Flash Flood in Chenango County, New York

Heavy rain with amounts of 3 to 5 inches in the southern half of the county caused flash flooding. The rain which fell from the 16th to the 18th was due to the remnants of hurricane Ivan. Some of the creeks and streams came out of their banks. The hardest hit towns were Afton, Bainbridge, Smithville, and Coventry.

Chenango county experienced the majority of its flooding from a small stream. About 40 structures were flooded county-wide, with most of those from the Canasawacta Creek at the Norwich city line coming out of its banks. The creek, according to the IFLOWS stream gage operated by the City of Norwich, rose over 10 feet in under one hour during the morning of the 28th. One privately owned bridge was lost along the creek. The river stage at this point was of an equivalent magnitude as the June, 2006 regional flood of record, and well into the major flood category at this location. Other roads in the county outside of the Norwich area were impacted, including one that was totally torn up and post flood resembled a stream bed.

A cluster of nearly stationary showers and thunderstorms developed during the midday hours across southern portions of the county. Within a two to three hour time frame, more than two inches of rain had fallen in many localities. Several reports of 2.5 to 3.5 inches were received from Greene in the southwestern corner of the county. Given already saturated ground conditions, rapid flash flooding resulted. Most of the flooding problems occurred near Mill Brook and along route 12 from Greene northeastward into the Oxford area. Sections of route 12 were under water and closed during the early afternoon hours. Several homes adjacent to Mill Brook in Preston and Oxford townships took on water into the first floor and sustained damage. By mid afternoon, showers and storms had weakened and water levels had receded.