Farm River (Connecticut)

Farm River
(Alternately, East Haven River
among many other names)
River, Estuary
Pistapaug Pond,
one of the sources of the Farm River
Country United States
State Connecticut
County New Haven
Towns East Haven, Branford,
North Branford
Source
 - location North Branford, Connecticut, United States
 - elevation 345 ft (105 m)
 - coordinates 41°25′23″N 72°44′16″W / 41.42306°N 72.73778°W / 41.42306; -72.73778 [1]
Mouth
 - location Long Island Sound, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States
 - elevation 0 ft (0 m)
 - coordinates 41°14′51″N 72°51′33″W / 41.24750°N 72.85917°W / 41.24750; -72.85917Coordinates: 41°14′51″N 72°51′33″W / 41.24750°N 72.85917°W / 41.24750; -72.85917 [1]
Length 16.5 mi (27 km)
Docks in Farm River State Park

Farm River is a south-flowing river located entirely within the U.S. state of Connecticut. Because it begins as freshwater in its northern reaches and flows into tidal salt water at Long Island Sound, Farm River is by definition an estuary.[2] The river is 16.5 miles (26.6 km) long.[3]

Sources

The USGS identifies the river's headwaters as an area below the southeast flank of Pistapaug Mountain in the town of North Branford.[1] The Friends of the Farm River Estuary name the river's source as Pistapaug Pond, a reservoir straddling the town lines of Wallingford, Durham and North Branford, below the west flank of Pistapaug Mountain.[4]

Course

From its northern reaches, the river flows southward into the town of East Haven where it becomes the dividing line between East Haven and Branford. Along its route, the river supplies water via tunnel to Lake Saltonstall,[5] a public water source owned by the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. Near the river's mouth it flows past Farm River State Park.

Other names

The USGS lists many alternate names for the Farm River: Beaver River, Deborah River, Deborah's Stream, East Haven River, Foxon River, Great River, Ironworks River, Mainnuntaquck, Moe River, Muddy River, Scotch Cap River, Stony River, and Tapamshasick.[1][6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Farm River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ Daryll C. Borst and Barbara L. Borst (2013). "Self-Guided Nature Trail in Farm River State Park" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Farm River State Park". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. April 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  4. ↑ "The Farm River Estuary River Guide" (PDF). Friends of the Farm River Estuary. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ John S. Brown (1928). "Ground Water in the New Haven Area" (PDF). USGS. p. 99. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ According to local historian Joseph Leary, the Farm River competes with the Housatonic River for the most names, with at least 15 different known names, complicating identification of the river with different native and colonial names. One of these names, Deborah River, named for Deborah Chidsey relates to an incident in which she left Governor Gurdon Saltonstall stranded upon a rock in the river whilst waiting for the tide to recede. Leary, Joseph (2004). A Shared Landscape: A Guide & History of Connecticut's State Parks & Forests. Friends of the Connecticut State Parks, Inc. p. 56. ISBN 0974662909.
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