Weathersfield Flooding Update, 7/3/2013

Written by Jim Mullen

Wednesday, 03 July 2013 19:39

To: Vermont Emergency Management From: Jim Mullen, Town Manager Date:   Wednesday night,, July 3, 2013, 7:45 PM Subject: Weathersfield Flooding                 In the early evening of Tuesday, July 2, 2013, the northwesterly corner of Weathersfield experienced torrential rains from a passing storm. This is the same quadrant of town that received the most damage from Tropical Storm Irene. A narrow band of heavy rain passed over Little Ascutney Mountain and the southwest slope of Ascutney Mountain, causing flash flooding in adjacent streams. Branch Brook and the Black River did not flood.                 An Emergency Operations Center was opened in the West Weathersfield Fire Station before dark. The West Weathersfield and Ascutney Fire Departments visited residences to assure they were safe.   Some homes were evacuated. Flooded and washed out roads made it impossible to visit several roads until morning. The power went out.                 At dawn, the 16 roads and one covered bridge were found to be damaged. Preliminary damage estimates (using FEMA standards for rehabilitation applied during Irene) are as follows: Tarbell Hill Road                             $50,000 Grout Road                                       32,000 High Meadow Road                      16,000 Cascade Falls Road                        10,000 Ascutney Basin Road                    10,000 Butterfield Hill                                   2,000 Gulf Road                                            2,000 Piper Road                                          1,500 Plains Road                                       4,000 Jarvis Road                                         1,500 Lottery Lane                                       2,000 Little Ascutney Road                       6,000 Upper Falls Road                              1,000 Ascutney Notch Road                    6,000 Branch Brook Road                          500 Henry Gould Road                           2,000 Salmond Covered Bridge              4,000 Total                                              $150,500                 By this evening, the Weathersfield Highway Department, assisted by a private contractor, was able to open roads to all residences from at least one direction with at least one travel lane.                 The West Weathersfield Fire Station pumped out a basement, which is contaminated by its floating oil tank. This house is presently uninhabitable. Many residences lost driveways and culverts. Private roads have been washed out.                 The Weathersfield and State Police assisted with traffic control. Vermont Stream Alternation Engineer Todd Menees visited roads and flooded residences.                 The state’s long road into the Little Ascutney Wildlife Management Area was wiped out. Ascutney Fire District #2 was unable to provide water to 200 customers this afternoon for 5 hours due to a tree on the wires to its well house. Water service has now been restored. The Town’s current most critical need is to be able to access FEMA funds to rebuild the damaged roads.