The silting in of North and Falls River Coves has been a continual process. But one dramatic change occurred on June 6, 1982 as a result of a rainstorm that brought over 10 inches of rain in 24 hours to Essex. With what can be described as a perfect storm, a low pressure system sat over New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties, pouring so continuously that water quickly overwhelmed the dams and storm water sewers within the state’ s infrastructure. In Essex, the several dams along the Falls River showed signs of disrepair before the heavy rains arrived. Concern for the condition of the compromised dams and mounting water pressure behind them, emergency management personnel began mandatory evacuations along the river.

Similar to a row of dominoes, the dam holding back the Bushy Hill Reservoir in Ivoryton failed first, setting off a cascade of dam failures downstream. The event sent millions of gallons of water down the Falls River along with huge amounts of sediment and debris. The surging waters carried one million feet of lumber from the former Pratt-Read factory hurtling through Ivoryton, jamming culverts and covering the village in several feet of water and mud. Thankfully, Essex suffered no fatalities, but the flood knocked 25 houses off their foundations, destroyed several roads and bridges and caused $ 230 million in damage statewide. Some residents endured weeks without reliable access to power, water or septic systems.

Downstream in Essex, the floodwaters severely damaged portions of the dam at Falls River Cove as it absorbed the full brunt of water pressure and debris. The sediment filled in much of Falls River Cove and made North Cove much shallower. While a few dams were rebuilt, the former Hough-Williams Dam at the former Williams Shipyard remains a beautiful ruin.

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