The Role of Plate Movement in the Formation of the Connecticut River Valley: During the Triassic-Jurassic period (about 202 million years ago), movements of the tectonic plates initiated earthquakes which separated the North American continent from present-day Africa, creating the Atlantic Ocean. During these movements, several faults and rifts developed, one of which created the present-day Connecticut River Valley. Earthquakes along this fault lowered the valley and raised the eastern part of Connecticut.
TO THE RIGHT: The picture is showing the separation of Pangaea. The Connecticut River Valley was formed by the plate movement separation what is now North America from Africa.
The Role of Plate Movement in the Formation of the Connecticut River Valley:
After Pangaea spilt, about 200 million years ago, and the middle of Connecticut was lower than other portions of land around rivers and runoff washed great amounts of sediment into the Connecticut River Valley. At the time, Connecticut was closer to the equator and had a rainy season where the land would get large amounts of rain. As a result of this rain heavy flooding and erosion deposited sediment into the valley. The rainy season was followed by a hot, dry summer which made sediment that was deposited into the river dry. This built up the land in the river valley. The rivers that deposited thick piles of gravel into the valley created great alluvial fans. Often, lakes formed in the valley flats with sandy shorelines and muddy bottoms. It is estimated that the Connecticut Valley has as much as 6,000 feet of sediment preserved, which is over a mile of river and lake deposits