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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