StormTracker

People urged to steer clear of Housatonic River due to high water flow levels

With extremely dangerous water flow levels along the Housatonic River, officials say you should avoid the river until high flows subside.

NBC Connecticut

Officials are warning people to be cautious of water levels along the Housatonic River following this week's storm.

FirstLight, the owner and operator of the Shepaug and Stevenson dams, said high water flow is possible, especially with more rain on the way.

Tuesday's storm dropped between 2 and 5 inches of rain in towns across the state. At the Stevenson Dam, peak flows exceeded 30,000 cfs - about 10 times higher than average.

Water flow levels are still high and will remain that way through the weekend. FirstLight warns that this can be extremely dangerous and the public should avoid the river until high flows subside.

“Citizens should avoid areas around local rivers and dams. Do not walk through flood waters; moving water, especially at these current rates, is very dangerous and can cause a person to stumble or fall," New Milford Police Chief Spencer Cerruto said.

FirstLight also owns and operates several other hydroelectric and pumped hydro facilities along the Housatonic River.

They launched a flood notification system for communities downstream of the Stevenson Dam. When signed up, you'll get emergency notifications if flows exceed a certain threshold. For information on how to sign up, click here.

Contact Us