Shetucket River
The Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, 20.4 miles (32.8 km) long,[1] in eastern Connecticut in the United States.
It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south. Approximately 4 miles (6 km) northeast of Norwich it receives the Quinebaug River and broadens into a wide estuary which stretches southeast for approximately 5 miles (8 km) and joins the Thames estuary on the south side of Norwich.
The river flows through an especially unspoiled rural section of southern New England, despite the historical prevalence of industry in the surrounding region. Parts of the rivers have been designated by the federal government as the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor. The National Park Service describes the river valley as the "last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis. In nighttime satellite photos, the valley appears distinctively dark amidst the lights of the surrounding urban and suburban regions.
A popular paddling route begins just east of Willimantic at Rec Park south of Route 14. The waters can be expected to be a combination of flatwater and quickwater for most of the route. Additional put-ins can be found at the Plains Road bridge, the Route 203 bridge, the Route 97 bridge, and a take-out at the Route 12 bridge. There are a few dams that should be avoided, the first at 41°39.898′N 72°7.317′W / 41.664967°N 72.121950°W, the second at 41°35.836′N 72°2.978′W / 41.597267°N 72.049633°W, and the last at 41°34.35′N 72°2.728′W / 41.57250°N 72.045467°W using NAD83.
Crossings
| Carries | Location | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Route 2
|
Norwich | ||
| Providence and Worcester Railroad | |||
 Route 12/Route 2
|
|||
| Route 2
|
|||
| 8th Street | |||
| Providence and Worcester Railroad | Norwich and Lisbon | ||
| Route 12
|
|||
 Route 169
|
|||
 Connecticut Turnpike
|
|||
| Bridge Street/Main Street | Norwich and Sprague | ||
 Route 97
|
Sprague | ||
 Route 203
|
Windham | ||
| Providence and Worcester Railroad | |||
| Plains Road | |||
See also
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed April 1, 2011