CALLICOON, NY — The Upper Delaware saw more water rush through its banks last month—11 feet on December 18-19—than at any other time in 2023. Those rushing waters swept up the usual debris—along with something more unusual: a car. 

The small sedan reportedly belongs to someone at the Delaware Valley Job Corps Center, who had stopped at the Callicoon boat launch for a lunch break while the waters were high. The car was carried into the river from the launch.

Evan Padua, who represents the Town of Tusten on the Upper Delaware Council, shared the photo above at last week’s UDC meeting. 

Members said there is as yet no safe way to pull the car from the river. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is involved because cars can leach gas and oil when submerged.