II.

Physical Geography

Connecticut is the third smallest state of the Union, with an area of only 14,356 sq km (5,543 sq mi), including 417 sq km (161 sq mi) of inland water and 1,393 sq km (538 sq mi) of coastal water over which it has jurisdiction. Connecticut is roughly rectangular in shape, except for a narrow strip of land in the southwest that projects westward to within about 19 km (about 12 mi) of New York City. The state has a maximum distance from east to west of 163 km (101 mi) and a greatest distance north to south of 117 km (73 mi). The mean elevation of Connecticut is approximately 150 m (500 ft).

A.

Natural Regions

Connecticut can be divided into four major natural regions. They are the Taconic Range; the New England Highland, or Upland, consisting of the Eastern Highland and the Western Highland; the Connecticut Valley Lowland; and the Seaboard Lowland, all of which form part of the New England province, which in turn forms part of the Appalachian Region.

In the northwest the Connecticut portion of the Taconic Range forms the highest section of the state. From there the land slopes gradually southeastward across the long forested ridges and rolling hills of the Eastern and Western highlands to the narrow Seaboard Lowland along Long Island Sound.

The Taconic Range, or Taconics, occupy only a small area in Connecticut but include some of the wildest and most rugged parts of the state. Much of the region is forested. The principal ranges extend from northeast to southwest and in many places rise to more than 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level. On the southern slope of Mount Frissell, which lies on the Massachusetts state line, is Connecticut’s highest point, at 725 m (2,380 ft) above sea level.

The New England Highland, or Upland, can be divided into the Western Highland and the Eastern Highland. In the Western Highland, a rugged and rocky area, the principal ranges are the Litchfield Hills, which form a southward continuation of the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts, and the Norfolk Hills. The Housatonic River and its tributaries, which drain most of the Western Highland, flow southward in deep river valleys. Forests and small patches of woodland cover much of this area.

The Eastern Highland is a region of low, wooded hills. The highest points are little more than 300 m (1,000 ft) above sea level in the north and less than 60 m (200 ft) in the south, where the highland merges with the Seaboard Lowland. Granites, schists, and other hard, ancient rocks frequently show through the thin soil cover, and piles of boulders and stones, left by retreating glaciers, give the wooded Eastern Highland an often rocky and rugged appearance.

The Connecticut Valley Lowland is a broad lowland, which lies between the Eastern and Western highlands. The lowland is formed of reddish sandstones and shales, which are less resistant than the crystalline rock found on either side and consequently have been worn down to form low-lying land. The principal river is the Connecticut, which occupies the lowland as far south as Middletown. There the river turns southeastward across the Eastern Highland. The southern part of the lowland is drained principally by the Quinnipiac River. Because the Connecticut River leaves the lowlands, the Connecticut Valley Lowland is not identical with the Connecticut River valley.

Within the sandstones of the lowland are beds of trap, or traprock, which form prominent, steep-sided ridges. The ridges are generally forested and extend across the lowland in a north-south direction.

The Seaboard Lowland is a narrow strip of land between the Eastern and Western highlands and the coast. It is broken near New Haven by the southern Connecticut Valley Lowland. Most of the region is less than 150 m (500 ft) above sea level.

B.

Rivers and Lakes

The three major rivers draining Connecticut flow southward to Long Island Sound. The Connecticut River, New England’s longest river, flows southward from Massachusetts to enter Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook. The mouth of the river valley is a deep estuary about 30 km (about 20 mi) long. The Housatonic River, the only other river that crosses the entire breadth of the state, enters Connecticut in the northwest, near Canaan, and then winds across the Western Highland to the sound. Its principal tributary is the Naugatuck, which joins the main stream at Derby. The Thames River flows into Long Island Sound at New London. A long tidal estuary, the Thames forms the mouth of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers. Those two rivers, together with the Quinebaug, the Willimantic, and the Natchaug, which are tributaries of the Shetucket, are the principal rivers of the Eastern Highland. In addition, numerous short streams, unrelated to the three major river systems, drain the south. Connecticut has about 6,000 lakes and ponds. The largest, Lake Candlewood in the Western Highland, is a reservoir that covers only 23 sq km (9 sq mi). The largest natural lake, Bantam Lake, also in the Western Highland, covers less than 5 sq km (2 sq mi).

C.

Coastline

The state’s shoreline, when all the bays and inlets are taken into account, has a total length of 995 km (618 mi). The coastline is deeply indented by long estuaries and rocky inlets, and there are many sandy beaches and stretches of tidal marsh. There are several good harbors along the coast, the most important of which is at New Haven. A few small islands lie offshore in Long Island Sound.

D.

Climate

Connecticut has long, hot summers and cold winters. The climate does not vary greatly from place to place, although the northwest corner generally experiences more severe winters.

D.1.

Temperature

The southwestern coastal area is generally slightly warmer than the rest of the state in summer, and the Taconics are the coldest area in winter. Average July temperatures range from 20° to 22° C (68° to 72° F), but actual daytime temperatures can rise into the lower 30°s C (lower 90°s F). Average January temperatures range from about -4 ° C (about 24 ° F) in the Taconics to about -1 ° C (about 30 ° F) in the southeast.

D.2.

Precipitation

Precipitation (rainfall and snowfall) is evenly distributed throughout the year. Most places receive about 1,000 to 1,300 mm (about 40 to 50 in) a year. Severe droughts are uncommon. Thunderstorms and hailstorms are likely to occur in summer. In winter, snowfall is heavy, especially in the northwest.

D.3.

Growing Season

The growing season, which is the period between the last killing frost in the spring and the first killing frost in the fall, is about 150 days long in most of the state and about 190 days long in more protected sections along the coast. Destructive frosts seldom occur later than the end of April along the coast or later than mid-May farther inland. Frosts usually occur again in the first week of October.

E.

Soils

Thin, stony soils, which are generally infertile and unsuited for crop farming, cover most of Connecticut. Deeper soils, mainly loams, are found in the Connecticut, Housatonic, and Naugatuck river valleys. In addition, terraces on the sides of the Connecticut River valley, and other valleys, are covered with stone-free soils that can be farmed. Sandy soils predominate in the Seaboard Lowland and in the Connecticut Valley Lowland south of Middletown.

F.

Plant Life

Forests cover 60 percent of the state’s total land area. Forests and woodlands occupy most of the rougher land in the Taconics and in the Eastern and Western highlands. Forests are also found on most of the higher sections of the traprock ridges in the Connecticut Valley Lowland.

Hemlock and white pine, found throughout the state, are the most common conifers. Elsewhere are found oak and hickory, as well as other hardwoods such as red cedar, sweet birch, American basswood, hop hornbeam, and butternut. The white oak is the state tree. The most common shade trees include Norway and sugar maple, the red oak, and the ash.

Common flowering shrubs include dogwood, azalea, sweet fern, wild cherry, bayberry, sheep laurel, and mountain laurel, the state flower. Huckleberry, blueberry, black raspberry, and blackberry bushes are abundant; and there are a few cranberry bogs. Among the many species of wild flowers are the trailing arbutus, violet, hepatica, bloodroot, jack-in-the-pulpit, and cowslip.

G.

Animal Life

The most common wild animals are the red fox, skunk, woodchuck, muskrat, raccoon, gray squirrel, coyote, opossum, and cottontail-rabbit. The white-tailed deer, whose numbers were once seriously depleted, are now extremely populous. Some beaver can be found in the state.

The robin, Connecticut’s state bird, frequents the state throughout the year. Among the many other species, both resident and migrant, are the tree sparrow, song sparrow, blue jay, crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, and white-breasted nuthatch. Several species of gull, tern, sandpiper, hawk, woodpecker, warbler, and vireo are also found in the state. In winter the slate-colored junco, pine grosbeak, winter wren, and bald eagle are found there. The snowy owl is an occasional visitor. Game birds include the ruffed grouse, bobwhite, ring-necked pheasant, woodcock, duck, and geese.

Common freshwater fish include perch, pickerel, brook trout, bullhead, and bluegill. Saltwater fish include the blackfish, winter and summer flounder, sea bass, bluefish, butterfish, striped bass and scup. Fishing the spring shad run is a Connecticut tradition.

H.

Conservation

Programs for the preservation of the state’s natural resources, particularly forests, soils, water supply, and fisheries, have been undertaken, including a widespread reforestation program. Fish and game resources, once seriously depleted, are increasing as a result of conservation programs. Efforts include those to increase the number of shellfish, which are threatened by pollution of the coastal waters. Concern over the decrease of wildlife resulted in the restriction of dredging and development of marshes and tidal wetlands. In 2006 the state had 14 hazardous waste sites on a national priority list for cleanup due to their severity or proximity to people. Progress was being made in efforts to reduce pollution; in the period 1995–2000 the amount of toxic chemicals discharged into the environment had been reduced by 48 percent. Air quality also was improving. Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Hartford metropolitan region reduced from seven to one the number of days each year in which carbon monoxide in the air exceeded federal standards, although Fairfield and New Haven counties did not experience such improvements.