Housatonic River is a 149-mile-long river that flows from the southern to southeastern direction through the western parts of the US States of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Originating from the Berkshire Mountains close to the city of Pittsfield in Massachusetts, the Housatonic River finally drains into the Long Island Sound between the cities of Stratford and Milford in Connecticut. The name “Housatonic” has been derived from the native Mohican phrase “usi-a-di-en-uk,” which means “beyond the mountain place.” Besides being used for whitewater paddling and fly fishing, the waters of the Housatonic River have been harnessed over the years to generate hydroelectric power for the textiles, paper, and iron industries.
Course Of The Housatonic River
Housatonic River at Gaylordsville, Connecticut.
The Housatonic River begins its journey in far southwestern Massachusetts, where the mainstream is formed by the confluence of the East and West Branches of the Housatonic River close to the city of Pittsfield. The 17-mile-long East Branch of the Housatonic River, which rises at Muddy Pond, drops about 480 ft before meeting with the West Branch of the Housatonic River. The 5-mile-long West Branch also drops about 140 ft before it meets the East Branch. The joining of the East and West Branches forms the headwaters of the Housatonic River. The river then flows in a southerly direction through the Berkshire Mountains into western Connecticut.
In Connecticut, five dams, including the Derby Dam, Bulls Bridge, Falls Village, Shepaug Dam, and Stevenson Dam Hydroelectric Plant, impound the Housatonic River. Of these dams, the Derby, Shepaug, and Stevenson Dams form many lakes, such as Lake Housatonic, Lake Lillinonah, and Lake Zoar. Immediately south of the Bulls Bridge power station, waters of the Housatonic River…



