower facility where water levels and rapids can change unexpectedly.
• Never swim alone.
• Only use approved flotation devices; do not rely on toys or inner tubes.
• Know your limitations and swimming skills.
• Swim sober.
• Watch small children near the water.
• Never dive into rivers or lakes; each year nearly 3,000 people are paralyzed as a result of diving into shallow water or hitting an unseen underwater obstruction.

For more information on safe summer recreation, visit the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s Boating and Paddling page and their Swimming page.

In addition, for more information on FirstLight’s recreation areas and upcoming programs, please visit https://firstlight.energy/stewardship/#recreation.

Additional Quotes:

Connecticut State Representative Patrick Callahan

“When boating and swimming on Connecticut waterways, always be aware of your location and know where your companions are at all times while recreating on the water. Have fun out there but be careful and keep a close eye on your friends for safety’s sake. Have a great summer.”

New Milford Mayor Peter Bass

“Thank you to FirstLight for their continued partnership with the Town of New Milford in protecting thousands of acres of land and waterways, enabling these resources to be enjoyed safely by our communities and visitors.”

Mark Howarth, Executive Director, Candlewood Lake Authority

“Safe boating starts with awareness, courtesy and responsibility. Everyone on the water has a shared responsibility to respect fellow lake users by operating at safe speeds, keeping a safe distance from other boats, paddlers, docks, and shorelines – and remaining alert to changing conditions. Boaters must follow all boating laws and regulations and ensure they have the required Safe Boating Certificate, including all operators of personal watercraft. Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not only dangerous, it’s illegal, and it remains one of the leading causes of serious boating accidents, injuries and fatalities.”

Barbara McWilliams, Chairwoman, Lake Zoar Authority

“Water safety is a shared responsibility among boaters, shoreline communities and the Lake Zoar Authority. By prioritizing life jackets, sober operation, and awareness of fellow boaters, we can work together to prevent accidents and promote safe, enjoyable recreation throughout the season.”

Shannon Young, Chairman, Lake Lillinonah Authority 

“Use extreme caution throughout the year swimming in areas where there are aquatic weeds. As the water temperature rises aquatic weeds can grow from the bottom to the surface. Entanglement in weeds is a very serious danger. Please be especially careful when swimming in these areas.”

Julia Rogers, Conservation Programs Director, Housatonic Valley Association

“The Housatonic Watershed is an incredible place, with beautiful landscapes that offer countless opportunities to experience the natural world, whether through paddling, fishing, hiking, wildlife observation, or simply spending time outdoors. The Housatonic Valley Association is pleased to support access to the Wild and Scenic Housatonic River through our River Information and Outreach Program. Each summer weekend, our interns visit access sites from New Milford to Salisbury, welcoming visitors, answering questions, sharing Leave No Trace principles, and promoting responsible recreation. Together, we can care for these special places in ways that support the long-term health of the river and help ensure they remain welcoming and accessible for years to come.”

About FirstLight

FirstLight is a leading clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company serving North America. With a diversified portfolio that includes over 1.6 GW of operating renewable energy and energy storage technologies and a development pipeline with over 1.5 GW of solar, battery, hydro, and wind projects, FirstLight specializes in hybrid solutions that pair hydroelectric, pumped-hydro storage, utility-scale solar, large-scale battery, and wind assets. The company’s mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid by supporting the development, operation, and integration of renewable energy and storage to meet the world’s growing clean energy needs and deliver an electric system that is clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable. Based in Burlington, MA, with operating offices in Northfield, MA, New Milford, CT, Adrian, PA, Oshawa, ON, and Montréal, QC, FirstLight is a steward of more than 14,000 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline along some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in North America. FirstLight has been wholly owned by PSP Investments since 2016. To learn more, visit www.firstlight.energy or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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