Roads across Chenango remained closed this morning as the county braces itself for floods rivaling those of 2006, when floodwaters reached historic levels.
“The Chenango River is rising faster than we anticipated,” Chenango County Emergency Management Officer Matthew Beckwith said this morning, speaking from the county’s emergency operations center.
In Sherburne, the river was already at its projected crest - 11.4 feet, the height it reached in ‘06 - at 8 a.m. and still rising, Beckwith reported. As of press time at 9, it had risen to 11.61 feet.
The river is also in major flood stage further downstream in Greene, where it is predicted to crest later this afternoon at 22.3, over the record height it reached 5 years ago.
The Susquehanna River in Bainbridge is also in major flood stage. It is expected to crest later tonight at 27 feet, the same level it reached in 2006.
According to City of Norwich Emergency Management Officer A. Wesley Jones, the Canasawacta Creek crested this morning at 24.5 feet, and had begun to recede slightly. But he warned that more rain is on its way.
“[W]e can not let our guard down,” he said. “It could go back up depending on how much rain we receive.”
According to Jones, between 4 and 6 inches of rain fell over much of Chenango yesterday, with higher levels in some areas.
The southeast portion of the county was the hardest hit. In Greene, 8 inches of rainfall was recorded.
“There were probably some areas that were closer to 10 inches,” Jones said.
Flash flooding prompted local officials to declare state of emergency in the village and town Greene and the town of Coventry several hours before the county-wide declaration was made.
According to Beckwith, residents have been evacuated from a growing list of areas within the villages and towns of Afton, Bainbridge, Greene, New Berlin, Sherburne, South New Berlin, Sherburne, Norwich and Oxford. Residents are notified by reverse-911 call of the imminent danger of flooding and encouraged to evacuate.
Those with no place else to go are being welcomed at Red Cross shelters at the DCMO BOCES campus in North Norwich and Greenlawn Elementary School in Bainbridge. Unofficial shelters have also been established at the Greene Fire Station and the New Berlin Station.
According to Jones, requests has been received to set up other temporary shelters as well, including one at the Oxford High School, but one had not been established as of press time.
“The resources of the American Red Cross are pretty stretched right now,” he reported, explaining that the disaster relief organization currently has 15 shelters within its region.
Jones, Beckwith and other emergency management officials have taken up residence in the emergency operation center, from which they closely monitor the situation around the count.
“Right now we’re canvassing the towns,” said Beckwith. Many roads are impassable. (See sidebar.)
As of 9 a.m., more than 1,500 NYSEG customers were without power across Chenango.
The state of emergency declared by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors yesterday remains in effect. Only essential personnel are allowed on roadways. All school districts are closed today, as is the Chenango County office building and many local employers.
According to Jones, light to moderate rain is expected throughout the day. Flash flood warnings remain in effect for Chenango until late morning. But there could be a threat of more flash flooding later, as there is a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon.