Norwalk River
Encyclopedia
The Norwalk River is a river
in southwestern Connecticut
, approximately 21 miles (33.8 km) long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian
word "noyank" meaning "point of land".
. These ponds empty into Ridgefield’s approximately 500 acres (2 km²) "Great Swamp". The river continues through Ridgefield, and is augmented by the "Great Pond" (507 feet (154.5 m) above sea level
), one of the purest lakes in Connecticut due to its being fed by underwater springs. The river is closely paralleled by U.S. Route 7
as it flows southward through Branchville, Georgetown
, Wilton
, and Norwalk
, where it is joined by the Silvermine River
and then flows into Norwalk Harbor
and finally into Long Island Sound
.
Recreational fishing
continues to be a popular sport along the course of the river, in addition to oystering at the river’s mouth in Norwalk.
A 20-year-old man drowned in the river on May 24, 2009 while trying to save a boy who slipped into a strong current near Broad Street in northern Norwalk, near the Route 7 Connector. The boy had been playing in knee-deep water. Jose Higareda, a Mexican immigrant living in Norwalk, jumped in the water with the boy's father, but Higareda was himself dragged downstream toward Deering Pond. The boy survived.
Over the weekend of October 14–17, 1955, 12 to 14 in (30.5 to 35.6 ) of tropical storm rain caused the Norwalk River, along with many other Connecticut rivers, to severely flood
. (The state-wide destruction prompted President Eisenhower
to declare a disaster area
in Connecticut.) The flooding caused the most severe damage of any flood in the history of Norwalk
. From the heavy rains some dam
s along the Norwalk River broke, sending walls of water surging downstream, knocking out bridges and additional dams. Many of the Norwalk River’s neighboring towns and communities suffered widespread devastation. Several lives were lost in addition to millions of dollars worth of damage along the Norwalk River watershed
alone.
*The Norwalk River Watershed Association
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in southwestern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, approximately 21 miles (33.8 km) long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
word "noyank" meaning "point of land".
Description
The Norwalk River originates in ponds located in Ridgefield, ConnecticutRidgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
. These ponds empty into Ridgefield’s approximately 500 acres (2 km²) "Great Swamp". The river continues through Ridgefield, and is augmented by the "Great Pond" (507 feet (154.5 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
), one of the purest lakes in Connecticut due to its being fed by underwater springs. The river is closely paralleled by U.S. Route 7
U.S. Route 7
U.S. Route 7 is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for from Norwalk, Connecticut, to Highgate, Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut...
as it flows southward through Branchville, Georgetown
Georgetown, Connecticut
Georgetown is a village and census-designated place in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is located at the point where the towns of Wilton, Redding, Ridgefield, and Weston meet....
, Wilton
Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
, and Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
, where it is joined by the Silvermine River
Silvermine River
The Silvermine River is an river in Norwalk and New Canaan, Connecticut. It is spanned by the 1899 Perry Avenue Bridge in the Silvermine neighborhood, and by the Silvermine River Bridge that carries the Merritt Parkway. It is a tributary of the Norwalk River which it joins at the north end of...
and then flows into Norwalk Harbor
Norwalk Harbor
Norwalk Harbor is a recreational and commercial harbor and seaportat the estuary of the Norwalk River where it flows into Long Island Soundin Norwalk, Connecticut, United States.The last portion of the Norwalk River from the head of navigation...
and finally into Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
.
Recreational fishing
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
continues to be a popular sport along the course of the river, in addition to oystering at the river’s mouth in Norwalk.
A 20-year-old man drowned in the river on May 24, 2009 while trying to save a boy who slipped into a strong current near Broad Street in northern Norwalk, near the Route 7 Connector. The boy had been playing in knee-deep water. Jose Higareda, a Mexican immigrant living in Norwalk, jumped in the water with the boy's father, but Higareda was himself dragged downstream toward Deering Pond. The boy survived.
Great Flood of 1955
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
. (The state-wide destruction prompted President Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
to declare a disaster area
Disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale heavily damaged by either natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war. The population living there often...
in Connecticut.) The flooding caused the most severe damage of any flood in the history of Norwalk
History of Norwalk, Connecticut
Archaeological evidence suggests substantial pre-contact Norwalk inhabitancy by human beings; artifacts found near Ward Street date back 5000 years ago.- 17th century :The first recorded European contact with Norwalk took place in 1614...
. From the heavy rains some dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s along the Norwalk River broke, sending walls of water surging downstream, knocking out bridges and additional dams. Many of the Norwalk River’s neighboring towns and communities suffered widespread devastation. Several lives were lost in addition to millions of dollars worth of damage along the Norwalk River watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
alone.
External links
- Norwalk Harbor Webcam Webcam viewing the Norwalk River's harbor