Shenipsit Lake Reservoir Recreation Program to Open for 2026 Season

TOLLAND, Conn., March 12, 2026 — Connecticut Water is pleased to announce that the Shenipsit Lake Reservoir recreation program will open at sunrise on Saturday, April 11, for the 2026 season.

Recreation at Shenipsit Lake Reservoir is allowed under a permit to CWC from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) that provides for approved recreational opportunities with measures to protect the public drinking water source.  As Shenipsit Lake Reservoir is a public drinking water supply, there are special precautions in place to ensure the continuous protection and quality of the water supply source.

The 2026 program features fishing from designated shoreline areas, fishing from boats registered and stored at the boat storage area, and hiking. Fishing from boats is also available to property owners along the shoreline of the Shenipsit Lake Reservoir provided they are registered through CWC. There are 52 slots in the boat storage area that will be assigned by a lottery through an online registration process. 

Those who wish to keep their boat at the boat storage area, located at 95 Ellington Road in Tolland, will need to register their boats through an online process. Paper registration forms will not be accepted. The week-long registration period will open on Thursday, March 19, at noon and will close on Thursday, March 26 at noon. The lottery will take place when the registration period closes on March 26, which means that registrants will have a full week to complete and submit their registration materials. The instructions for boat registration lottery can be found at www.ctwater.com/shenipsit. 

All registrants will be notified of the status of their registration request via email on Friday March 27, and further instructions will be provided for those who received a boat slot. Those receiving a boat slot will have an opportunity to deliver their boat to their slot beginning Saturday, April 4 at noon. 

Additional information on the recreation program is available at www.ctwater.com/shenipsit. 

If you are interested in becoming a Lake Monitor, or have questions about the recreation program, please email Shenipsitlake@ctwater.com.