The insect survey of West River Memorial Park in New Haven, Connecticut shows that freshwater aquatic communities are currently restricted to portions of the river above Chapel Street. The extensive shoreline insect communities (Apendix 1) were documented to provide a baseline for determining future changes caused by a salt marsh restoration. No endangered species were found in the park. Collections from nearby Connecticut salt marshes (Appendix 2) indicate that potential salt marsh colonizers of the proposed restoration area in the West River are present at a site downriver at Spring Street. Recommendations are to survey immediately the species of true flies (Diptera) in the West River, plan for additional monitoring of the shoreline communities during restoration attempts, and monitor for the introduction of exotic and pest insect species. The salt marsh biota at Spring Street Marsh should be preserved and maintained. A voucher collection of insect specimens from the four sites, field notes, and collecting maps have been deposited in the Entomology Division at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.