NLJA News

Pages Mill Pond Fishway Dam – North Branford, Connecticut The purpose of the fishway is to provide access to the 4.25-acre head pond and 6 miles of river above the dam for migratory fish such as sea-run brown trout, blueback herring, alewife, sea lamprey and American eel. These species, whose populations have been impacted by lack of access to critical spawning habitat above the state’s many dams, are important forage fish, including commercially important species in Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The 170 ft. long fishway rises 10 ft. and consists of concrete entrance structure, resting pool, concrete column supports, turning pool, concrete channel and exit structure, as well as 35 ft. of aluminum steeppass fishway and an eel-pass. To address aesthetic concerns of the residential property owner, simulated stone masonry, re-used steeppass sections, and naturally durable native wood railing material was used. In 2020 the Pages Mill…

Since 2008, our firm has sponsored the Chester Elementary School S.T.E.A.M. event to encourage young students to explore the sciences and develop solutions to everyday problems. Each year we provide prizes to all 100+ participants with special gifts to the 20 finalists who advance to the Statewide Invention Convention Competition. Our engineers look forward to the opportunity to speak with students about their projects, assist in the judging, and to encourage creative thinking.

At NLJA we embrace the spirit and go all out with our holiday light display. Our staff looks forward every year to upping their game – culminating in 2020 with the Chester Presto Award for the Most Amazing Merchant display. We hope this adds a little holiday joy to others in our community.

The purpose of the fishway is to provide access to the 45-acre headpond above the dam for migratory fish such as blueback herring and alewife, sea lamprey and American eel. These fish, whose populations have been impacted by lack of access to critical spawning habitat above the state’s many dams, are important forage fish, including commercially important species in Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The 160 ft. long fishway rises 14.5 ft and consists of concrete entrance structure, resting pools, turning pool, concrete column support, and exit structure, as well as 105 ft. of aluminum steeppass fishway and an eel-pass. A custom designed aluminum bend suspended in mid-air makes the final turn for fish on their journey up the ladder as they enter the exit structure at the dam crest. An underwater window was incorporated into the turning pool, with appropriate grading outside the structure, to permit visitors…

Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates provided design and construction services for the Gillette Castle repairs project. The objective was to design a historically sympathetic replacement of the existing site features that required minimal maintenance. The objective was accomplished by veneering cast-in-place concrete site features with the stone from the existing wall.

The Connecticut Association of Street & Highway Officials, Inc. recently featured Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates in their semi-annual printed publication The CASHO Magazine, Highways & Byways. Click below to read the article! Click to view larger.

Burnt Hill Park, located in Hebron Connecticut, was the subject of a presentation at the Annual CRPA conference held at the Mohegan Sun. The project, which included five athletic fields and amenities including a park operations building, pavilion, bathroom building and walking trails, was designed with Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates as the prime consultant and constructed in 2008-2009. The park is a great example of a multi-use facility which incorporates recreational athletic fields in a park like setting consistent with the rural character and nature of the Town of Hebron. The presentation, which was given by Tom Fenton, P.E., Principal Engineer at Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates and Mike Fortuna, AIA, of TLB Architects, focused on the construction process and project management. A prior presentation to CRPA by the same team, focused on the design, permitting and approval process.

Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates is honored to receive a 2018 Distinguished Service Award from the Connecticut Association of Street and Highway Officials (CASHO), “For its continuous dedication and support to the principals and ideals of CASHO.” The firm was presented with the award at CASHO’s 47th Annual Awards Banquet held at the Aqua Turf Club. In accepting the award on behalf of the firm, Geoffrey Jacobson remarked that, “Over the past 46 years Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates have had the opportunity and privilege to serve more than 60 municipal clients on a wide variety of projects. Since most of these projects included working with local public works officials to improve municipal infrastructure, it is especially meaningful to receive this recognition from CASHO.” Fifteen of the company’s staff members and their spouses, as well as the firm’s founder, were in attendance to celebrate this achievement.    

Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates. Inc. is pleased to announce that Wade M. Thomas, an Associate with the firm, has become a Certified Professional in Municipal Stormwater Management (CPMSM). Wade is one of only three individuals who have earned this certification in Connecticut. In addition, having already achieved certifications as a Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality (CPSWQ) and a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC), he is currently one of only two individuals in New England with all three of these EnviroCert International certifications. This extensive professional training, along with his Master’s Degree in Geology with a concentration in Hydrogeology and 30 years of experience, gives Wade the unique skill set to assist our clients with all of their stormwater compliance and permitting needs.

In March 2007, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection added the following document to its web site: “Guidance Document for Design of Large Scale On-Site Wastewater Renovation Systems”. The document was developed by Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, Inc. under contract with the CTDEP. Nathan L. Jacobson, P.E. was in responsible charge of the preparation of the document and was its principal author, aided by staff members of the firm. Also contributing to the development of the document were Dr. Kent A. Healy, P.E., retired Professor of Civil Engineering at UCONN and Dr. Gary A. Robbins, Professor of Geology at UCONN. Warren Herzig, Supervising Sanitary Engineer in charge of the Subsurface Disposal Section in the CTDEP Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance was responsible for administering the contract and he and his staff also made important contributions to the development of the document. The document provides information on the…

Ed Bill’s Pond Dam Fish Ladder – Old Lyme, Connecticut Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, Inc. received an Environmental Merit Award in 2001 from the New England Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Merit Award recognizes environmental advocates who have made outstanding efforts in preserving New England’s environment. Two such contributions by Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, Inc. included design and construction administration services for the Mary Griswold Steube Fishway at Lower Mill Pond Dam in Old Lyme, CT and the Ed Bill’s Pond Dam Fish Ladder in Lyme, CT. The latter project is shown in the photos at right. Prior to construction of the fish ladder, Ed Bill’s Pond Dam was the Eight Mile River watershed’s only remaining impassable barrier to significant spawning habitats for Atlantic salmon, American shad, alewife, blueback herring, sea lamprey and sea-run brown trout. Construction of a fishway at this location completed the…

Cherry Hill Road Bridge – Middlefield, Connecticut The New England Chapter of the American Concrete Institute, Inc. and The New England Ready Mixed Concrete Associations honored Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, Inc. with an award in 2001 for their design of the Cherry Hill Road Bridge project in Middlefield, Connecticut. This award is given each year to formally offer recognition to projects in New England, whose design and construction represent the best in concept, originality and application of concrete and concrete products. Besides being adjacent to Wadsworth Falls State Park, the project site was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places due to the presence of an arch gravity brownstone dam immediately upstream of the bridge, remains of the original 1868 bridge abutments, 19th century dam abutments, one or more water power flumes, and buried mill foundations. One of the flumes ran immediately behind…