Quinebaug River, Part 7, Killingly, CT

11 miles, one way. Longest, most difficult section.
In at Wayne R. LaFreniere Memorial Park, Killingly CT, 43 Wauregan Road, Killingly CT. Go up river as far as possible. (One mile round trip up and back to LaFreniere Park.) Go down 1.2 miles, to dog park, 69 Quinebaug Drive, Killingly, CT before remnants of Dyer Dam. Portage Dyer Dam if can’t paddle.
**Remnants of Dyer Dam - HAZARD Stay left. Careful on approach to remains of Dyer Dam, 1.2 miles from LaFreniere Launch. Iron rods protrude from concrete on river right. They are invisible at certain water levels and potentially lethal all the time. If you shoot through the notch in the old dam, watch for concrete fragments downstream. At higher flows may not notice.
**Remnants of Diagonal Dam - HAZARD Half a mile below Dyer Dam are the remains of an old stone dam running diagonally across the river. It can be runnable on river left; if not, lift over or portage on river right. At higher flows may not notice.
**Remnants of Wauregan Dam - HAZARD Wauregan Dam is another tricky spot with hazardous iron rods at certain flows. Stay left to avoid the rebar and spikes in the timber cribbing. Old dam located where river narrows, 600 ft. above Route 205 bridge. At higher flows may not notice.
Lunch at Fish Hatchery, 141 Trout Hatchery Road, Plainfield, CT
The 4.75 miles to Manship Park is somewhat less challenging than the miles above the hatchery, but there are several stretches of white water.
With moderate flows, this stretch of the river moves swiftly with broad, powerful current. With moderate flows of 300 to 500 cfs on the USGS stream gauge at Putnam, CT, rocks are showing, the rapids are passable and to Manship Park will take around four hours. With flows of 1000 cfs or more, it can be two-hours. At high water, spray skirts needed. If gauge lower than 300 cfs, need to walk at times. Out at Robert Manship Park off Lovell Lane in Canterbury, CT.