| Shetucket River | |
| Map: | Shetucket River (Connecticut) map.jpg |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Connecticut |
| Subdivision Type3: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name3: | Windham, New London |
| Length: | 20miles |
| Discharge1 Location: | Willimantic, CT |
| Discharge1 Min: | 337cuft/sAnnual mean, 1965 |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 718cuft/sAverage, 1929-2005 |
| Discharge1 Max: | 1243cuft/sAnnual mean, 1938 |
| Source1: | Confluence of Willimantic River and Natchaug River |
| Source1 Location: | Willimantic, Windham County, Connecticut, United States |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 41.7128°N -72.1919°W[1] |
| Mouth: | Confluence with Yantic River to form Thames River |
| Mouth Location: | Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, United States |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 41.5222°N -72.0778°W |
| Tributaries Right: | Quinebaug River, Little River (Shetucket River) |
The Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, long,[2] in eastern Connecticut in the United States.
It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south. Approximately 4miles northeast of Norwich it receives the Quinebaug River and broadens into a wide estuary which stretches southeast for approximately 5miles and joins the Thames estuary on the south side of Norwich.
The river flows through a rural section of New England, despite the historical presence of industry in the surrounding region. Parts of the rivers have been designated by the federal government as the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor. The National Park Service describes the river valley as the "last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis. In nighttime satellite photos, the valley appears distinctively dark amidst the lights of the surrounding urban and suburban regions.
The Shetucket River has been tested for the presence of PFAS following the June 8, 2019 incident that spilled thousands of gallons of firefighting foam in the Farmington River.[3] Elevated levels of PFAS were found in bass collected in the Shetucket River, Natchaug River and the Willimantic River.[4] As of 2023, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection still mentions a fish consumption advisory in effect for those three rivers.[5]
The entire length of the river, as well as the lower part of the Natchaug River flowing into it, is a popular recreational paddling route. The water trail is designated as a National Recreation Trail.[6]
Canoe/Kayak launch sites are located at the following locations:
Short, marked portages are required at four hydroelectric dams: Scotland Dam, Occum Dam, Taftville Dam, and Greenville Dam.