Take no chances when the river is at flood stage

It stopped raining for a minute on Saturday, July 10, and the flow of the Housatonic River levels began to level off — but then the rain began to drum down steadily again on Sunday afternoon.

Monday brought still more rain. For the Housatonic River at the Great Falls in Falls Village, flood stage is 7 feet, as measured by the U.S. Geological Survey. The water level just reached 7 feet on July 10, dropped briefly and rose again on Monday night.

Discharge levels tell you how fast and how hard the water is charging through between the river banks. On July 10 at Falls Village the discharge in cubic feet per seconds (CFS) peaked for the week at 6,000 CFS; the median rate in July is usually 300-400 CFS. 

Near Bull’s Bridge in Kent, the river height was measured at a little over 7 feet on Saturday and again on Monday morning.

The discharge peaked on Saturday at 7,000 CFS, declined and then rose again by Monday afternoon to 7,000 CFS. This dropped to 5,290 CFS on Tuesday morning, July 13.

The Housatonic River is always much more dangerous than it seems to be, and this is especially true when the river is flooding or close to flooding. 

Recreational visitors hoping to fish, swim or boat are reminded that several people drown or endanger their lives on the river every year. In the current conditions the river is dangerous and should be avoided. 

Lakeville Journal Senior Reporter and fishing columnist Patrick L. Sullivan warned that, especially with young children, “If you slip, you’re gone.”

He said the river is likely to remain fast, full and dangerous for at least a week to 10 days after the rains end. 

And there is more rain in the 10-day forecast.

“I cannot overemphasize how dangerous the Hous is when it is high,” he said. “And when it’s flooding, or close to it, forget it.”

To monitor the river flow at Falls Village go to https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01199000.