Water & Weather

It's always handy to know what the weather will be before going out on the river. The following links to sites around the area will help you find out information concerning tides, weather, and general river conditions.

Sunrise & Sunset tables published by the Connecticut DEP are useful for hunters during waterfowl season.

Flood Alerts: are issued by the Northeast Rivers Forecast Center when flooding is anticipated. People who live in low-lying areas such as the Maples can check this site prior to severe weather to make a judgement on whether to evacuate their homes. The site also contains information about historical floods that have devestated the area, such as the '55 hurricanes that wiped out the Naugatuck Valley, and the June '82 storm that hammered Milford.

Newspapers: The daily newspapers are probably some of the best sources of weather information in the area. The Connecticut Post has a very simple 5-day forecast on it's daily web site. Also, the Electronic Valley has a daily weather site for Derby (another great feature of the Electronic Valley). Dr. Mel's Weather World at the Hartford Courant is also a fun site to visit (ya gotta like Dr. Mel).

Water over the Dam: The USGS publishes a chart of the rate of water going over the Stevenson Dam in Monroe\Oxford. This chart is called a hydrograph and shows what times water is released to power the generators. This is useful if you're fishing in the gorge below the dam or planning to put in a canoe.

Weather from the Yale Geology Department: Yale has an interesting weather site that's worth checking out if only to look at the current satallite photos.

Tides at Bridgeport: The NOAA publishes tide tables around the country including several places around Long Island Sound, including Bridgeport. The tides at Milford, Stratford, and the rest of the river will be a little different than Bridgeport but you'll be in the ballpark. The Housatonic is tidal to the Derby Dam.

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