Farm River (Connecticut)

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]

Farm River
(Alternately, East Haven River
among many other names)
Pistapaug Pond,
one of the sources of the Farm River
Source
Mouth
Beginning and end of Farm River in Connecticut
Location
CountryUnited States
StateConnecticut
CountyNew Haven
TownsEast Haven, Branford, North Branford
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNorth Branford, Connecticut, United States
 • coordinates(41°25′23″N 72°44′16″W) [1]
 • elevation345 ft (105 m)
Mouth 
 • location
Long Island Sound, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States
 • coordinates
(41°14′51″N 72°51′33″W) [1]
 • elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length16.5 mi (26.6 km)

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
Docks in Farm River State Park

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 among the river's many alternate names 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. The name Farm River was officially decided upon in 1968.[1][6]

References
  1. "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.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  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. In A Shared Landscape, author Joseph Leary says the Farm River competes with the Housatonic for the Connecticut river with the most names: at least 15 native and colonial names are known. The name Deborah River stems from an incident in which Deborah Chidsey left Governor Gurdon Saltonstall stranded on a rock in the river 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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