The river drains an area of approximately 1,950 square miles in Connecticut. When the water receded, it left behind silt-caused mud which in places was 3 feet (1m) thick; the recovery effort in Springfield, at the height of the American Great Depression, took approximately a decade. The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, which is a region in the eastern United States. [26], Hartford kept a fort at the mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook for protection against the Pequots, Wampanoags, Mohegans, and the New Netherland Colony. The American Red Cross and local, state and Federal agencies, including the WPA and the CCC, contributed aid and manpower to the effort. The city lost power, and nighttime looting caused the police to issue a "shoot on sight" edict; 800 National Guard troops were brought in to help maintain order. In 1640, Massachusetts Bay Colony asserted a claim to jurisdiction over lands surrounding the river; however, Springfield remained politically independent until tensions with the Connecticut Colony were exacerbated by a final confrontation later that year. [45], Demand for drinking water in eastern Massachusetts passed the sustainable supply from the existing system in 1969. It was also known as the Fresh River, and the Dutch called it the Verse River. Species diversity is higher in the southern part of the watershed (Connecticut and Massachusetts) than in the northern part (Vermont and New Hampshire), largely due to differences in stream gradient and substrate. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Sandbagging by the National Guard and local volunteers helped prevent the dam's powerhouse from being overwhelmed, despite blocks of ice breaking through the upstream walls.[41]. Map of the Connecticut River watershed. This waterway is one of the most heavily used rivers in the entire country, and there is a dam approximately every seven miles. Hartford, the Connecticut River's second largest city and only state capital, is at the southern end of this region on an ancient floodplain that stretches to Middletown. the Connecticut River basin .. Maps showing location of principal streams and areas of stratified drift: In the Connecticut River basin .. Map showing location of Massachusetts planning basins within Throughout southern Connecticut, the Connecticut passes through a thinly populated, hilly, wooded region before again widening and discharging into Long Island Sound between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme. Across the northeast, over 430,000 people were made homeless or destitute by flooding that year. Home; Maps; Premium; About; Login; Sign Up; Connecticut River Hampden - Massachusetts. [5] Among the most extensively dammed rivers in the United States, the Connecticut may soon flow at a more natural pace, according to scientists at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, who have devised a computer that "in an effort to balance human and natural needs" coordinates the holding and releasing of water between the river's 54 largest dams. In Northampton, Massachusetts, looting during the flood became a problem, causing the mayor of the city to deputize citizen patrols to protect flooded areas. It rises at the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island Sound. ", Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, List of populated places on the Connecticut River, List of crossings of the Connecticut River, "With Cooler Water, Better Prospects for Shad Migration? A log boom was built between Wells River, Vermont, and Woodsville, New Hampshire, to hold the logs briefly and release them gradually to avoid jams in the Ox Bow. The patent, however, had been physically lost, and the annexation was almost certainly illegal. It has a total length of 280 miles and a maximum width of 60 miles. In May 2012, the Connecticut River was designated America's first National Blueway in recognition of the restoration and preservation efforts on the river. In 1641, Springfield splintered off from the Hartford-based Connecticut Colony, allying itself with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. [62], The Connecticut River and its many tributaries are home to many typical New England fresh water species. [40] The final drive included 500 workers controlling 65 million feet of logs. Natural and cultural history insights Connecticut River Paddlers' Trail WaterProof Recreation Map and Guide The most complete and river-ready resource for your river adventures. Connecticut Lakes Shown on the Map: Bantam Lake, Barkhamsted Reservoir, Boldon Lake, Colebrook River Lake, Easton Reservoir, Gardner Lake, Lake Candlewood, Lake [37] Some of the logs were destined for mills in Wilder and Bellows Falls, Vermont, while others were sluiced over the Bellows Falls dam. [64], A number of colonial animal species make their home in the waters of the Connecticut. [23] He called it the "Fresh River" and claimed it for the Netherlands as the northeastern border of the New Netherland colony. [69], Camping is available along much of the river, for non-motorized boats, via the Connecticut River Paddlers' Trail. Occasionally, these villages endured invasions from more aggressive confederated tribes living in New York, such as the Mohawk, Mahican, and Iroquois tribes. You may need to work a little harder. [25], The fourth English settlement along the Connecticut River came out of a 1635 scouting party commissioned by William Pynchon to find the most advantageous site for commerce and agriculture, hoping to found a city there. Eight of the 12 species in the watershed are listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern in one or more of the states in the watershed. This map covers the river from its headwaters 280 miles south to the Massachusetts border, and includes all access points, campsites, portage trails, and information on the area natural and cultural history. The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, which is a region in the eastern United States. Since 1992, the Upper Valley Land Trust has managed a series of primitive canoe campsites along the Connecticut River. It rises at the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island Sound. River in the New England region of the United States, River map, with major tributaries and selected dams, The Upper Connecticut River: New Hampshire and Vermont, The Middle Connecticut River: Massachusetts through central Connecticut, The Lower Connecticut River: Southern Connecticut to Long Island Sound, Meaning "landing place" or "place for unloading canoes. It flows through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis for 14 miles (23km), all within the town of Pittsburg, and then widens as it delineates 255 miles (410km) of the border between New Hampshire and Vermont. Trees cut adjacent to tributary streams including Perry Stream and Indian Stream in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, Halls Stream on the QuebecNew Hampshire border, Simms Stream, the Mohawk River, and the Nulhegan River basin in Essex County, Vermont, would be flushed into the main river by the release of water impounded behind splash dams. Much of the beginning of the river's course in the town of Pittsburg is occupied by the Connecticut Lakes, which contain lake trout and landlocked salmon. It is about 407 miles (655 km) long, with a watershed covering about 11,250 square miles (29,137 square kilometers). Some towns keep boats available if needed. The Connecticut River is a mighty river that isnt only the longest in our state, but all of New England. Practical information on boating facilities, ramps, access areas, mileages, difficulty, sources of flow information, and portages makes it easier than ever to plan your next adventure along the river. Bedell Reach. [19][20] The region stretching from Springfield north to the New Hampshire and Vermont state borders fostered many agricultural Pocomtuc and Nipmuc settlements, with its soil enhanced by sedimentary deposits. CT River Valley is in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, in the US. [43], The Connecticut River Flood Control Compact between the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont was established in 1953 to help prevent serious flooding. Connecticut River, longest stream in New England, rising in the Connecticut lakes in northern New Hampshire, U.S. After flowing about 9 miles (14 km) through New Hampshire, it moves roughly southwestward and forms the border between New Hampshire and Vermont for Other recreational opportunities (side hikes, bike routes and paths, museums and cultural attractions)