The Naugatuck River

The Naugatuck River. Ours to love and protect. , Did you know? The Naugatuck... , Is the larger river that begins and ends within Connecticut. , Drains from a watershed of 310 square miles. , Flows 39 miles through 12 towns from Norfolk to Derby. , Has East and West branches that join in Torrington. , Flows rapidly, falling 540 feet or 13 feet per mile. , Joins the Housatonic River in Derby [indecipherable] to Long Island Sound., The Naugatuck Story , [indecipherable] early pristine days of the river, it was teeming with wildlife , [indecipherable] and a transportation corridor for Native Americans , [indecipherable] along the river were first developed for agriculture as well , [indecipherable] saw mills and grist mills. The early 19th century , [indecipherable] Many dams were built along the river supplying , [indecipherable] brass, textiles, furniture, machinery, and hardware. As , [indecipherable] grew, the river was used to dispose of municipal sewage and , municipal waste. Widespread damage from the flood of 1955 resulted in many , flood control projects along the river., Today: The river was very polluted until the 1970's when new regulations controlled the discharge of sewage and chemicals. Slowly the river habitat came back and now supports trout and other fish species. The removal of many old dams has opened the river for fish passage and once again the river is used for fishing and recreation. Now the restored Naugatuck River is ours to protect for the future., River Care , Keep your river healthy, pick up litter , Landscape naturally green and chemical free. , Clean up after your pets. , Keep storm drains clean. They all drain to the river. , Use a carwash to protect the river from oil and chemicals , Plant and care for native plants along the river banks.