Connecticut River, River system in New England, United States.
The Connecticut River is a river system in New England that crosses four states over a distance of 407 miles (655 kilometers) between the Canadian border and Long Island Sound. The watershed includes wide valleys with forested hills and flat agricultural plains along the middle and southern sections.
A Dutch seafarer reached the mouth in the early 17th century and named the waterway after the clear water he found. Later factories and settlements rose along the banks and shaped the riverside over two centuries.
The waterway carried its name long before European settlers arrived and comes from the language of the Mohegan people who lived along these banks. Today more than thirty protected natural areas line its shores and draw birdwatchers and hikers.
Public access points along the waterway offer opportunities for fishing and canoe trips with each state maintaining separate regulations. The best months for outdoor activities run from May through October when trails and boat launches remain accessible.
The watershed feeds roughly seventy percent of the fresh water entering Long Island Sound and influences coastal life far beyond the river mouth. Within this landscape 148 tributaries converge and form a network connecting five states.
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