Flooding comes again

Residents cope

By FRITZ MAYER

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Roads were knocked out, bridges were compromised and the county manager declared a state of emergency. But the flooding was not nearly as devastating as the big one at the end of June 2006.

The neighborhood known as The Island in Jeffersonville was evacuated in the early hours of July 30 when Callicoon Creek jumped its banks. Officials tried to evacuate again on the afternoon of July 31 when the rain picked up again and floodwaters were rising.

But according to resident Miguel Flores, not all of the residents left because they didn’t think the situation was that serious.

A few miles down Route 52 in Youngsville, Scott Gaebel, owner of the Youngsville Garage, was paying close attention to weather reports on Friday afternoon, which said there was a possibility of more downpours. In the flood of 2006, the cars in his lot were tossed around like rubber ducks in a tub. With the Callicoon Creek and Panther Rock Brook raging around his property, Gaebel prepared for the worst and protected the business with sandbags.

In Livingston Manor, the high waters caused the shutdown of the hamlet on Thursday, with streets flooded. Basements filled with brown water and, in at least one case, mixed with heating oil from a dislodged tank. Main Street was opened to traffic again in the late afternoon. The downpours on Friday caused new but minor flooding there.

On Friday afternoon, Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau declared a limited disaster in the Towns of Callicoon, Delaware and Rockland. Roads were closed and re-opened as the floodwaters rose and subsided; road crews worked to clear mud and debris and dealt with structural problems created by the racing waters.

The National Weather Service in Binghamton issued multiple flash warnings for the area running from Wednesday night, with the last one ending on Sunday evening as steady rains again had creeks swollen.

State Senator John Bonacic has requested that New York Governor David Paterson declare a disaster for the three towns, which would make state aid available.