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Housatonic River
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The Housatonic River is a river, approximately 149 mi (240 km) long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound. Its watershed is just to the west of the watershed of the lower Connecticut River.
Housatonic rises from four sources in far western Massachusetts in the Berkshire Mountains near the city of Pittsfield. It flows southward through western Massachusetts through the Berkshires and into western Connecticut, and empties into Long Island Sound between the towns of Stratford and Milford.
The river's total fall is 1430 feet (959 feet from the confluence of its east and west branches).
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Encyclopedia
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately 149 mi (240 km) long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound. Its watershed is just to the west of the watershed of the lower Connecticut River.
Geography
The Housatonic rises from four sources in far western Massachusetts in the Berkshire Mountains near the city of Pittsfield. It flows southward through western Massachusetts through the Berkshires and into western Connecticut, and empties into Long Island Sound between the towns of Stratford and Milford.
The river's total fall is 1430 feet (959 feet from the confluence of its east and west branches). Its major tributaries are the Williams, Green and Konkapot Rivers in Massachusetts, the Tenmile River in New York, and the Shepaug, Pomperaug, Naugatuck, and Still Rivers in Connecticut. It receives the Naugatuck River at Derby, Connecticut, and the Still River south of New Milford, Connecticut.
Five dams impounded the river in Connecticut to produce hydroelectricity, the Falls Village, Bulls Bridge, Shepaug, Stevenson and Derby dams. The last three dams form a chain of lakes, Lake Lillinonah, Lake Zoar and Lake Housatonic, from New Milford south to Shelton.
History
The river's name comes from the Mohican phrase "usi-a-di-en-uk", translated as "beyond the mountain place".
Inspired by the river during his honeymoon, the American classical music composer Charles Ives wrote The Housatonic at Stockbridge as part of his composition Three Places in New England during the 1910s. The town of Stockbridge is located in southwestern Massachusetts. The river enters Stockbridge on the east side of town then turns south towards Connecticut.
From about 1932 until 1977 the river received PCB pollution from the General Electric plant at Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Although the water quality has improved in recent decades, the river continues to be contaminated by PCBs.
There is an American Nuclear Test of the same name, although it is not known if the name came from the river or some other source.
The United States Navy named a ship for the Housatonic River. The USS Housatonic has the distinction of being the first ship in history to be sunk by a submarine, the confederate vessel CSS H.L. Hunley.
Recreation
The Housatonic River is a popular whitewater paddling destination beginning at Weatogue, CT and continuing to Gaylordsville, CT. Most of the river is quickwater and Class I whitewater with long sections of Class II-III whitewater. A deadly and extreme Class VI resides at Great Falls (in Canaan (Falls Village), CT) and is most likely not able to be paddled. The most dangerous and difficult section that is navigable is by Bulls Bridge, CT with Class V whitewater.
The Housatonic River is also a popular fly fishing destination. Fly fishing on the Housatonic River has been compared with many western rivers and boasts some of the finest trophy trout fishing in the eastern United States. The most popular area for fly fishing is between the Falls Village Dam and the town of Cornwall Bridge in Litchfield County.
See also
External links
- Online paddling map of the Housatonic River
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