River Naugatuck

Di Toro, D.M., Hallden, J.A., and Plafkin, J.L. (1991) Modeling ceriodaphnia toxicity in the Naugatuck river. 2. copper, hardness, and effluent interactions. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 10, 261-274. 

A study of Connecticut streams (Turekian, 1971) indicated that the trace metals, cobalt and silver, are maintained at low concentrations in solution as the result of the scavenging action of suspended particles. Even where acid industrial wastes are dumped into the stream, as in the Naugatuck River, which joins the Housatonic River, suspended particles act to lower the dissolved concentrations. We infer from studies involving the behavior of Pb in the Susquehanna River and of Co and Ag in the major Connecticut rivers that the dissolved trace-metal concentration is maintained at low levels in stream water and thus the primary mode of transportation to the estuarine zone is via particles. 

About 15 km to the west of New Haven Harbor the Housatonic River with its heavily polluted tributary, the Naugatuck River, empties into the Sound. (The confluence occurs below the last dam on the Housatonic.) This river supplies a significant amount of trace metals to the adjacent part of Long Island Sound, mainly in particulate form (Turekian, 1971). This contrasts sharply with the Quinniapiac River and demonstrates that the construction of dams is certainly one important factor in inhibiting transfer of metal-polluted sediments to the estuarine zone. 

This plan ofloadingwastriedonthe Naugatuck, a small iron-clad presented by Mr. Stevens to the United States government. The Parrott gun mounted on this ve.sael burst while she was engagjsd with the Confederate forts on James River. The disaster was supposed by some to be the result of the manner of loading, as affording the sbot a chance to dip for ward after being driven hams. 

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