The Mystic River, located north of Boston, is a 3.4-mile-long estuary in the southeast corner of Connecticut, encompassing 76 square miles of watershed. It flows from Lower Mystic Lake and travels through East Boston, Chelsea, Charlestown, Everett, Medford, Somerville, and other towns. The river is one of the great urban rivers of New England, with extensive salt marshes along its banks until 1909 when the first Craddock Locks was built across the river, converting salt marsh to freshwater marsh.
The river is a body of freshwater parallel to the lower area of the Charles River. Initially tidal, much of the lower watershed was salt marsh. Every spring, it was filled with herring, and the Massachusett, Nipmuc, and Mystic Rivers are part of the Mystic River Watershed. The river empties into Fishers Island Sound, dividing the village of Mystic, Connecticut between the towns of Groton and Stonington. Much of the river is tidal, and there is a fish advisory for the Lower Mystic (saltwater section) warning children under 12 or pregnant women to avoid consuming fish from that area.
The largest dam on the river, Amelia Earhart Dam, separates the freshwater stretch of the Mystic River from the saltwater in Boston Harbor and beyond. Exxon invited proposals for the saltwater portion of the Mystic River watershed, below the Amelia Earhart Dam, which is essentially up for grabs. Monitoring locations 412141071580200 are associated with a Tidal stream in New London County, Connecticut, and water data back to 2021 are available online.
In the Mystic River Watershed, it is crucial to check on and maintain or restore the health of both freshwater and saltwater ecosystems.
📹 Patrick Herron, Mystic River Watershed Assoc.speaks to Massachusetts River Herring Network
Patrick Herron, Mystic River Watershed Assoc.speaks to Massachusetts River Herring Network Seventh Annual Meeting.
Is it safe to swim in the CT river?
NEPM’s Connecting Point news segment highlighted the issue of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), which result from outdated infrastructure connecting stormwater and sewage drains in the central watershed. These overflows can lead to elevated E. coli and unsafe river conditions for recreation. The Connecticut River Conservancy initiated a cyanobacteria monitoring program in 2022 and continued it during the 2023 field season.
Although cyanobacteria does not pose a significant threat to the Connecticut River watershed, cases of cyanobacteria blooms have the potential to become a bigger challenge in the future due to climate extremes and agricultural nutrients affecting water quality. The 2023 Cyanobacteria Monitoring Report shows that 2 of the 8 waterbodies tested in Massachusetts had active cyanobacteria blooms in 2023.
Can you swim in Mystic CT?
Mystic visitors can enjoy the village’s only public beach, Williams Beach Park, which offers numerous swimming and sun-loving spots. However, there is no lifeguard on duty, so swimming is at your own risk. The Mystic YMCA is also nearby. Esker Point Beach, a 600-foot long man-made beach, is a quiet option for swimming, picnicking, and relaxing. It has facilities for swimming, picnicking, and relaxing, with on-site restrooms and free parking. However, there are no lifeguards on duty and no lifeguards on duty.
Is Mystic River OK for kids?
Mystic River is a film that explores the impact of a tragic tragedy on two generations in a community bounded by the river. The story revolves around Jimmy, Sean, and Dave, who were childhood friends who were molested by a man posing as a cop. As adults, they are no longer friends but are reunited by the murder of Jimmy’s daughter Katie. Sean is the detective assigned to the case, while Dave and his wife Celeste provide comfort and support to Jimmy’s family.
The characters and their stories grow increasingly tangled, like strands of seaweed swept by strong current. The film has big star power and serious themes, but it is ultimately hollow and unsatisfying. The characters overlapping, intersecting, and echoing each other’s lives, with Jimmy and Sean struggling with survivor guilt and issues of justice. Dave struggles with his sense of himself as the boy who escaped “from the wolves” but never truly escaped.
Is the Mystic River tidal?
The Mystic River is a 3. 4-mile estuary in Connecticut, dividing Mystic village between Groton and Stonington. Its main tributary is Whitford Brook and empties into Fishers Island Sound. The river was the site of three large shipbuilding firms in the 19th century and is now home to the Mystic Seaport maritime museum. The name “Mystic” comes from the Pequot term “missi-tuk”, meaning a large river with waves driven by tides or wind. The Pequot Indians built a village called Siccanemos overlooking the river, but it was destroyed during the Pequot War on May 26, 1637, the day of the Mystic massacre.
Is Mystic on the ocean?
New England is known for its perfect summer weather, with bright sunny days and a crisp breeze from the Long Island Sound, Atlantic Ocean, or Mystic River. Visitors flock to the shores for swimming, sightseeing tours, picnics, and long warm days in the sunshine. Spending at least one day at one of the beautiful Mystic CT beaches is a must-do when visiting New England. Ocean Beach Park, one of New England’s finest sugar sand beaches, offers a variety of attractions for various interests, including a half-mile-long boardwalk, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, lockers and changing areas, miniature golf, an arcade, plenty of food options, a carousel, and a playground.
The Mystic Bed and Breakfast is the perfect place to make a home base at the Mystic CT beaches this summer. Set back from busy tourist destinations, the acreage surrounded by conservatory forests ensures peaceful mornings and evenings. The luxury accommodations, with uber-comfortable beds, high-end amenities, and superb hospitality, make it an excellent starting point for adventures. Check out their upcoming summer availability and reserve your room today.
Is the Mystic River safe to swim in?
The Mystic Lakes are safe for swimming, but not up to 48 hours after a storm due to high bacteria levels. Reserve Beach in Arlington is open from June 11 to August 24, with lifeguards and two picnic areas. The water is filtered and chlorinated. Season and day passes can be purchased, and parking is available at 250 Lowell St. To reach the beach, take the Red Line to Alewife and catch the 62 bus to Bedford, MA, then walk 10 minutes to Paul Revere Road.
Is the Mystic River in Connecticut saltwater?
The estuary’s salty water and headwaters, known as Tidal Marshes, are considered the lungs of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Improving water quality is crucial for maintaining life in these marshes and protecting the entire interconnected bioregion. Learn about hydrilla, its prevention, and actions to address it. SeaGrant, Oyster and Shellfish Industry, and EPA’s “How’s My Waterway” initiative are also involved.
Is the Connecticut River saltwater or freshwater?
The Connecticut River, named after a Native American word meaning “on the long tidal river”, is the largest freshwater source flowing into Long Island Sound. River plumes significantly influence the physical dynamics, biogeochemistry, ecosystems, and fisheries in coastal and open-ocean waters. The structure, mixing, and transport of river plumes have been extensively studied, with particular attention given to the main plume front, characterized by strong surface convergence, downwelling, and mixing of the plume with ambient waters.
Flow within the plume can overtake the propagating plume front, creating a large intake region of plume waters that interacts with the front. This connectivity with the front can extend back to the river mouth, be short-circuited by developing interior fronts, or be limited by various processes including tides, winds, ambient currents, and changing source conditions. The degree of connectivity between river source waters and bounding fronts merits further study, as the degree of source-front connectivity likely varies considerably for different plumes and forcing situations.
Tides modulate many river plumes, with strong tidal currents within rivers reversing flow, preventing freshwater from exiting the mouth during river flood tides and intensifying freshwater outflow during ebbs. Two well-studied examples of ebb-pulsed plumes entering ambient environments with weaker tides are the Columbia River and the Merrimack River. Other tidal plumes are swept back and forth by strong ambient tidal currents in the receiving waters of the adjacent estuary, sea, or continental shelf.
The combination of tidally pulsed outflows through the mouth and swift ambient tidal currents along the coast can cut off plume waters from the river source and create a series of discrete tidal plume pulses. Two formative examples are the Connecticut River plume and the Rhine region of freshwater influence.
The Connecticut River plume, the largest freshwater source flowing into Long Island Sound (LIS), is an important example of plumes influenced by strong ambient tides. The river has a tidal salt-wedge estuary with a salinity intrusion that typically extends 5-15 km from the mouth. The navigational channel is bounded by two jetties (collectively referred to as the Saybrook Jetty) extending beyond the mouth.
Planetary vorticity does not exert a strong influence on the mouth outflow, indicated by a large Rossby number associated with the relatively fast outflow velocities O (0. 1–1 m/s) through the 1 km wide mouth.
Plume waters enter the ambient macrotidal environment of eastern LIS, where tidal currents are O (1 m/s) with substantial spring-neap variability. Ambient tides are predominantly rectilinear and shore-parallel near the coast, but have more ellipticity in the deeper waters farther offshore within the Sound. Tides advect plume waters eastward during ambient ebbs and westward during flood tides. The present study focuses on the plume that forms during ambient flood tides, which can pass over Long Sand Shoal, which is within 5 km from shore and stretches 10 km westward from the river mouth. Higher river discharge decreases salinities and increases the extent of the plume.
The degree of connectivity between the front and the rest of the plume is still unknown. Early models imply connectivity extending from the front all the way back to the river source, which may be representative of frontal areas near the mouth. As the front travels farther from the mouth, increasingly large velocities within the plume would be necessary for water to travel from the mouth to the leading edge front before ambient tidal conditions switch from flood to ebb or vice versa. Thus, less plume water interacts with the downstream front as the plume grows during a tidal cycle, resulting in relatively weak plume-front connectivity, as seen for the Merrimack plume.
What kind of fish are in the Mystic River?
The Mystic River is an excellent location for fishing, with numerous accessible spots along the river. Common species caught include striped bass, bluefish, and scup. Local bait shops provide information on the best spots along the river. For those seeking a challenge, charter boats can take you into the harbor for top-notch fishing.
To experience the Mystic River, there are numerous boating experiences available, including Mystic Boat Adventures, Mystic River Cruises, and the Mystic Seaport Museum. Additionally, there are opportunities to rent a canoe, kayak, or other self-propelled boat and enjoy the natural scenery. Adventure shops like Adventure Mystic or The Sandbar offer boat rentals.
Regardless of the method of fishing, the experience on the water is sure to be memorable. The Mystic River Park offers some of the best spots for fishing, while the Mystic Seaport Museum offers cruises on the river.
What body of water is Mystic CT?
Mystic, Connecticut is a village situated on the Mystic River, which flows into Fishers Island Sound and Long Island Sound. Notable landmarks in the village include the Mystic River Bascule Bridge and Ella T. Grasso – Southeastern Technical High School. For further information, please contact the town of Groton or visit the official website at groton-ct. gov.
Is it safe to eat fish from the CT river?
Fish from Connecticut’s waters are a valuable source of protein, offering a nutritious and cost-effective option for consumers. However, some fish species have been observed to absorb chemicals such as mercury and PCBs, which can potentially elevate health risks, particularly for developing fetuses and young children.
Add comment