The flood of June 2006 was described by many lifelong residents as the worst they could remember. Personal memories can extend for only a lifetime, at best, but history is the long-term memory of a society. Chenango County has been hit by numerous floods; those in September 1905 and July 1935 were probably the most devastating.
Are floods really getting worse? Or does it just seem that they are? The consensus seems to indicate that floods are probably getting worse. One reason is that any buildings next to the river have already been removed and those that have been above flood waters are now being hit. Evidently, the floods are reaching new heights. New floodplain maps are being prepared.
An important reason why the waters are rising is because the size of the floodplain has been noticeably reduced. Historical photos bear this out. Over the past century, the floodplain has been steadily filled in. In fact, it is still being filled in.
The photo shows an operation going on now on State Route 12 in the Town of North Norwich. The sign solicits “HARD FILL ONLY!” The Chenango River is less than a tenth of a mile away, back by those trees. Similar fillings are going on up and down the valley. Why do people downstream put up with this?
Filling in the floodplain makes flooding worse, because the fill occupies the space that water otherwise would. Do the dumpers of the fill intend to inflict flood damage on other people? Probably not. The thought may not have even occurred to them. Or, they may rationalize that their tiny bits of fill are inconsequential. Or, that they are not really dumping in the floodplain, just near it. The dumpers merely want to establish a stable substrate for their new buildings.
Consider this experiment. Fill a bucket to its brim with water. Then add some solid material, such as dirt or gravel. What do you think will happen? Obviously, the water will overflow because the solids are displacing the water.
Would this be a good experiment to perform over your rug? Your bed? A display of your childrens’ baby pictures? No, of course not. However, a similar situation occurs for many people who live downstream. Their rugs, beds, and priceless photographs get damaged by muddy water. The people doing the dumping are not the people suffering the consequences.
Look at it another way. A cup of coffee contains liquid about three inches high. Spill it on the floor and it spreads out to cover a much wider area only a minute fraction of an inch high. The smaller the area, the higher the liquid; the larger the area, the lower the liquid.
If floodplains were large enough, all of the water from torrential rains would spread out and not bother anyone. Flood damage occurs when people build in the floodplain, or when the floodplain is reduced so that the water rises to levels previously above the floodplain. Filling in the floodplain creates a new floodplain, a more undesirable one.
Photos from bygone days show how much the floodplain has been filled in. As the capacity of the floodplain is being reduced, the floods are getting worse. Much of the commercial sprawl along the river side of Route 12 sits on filled in areas. Hey, don’t take my word for it. Just drive along Route 12 and look at it. It is even more noticeable when viewed from the river.
The Chenango River is supposed to be protected by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Yet, these governmental agencies do not seem to ever crack down on the widespread dumping. Why not? The government probably finds it easier to supply money for aiding flood victims rather than taking a much less expensive route toward flood prevention. You will not see many elected officials stopping dump trucks to prevent a disaster. They prefer instead to be seen touting how much taxpayer money they can throw at a disaster after it occurs.
Filling in the floodplain is certainly not the only cause of flood damage, however, it is the easiest, and cheapest, cause to remedy. Just stop doing it.