# Norwalk River > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Norwalk_River > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Norwalk_River.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwalk_River > Source revision: 1346107422 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Coord|41.100|-73.415|display=title}} {{Infobox river | name = Norwalk | image = | image_caption = | source1_location = [Ridgefield, Connecticut](/source/Ridgefield%2C_Connecticut) | mouth_location = [Long Island Sound](/source/Long_Island_Sound) at [Norwalk, Connecticut](/source/Norwalk%2C_Connecticut) | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = [United States](/source/United_States) | length_mi = 23 | source1_elevation = {{convert|507|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} at source to [sea level](/source/sea_level) at mouth | discharge1_avg = | basin_size = }} The '''Norwalk River''' is a [river](/source/river) in southwestern [Connecticut](/source/Connecticut), United States, approximately {{convert|21|mi}} long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map], accessed April 1, 2011 The word "Norwalk" comes from the [Algonquian](/source/Algonquian_languages) word "noyank" meaning "point of land". ==Description== thumb|left|250px|New Canaan Bridge over the river, from a postcard (1906) thumb|left|250px|Railroad Bridge between South Norwalk and East Norwalk over the Norwalk River (from a postcard mailed in 1914) The Norwalk River originates in ponds located in [Ridgefield, Connecticut](/source/Ridgefield%2C_Connecticut). These ponds empty into Ridgefield’s approximately {{convert|500|acre|km2|adj=on}} "Great Swamp". The river continues through Ridgefield, and is augmented by the "Great Pond" ({{convert|507|ft}} above [sea level](/source/sea_level)), one of the purest lakes in Connecticut due to its being fed by underwater [springs](/source/Spring_(water)). The river is closely paralleled by [U.S. Route 7](/source/U.S._Route_7_in_Connecticut) as it flows southward through [Branchville](/source/Branchville_(Ridgefield)), [Georgetown](/source/Georgetown%2C_Connecticut), [Wilton](/source/Wilton%2C_Connecticut), and [Norwalk](/source/Norwalk%2C_Connecticut), where it is joined by the [Silvermine River](/source/Silvermine_River) and then flows into [Norwalk Harbor](/source/Norwalk_Harbor) and finally into [Long Island Sound](/source/Long_Island_Sound). Recreational [fishing](/source/Angling) continues to be a popular sport along the course of the river, in addition to oystering at the river’s mouth in Norwalk. A 20-year-old man drowned in the river on May 24, 2009 while trying to save a boy who slipped into a strong current near Broad Street in Northern Norwalk, near the Route 7 Connector. The boy had been playing in knee-deep water. Jose Higareda, a Mexican immigrant living in Norwalk, jumped in the water with the boy's father, but Higareda was himself dragged downstream toward Deering Pond. The boy survived.Cassidy, Martin B., "Catastrophe on the water: 20-year-old man drowns in Norwalk River while trying to save young boy", May 29, 2009, ''Norwalk Citizen'', p A6 ==Great Flood of 1955== [[Image:Norwalk1955flooda.jpg|thumb|right|[Norwalk](/source/Norwalk%2C_Connecticut), Main and Wall Street, October 16, 1955]] Over the weekend of October 14–17, 1955, {{convert|12|to|14|in}} of [tropical storm](/source/tropical_storm) rain caused the Norwalk River, along with many other [Connecticut rivers](/source/List_of_Connecticut_rivers), to severely [flood](/source/flood). (The statewide destruction prompted [President Eisenhower](/source/Dwight_D._Eisenhower) to declare a [disaster area](/source/disaster_area) in Connecticut.) The [flood of 1955](/source/flood_of_1955_(Connecticut)) caused the most severe damage of any flood in the [history of Norwalk](/source/History_of_Norwalk%2C_Connecticut). From the heavy rains some [dam](/source/dam)s along the Norwalk River broke, sending walls of water surging downstream, knocking out bridges and additional dams. Many of the Norwalk River’s neighboring towns and communities suffered widespread devastation. Several people died in addition to millions of dollars' worth of damage along the Norwalk River [watershed](/source/Drainage_basin) alone. {{Clear}} ==Pictures== File:NorwalkCTStroffolinoBrRaised08122007.JPG|Stroffolino Bridge closing, Norwalk. File:NorwalkCTStroffolinoBrNorthSide08122007.JPG|Stroffolino Bridge, north side. File:NorwalkCTNorwalkRivrRRBridgeCloseup08122007.JPG|Swing railroad bridge, Norwalk. File:NorwalkCTNorwalkRivRRBridge08122007.JPG|Swing Bridge in Norwalk, longer view. File:NorwalkCTWaitAreaHarborCruises08122007.JPG|Waiting area for harbor tours, riverside, South Norwalk. File:NorwalkCTNorwalkRiver@Merritt7OfficePark09162007.JPG|The river passes by numerous office buildings in Northern Norwalk. ==See also== {{Portal|Connecticut}} *[List of rivers of Connecticut](/source/List_of_rivers_of_Connecticut) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.norwalkriver.org The Norwalk River Watershed Association] {{Rivers of Connecticut}} {{authority control}} Category:Geography of Norwalk, Connecticut Category:Rivers of Fairfield County, Connecticut Category:Connecticut placenames of Native American origin Category:Long Island Sound Category:Rivers of Connecticut Category:Redding, Connecticut --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Norwalk River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwalk_River) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwalk_River?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.