Updated: Flooding Causes Road Closures, State of Emergency Declarations in North County
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| Brooklyn Street is also closed to traffic. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Although the entire county is experiencing flooding, North County seems to have been hit the hardest.
In North Adams a sinkhole on State Street at the bottom of Morgan Ave has closed down a portion of the driving lane. A police officer is on-site directing traffic.
Brooklyn Street is completely closed off with the roadway caving in along the side of the road. Church street, Houghton Street, and West Shaft Road, among others have also had significant flooding and damage.
DPW trucks are driving throughout the city marking smaller sinkholes with traffic cones. Firetrucks have also been dispatched to help with flooding in homes.
As of Monday evening, the town of Adams has declared a state of emergency.
Town Administer Jay Green said although there have been no road closures or other significant damage, the wastewater treatment plant suffered a significant inflow of water that resulted in the failure of our plant condition alarm system.
He said the excessive water flow pushed its way through the plant and flooded the lower pump room and partially flooded another pump room. The excessive water also resulted in partial discharge of untreated water into the Hoosic River.
"There is no immediate threat to health as the untreated water has been diluted from the high water already in the river," Green said. "We do not know how much at this time. The alarm system has been repaired a re-design will address this issue to prevent this from happening again."
He said North Adams, Williamstown and the DEP have been notified of the discharge of partially untreated water into the river. He said the town is also in contact with MEMA.
"The plant is operating normally at this time, the full extent of damage is unknown until the lower pump room can be de-watered," Green added. "The amount of partially untreated water is diminishing as the water level subsides and the water chemistry is reset."
Other than that, the town has experienced some flash flooding in the Jordan, Mill, and Crotteau Street areas due to excessive water flow from two flood conveyances.
Green said during the storm, DPW workers monitored historically troublesome areas.
"When we get this amount of rainfall in such a short time, it does stress our old infrastructure," said Town Administer Jay Green said. "We ask for patience from the public as we address any flooding issues that may arise and remind people to not deposit yard waste in any flood conveyance and to please assist in keeping storm drains open."
Clarksburg has declared a state of emergency. Flooding has made some roads impassable. Major flooding has been reported on Cross Road.
Residents are asked to refrain from traveling if possible to allow road crews and emergency personnel to do their jobs. The declaration is in effect until withdrawn. It is expected to last several days.
In Williamstown, several inches of water from the swollen Hoosic River nearby washed over a portion of the recently completed bicycle/pedestrian trail. Town officials posted a "road closed" sign at the trailhead near the parking lot of Syndicate Road.
On the other hand, the nearby access road to the town transfer station, which this spring saw a water incursion that washed out a large chunk of the road had no evidence of water over the road at midday Monday.
Williamstown's town manager midafternoon said that the town received no reports of erosion from a North Street homeowner whose property was damaged by heavy erosion from the Hoosic in December 2020. That Christmas Eve storm prompted emergency bank stabilization efforts by the town in coordination with the state's Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Pittsfield also appears to be in good shape, and Pittsfield's Commissioner of Public Utilities Ricardo Morales said there are "no big issues so far."
There were no road closures as of 11 a.m. and the Dan Casey Memorial Causeway, which is prone to flooding, was still open. It is believed that if rainfall remains as is, the road will remain open.
There is some ponding at a few athletic fields but nothing out of the norm, Morales reported, even at Wahconah Park where it is normal to see the parking lot flooded.
The lot is not flooded as high as other times, he said.
"Overall, we are clearing drains on known problematic areas and making sure specific properties are not impacted or the impact is minimal," Morales explained.
"Water elevation at the reservoirs is at a healthy mark at the moment. We had seen it start to drop in June to the point where a drought was imminent had it not been for the heavy rains at the end of June followed by the last week of rain events."
A flood watch is in place until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11. The National Weather Service has set an Areal Flood Watch for Northern Berkshire County, Southern Berkshire County, and Southern Vermont.
The National Weather Service anticipates 2 to 4 inches of rain to fall. Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Extensive street flooding and flooding of creeks and rivers are possible.
Drivers should beware of flooding and debris in the roadways. Also, be mindful of fast-moving waterways.
