Housatonic River

The Housatonic River (/ˌhuːsəˈtɒnɪk/ HOOS-ə-TON-ik) is a river, approximately 139 miles (224 km) long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about 1,950 square miles (5,100 km²) of southwestern Connecticut 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 1,430 feet (440 m) (959 feet (292 m) from the confluence of its east and west branches). Its major tributaries are the Williams River, Green River 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 impound 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 discharges from the General Electric plant at Pittsfield, MA. Although the water quality has improved in recent decades, the river continues to be contaminated by PCBs.

There is an American nuclear weapon 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.

Covered wooden bridges

Two wooden covered bridges cross the river: one at Bulls Bridge between Gaylordsville and Kent, and another at West Cornwall. Both bridges have been reinforced with present-day materials and support normal traffic, albeit in only one direction at a time.

Recreation

The Housatonic River is a popular whitewater paddling destination beginning at Falls Village, Connecticut and continuing to Gaylordsville. 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) and is most likely not able to be paddled. The most dangerous and difficult section that is navigable is by Bulls Bridge, with Class V whitewater.

There are several minor and major dams along the river that form lakes. Most notable are two lakes in Connecticut, Lake Zoar, which borders Monroe, Newtown, Oxford, and Southbury, and Lake Lillinonah. Both lakes are major water-sport recreation outlets for the surrounding towns.

Two of the three lakes formed by the dams are used for rowing by clubs, schools, and to host regattas. Lake Lillinonah is used by the GMS Rowing Center and is host to the GMS Regatta. Lake Housatonic is used by the Yale University Crew Team and the New Haven Rowing Club and is host to the Derby Sweeps & Sculls and the Head of the Housatonic.

The Housatonic River is also a popular fly fishing destination. Fly fishing on the Housatonic River (which is strictly catch and release) has been compared with western rivers and is among the finest for trout 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.

The Appalachian Trail follows the river along this section from the Bulls Bridge covered wooden bridge near Kent to Falls Village.

View of the "fly fishing and paddling" section of the river during a snowstorm. Surrounding forests are still wild and support animal life despite the threat of suburban encroachment.

References in Pop Culture

Mentioned on the season 2 episode "Shall We Gather at the River" of the TNT series Falling Skies

See also

• List of Connecticut rivers
• List of Massachusetts rivers
• List of crossings of the Housatonic River

External links

• Housatonic Valley Association
• Housatonic River Initiativer-Riverkeeper
• GE's Website reviewing the options for Housatonic River cleanup
• Housatonic River Restoration
• Charles Ives' Three Places in New England
• Watershed map
• Connecticut Explorer's Guide—Online paddling map of the Housatonic River
• GE/Housatonic River Site: Introduction—US EPA