Willimantic River

Willimantic River
River
The Willimantic River flows past the old American Thread Company mill in Willimantic, CT.
Country United States
State Connecticut
Counties Tolland, Windham
Source Confluence of Middle River and Furnace Brook
 - location Stafford Springs, Tolland County, Connecticut, United States
 - coordinates 41°57′09″N 72°18′07″W / 41.95250°N 72.30194°W / 41.95250; -72.30194 [1]
Mouth Confluence with Natchaug River to form Shetucket River
 - location Willimantic, Windham County, Connecticut, United States
 - coordinates 41°42′46″N 72°11′30″W / 41.71278°N 72.19167°W / 41.71278; -72.19167Coordinates: 41°42′46″N 72°11′30″W / 41.71278°N 72.19167°W / 41.71278; -72.19167 [2]
Length 25 mi (40 km)
Basin 225 sq mi (583 km2)
Discharge for Coventry, CT [3]
 - average 216 cu ft/s (6 m3/s)
 - max 370 cu ft/s (10 m3/s) Annual mean, 1938
 - min 97.9 cu ft/s (3 m3/s) Annual mean, 1965

The Willimantic River is a tributary of the Shetucket River, approximately 25 mi (40 km) long in northeastern Connecticut in the New England region of the United States.

It is formed in northern Tolland County, near Stafford Springs by the confluence of Middle River and Furnace Brook. It flows south to the city of Willimantic, where it joins the Natchaug River to form the Shetucket. Along the way, it is joined by Roaring Brook, Bone Mill Brook, Eagleville Brook, Cedar Swamp Brook, Mill Brook in Coventry, Skungamaug River, Hop River, and Ten Mile River. It feeds and drains from Eagleville Pond.

Shortly upstream from its confluence with the Natchaug, the Willimantic experiences a drop of ninety feet in one mile. This section was named "Wilimentuck" (land of swiftly moving waters) by the Native Americans who fished there. The river powered textile mills from Stafford Springs to Willimantic, including the American Thread Company mill. None of these mills are operating as of 2007, having all been destroyed or converted to other uses such as apartment space.

A popular long paddling route begins south of Stafford Springs along Route 32 where the river is mostly quickwater all of the way to the flatwater of Eagleville Pond. The remainder is fairly easy going to the take-out at Route 66. Beware of the dam at the Route 275 bridge. Other access points may be at the N. River Road bridge, the Route 74 bridge, the Depot Rd bridge, the Route 195 bridge, the Jones Crossing bridge, the Merrow Road bridge, the U.S. Route 44 bridge, Brigham bridge, near the Route 275 dam, the Depot Rd bridge, the Route 31 bridge, and the Flanders Rd bridge.

Crossings

County Town Carrying
Windham Windham Closed Bridge
The Garden

Bridge

South St.

(Frog Bridge)

Providence and Worcester

Railroad

Willimantic Footbridge
Route 32
Air Line State Park Trail
Route 66
Tolland Coventry
US 6

(Willimantic Bypass)

Mansfield/

Coventry

 Flanders Rd.
Route 31
Providence and Worcester

Railroad

Depot Rd.
Providence and Worcester

Railroad

Route 275
Plains Rd.
Merrow Rd.
Mansfield/

Tolland
Route 195
Willington/

Tolland
Providence and Worcester

Railroad (Twice in a row)

S. River Rd./Depot Rd.
Route 74
I-84
Providence and Worcester

Railroad

Route 32
Ellington/

Willington
Providence and Worcester

Railroad

Stafford
Private Dr.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Geographic Names Information System, United States Geological Survey (September 12, 1979). "Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report: Willimantic River". Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  2. ↑ Geographic Names Information System, United States Geological Survey (September 12, 1979). "Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report: Natchaug River". Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  3. ↑ United States Geological Survey (2005). "Water Resources Data Connecticut Water Year 2005". Retrieved 2007-06-04.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.