Shetucket River
The Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, 20.4 miles (32.8 km) long, in eastern Connecticut in the United States.
| Shetucket River | |
|---|---|
The river at Salt Rock State Park in Sprague | |
Shetucket River and environs | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Connecticut |
| Counties | Windham, New London |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Confluence of Willimantic River and Natchaug River |
| • location | Willimantic, Windham County, Connecticut, United States |
| • coordinates | 41°42′46″N 72°11′31″W |
| Mouth | Confluence with Yantic River to form Thames River |
• location | Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, United States |
• coordinates | 41°31′20″N 72°04′40″W |
| Length | 20 mi (32 km) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Willimantic, CT |
| • average | 718 cu ft/s (20.3 m3/s)Average, 1929-2005 |
| • minimum | 337 cu ft/s (9.5 m3/s)Annual mean, 1965 |
| • maximum | 1,243 cu ft/s (35.2 m3/s)Annual mean, 1938 |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | Quinebaug River, Little River (Shetucket River) |
It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south. Approximately 4 miles (6 km) northeast of Norwich it receives the Quinebaug River and broadens into a wide estuary which stretches southeast for approximately 5 miles (8 km) and joins the Thames estuary on the south side of Norwich.
The river flows through a rural section of New England, despite the historical presence of industry in the surrounding region. Parts of the rivers have been designated by the federal government as the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor. The National Park Service describes the river valley as the "last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis. In nighttime satellite photos, the valley appears distinctively dark amidst the lights of the surrounding urban and suburban regions.