Winooski River
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2009) |
The Winooski River (also known as the Onion River) is a tributary of Lake Champlain, approximately 90 miles (145 km) long, in the northern half of Vermont. Although not Vermont's longest river, it is one of the state's most significant, forming a major valley way from Lake Champlain through the Green Mountains towards (although not connecting in drainage to) the Connecticut River valley.
The river drains an area of the northern Green Mountains between Vermont's capital of
The river is one of several antecedent rivers in Vermont which predate the rise of the ancient Green Mountains, and have cut through these mountains as they rose and eroded.
Tributaries
The Winooski is fed by several tributary rivers: the Little River, the North Branch and the Kingsbury Branch are right-bank tributaries, entering from the north, while the Huntington River, Mad River, Dog River and Stevens Branch are left-bank tributaries which enter from the south. The Lower Tributaries, smaller tributary streams nearer the mouth of the Winooski, include Allen Brook, Alder Brook, Gleason Brook, Mill Brook, and Muddy Brook.
History
The name "Winooski" comes from the
In the late winter of 1992, ice blockage in the Winooski caused a major flood in Montpelier, causing extensive damage to much of the downtown, the worst flood in Montpelier's history since the larger Great Flood of 1927.[4]
In July 2023, heavy rains caused flooding throughout the Winooski River Valley, damaging homes and businesses.[5] Water levels reached levels higher than those recorded during 2011's Hurricane Irene, but not has high as the Great Flood of 1927.[6]
Uses
The river is used for a variety of purposes. It is popular for recreational uses such as canoeing, kayaking, fishing and swimming. In addition to providing habitats for the native brook trout, the Winooski and its tributaries also support naturalized populations of wild rainbow trout and brown trout. Smallmouth bass and walleye are found in the lower reaches of the river, and migratory populations of largemouth bass and northern pike often enter the Winooski from Lake Champlain in the spring.[7]
Additionally, a number of
See also
References
- ^ "Winooski Watershed". Friends of the Winooski. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "The Abenaki". Saint Michael's College. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Kelley, Kevin J. "What's in a Name? The Origins of the "Winooski" River". Seven Days. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Flood of 1992 | Montpelier, VT". www.montpelier-vt.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Weichert, Brian (July 11, 2023). "How high are rivers in Vermont and when will floodwaters recede?". NBC 5. Burlington, Vermont. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ Winsor, Morgan; Shapiro, Emily (July 12, 2023). "Vermont grapples with historic flooding as more rainstorms head for Northeast". ABC News. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ "Plants and Animals". Friends of the Winooski. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Fuhr, P.L.; Huston, D.R. (2000). "A case study of an intelligent civil structure - the Winooski One hydroelectric dam 8 years later". Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 5 (1): 113–126.
External links
- Local River Protection Group, Friends of the Winooski River
- Hydrologic data on Vermont rivers from the National Weather Service, including the Winooski River
Montpelier (capital) | |
| Regions | |
| Counties | |
| Cities | |
| Towns (pop. >5000) | |
| Festivals | |
| Topics | |
| Society | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
