Flooding In Catskills/Gunks Region

[MattC]

Here's some stuff that was posted on the Catskill 3500 Club listserve. A news item:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14275503&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74969&rfi=6

and also a USGS site that has water info, which some may find useful:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ny/nwis/current

Where I live (about an hour southeast of the Catskills) the Wallkill has been flooding all week. Two roads out of New Paltz (Rt 299 and Springtown Rd) were covered in water, which receded after a day. I imagine it's now back up to where it was on Tuesday. I did a quick hike in the Shawangunks Friday evening after work and Coxing Kill Clove was completely washed out. It must be even more so now.

Matt

 

[Mark Schaefer]

The Catskills got drenched, and many roads are flooded. Route 23A through the Kaaterskill Clove has been closed, a portion of the road was undermined. The damage did not look too bad on the TV coverage so the road may not be closed for very long. A portion of the Woodland Valley Road near Phoenicia was partially washed out. There is a photo on the WRGB website (although the picture will not remain on the website for long). Areas of Route 30 in Schoharie County from North Blenheim to Middleburgh are also closed.

I gleaned a few two day rain totals from the NOAA and WRGB websites (in inches):

2.80 Ashland
3.30 Claryville
5.27 East Jewett
3.40 Halcott
3.46 Lexington
4.50 Maplecrest
5.00 Phoenicia
4.60 Tannersville
4.50 West Kill
5.82 West Shokan
3.03 Windham​

 

[askus3]

Yes. That photo reminds me of our Gathering 7.0 during the hurricane! And I can't believe Ken climbed Halcott yesterday! And he said yesterday with the snow and mush, it was worse. I believe it. The worst rain of the Gathering storm came at night.

 

[snowshoe]

Over by me on the Delaware it is near record flood stage. The river was almost up to I84 and most parts of Port Jervis NY is under water. Most of this morning we got Heavy snow in the Kittatinny's. Strange weather. See atachment picture from the I84 bridge

 

[Tom Rankin]

Over by me on the Delaware it is near record flood stage. The river was almost up to I84 and most parts of Port Jervis NY is under water. Most of this morning we got Heavy snow in the Kittatinny's. Strange weather. See atachment picture from the I84 bridge

This made me shudder: I drove past the Kingston Circle Sunday afternoon, and the Park-n-Ride there is under 2-3' of water! I've parked there several times before hiking! A couple of poor slobs have come back to find their cars up to the windows in water! Ouch!

 

[funkyfreddy]

Oh well, here I am heading up there in 5-6 hours or so. I guess I like to get wet, don't I?

PS: Ralph, that picture you sent me was awesome! Hopefully it will dry out a bit in the next 12 hours or so, otherwise we might get a bit more than we bargained for! Thanks, Fred

 

[hermit]

Hi Fred,
The rain gage on my deck had a bit under 6" of rain. I went to the end of the road at Moonhaw yesterday and saw that the bridge was closed. It was not washed out but closed as a precaution. The water flow over the Ashokan res. spillway was the highest that I have ever seen in my life.I work with Mark Braman who sent in the pics. for wrgb . I will compare some of my photos with his.

 

[MattC]

Jim Bouton posted this on the 3500 Club listserve:

<I went hiking on Sunday (Bearpen). On the way back, noticed "Rt 42 closed" sign and ventured to see. Less than 1 mile from the Rt 28 junction, half of the pavement caved in. I don't think that road will be opened soon. Looks like major work.
Also, Rt 28 was closed as we approached the Thruway, supposedly because of flooding. Had to take detour, Rt 375 -> Rt 212 -> Thruway exit 20.
All along Rt 28 , Esopus looks awsome, brown and scary.>

So we now know there's serious damage to Rt 42, and at least some damage to Woodland Valley Rd so far. God only knows what the total result will be in terms of roads, let alone trails.

Matt

 

[Jay H]

Hey Matt, how is the back way to the Ashoken Reservoir & Rt 28a????

Exit 18, 299 West to Rt 32 north to I think 209???? I know I go by the Walkill at one point. The alternative is to obviously take Rt 28 and then the long way around the Ashoken on Rt 28a, rather than the quick way from Boiceville.

There is more rain predicted for this friday!

Jay

 

[imarchant]

Road Conditions

check this site for current road closings
http://www.travelinfony.com/default.asp?display=critical&area=NY_Central&date=&textOnly=False

 

[Waumbek]

Streams in Whites

Here's what a stream in the Whites near Franconia that I can usually hop across looked like yesterday at 6.30 p.m. We haven't had more than 1-3" of rain, but the fast snowmelt on still frozen ground is causing flood conditions. The thaw is only about 6-8" deep, if that. The Conn. River was supposed to crest over flood stage at 7 a.m.

 

[Jay H]

Thanks Ian, interesting link... Sounds like CR214 is underwater in Phoenicia.

The thing about Rt 28 closed in both directions at SR209 is major.. Wow, I'm always taking 28 in towards the central catskills.

Sounds like 209 near ulster/sullivan might be underwater due to the Walkill. I think that is the way I would go if I exited in New Paltz.

I just hope it all clears out by this weekend, the Kingston Dinner is then with a big hike on saturday.

Jay

 

[jjmcgo]

Thanks, Snowshoe

The Delaware River is higher in Trenton right now than at any time since 1903, higher than 1995 and 1955. The volumn of water and the way it's hitting the Amtrak bridge next the Route 1 bridge is impressive. The Calhoun St. bridge and the Washington Crossing bridge are closed.
They said the area above the water gap got so much more rain than we did near Trenton.

 

[hermit]

route 28 is open from Kingston to the Catskills.

 

[MattC]

Good photo, Ralph. It must be pretty impressive to see that up close-I'm almost tempted to drive up there just to have a look.

Jay-I think your "back way" would be passable, if it's what I think you're referring to. To get to 28A south of the reservior, you could take Exit 18, go through New Paltz on 299, take 32 north, then 213 west through Rosendale, go through Stone Ridge where 213 is briefly a junction w/ 209 north, then back to just 213 north to 28A @ Olivebridge. Right?

299 is fine, except for going west of NP, where it's still flooded. 32 is on it's way back to being in order (it was one lane near the Wallkill earlier today). 213 though High Falls might still be underwater, but everything seems to be slowly receding now. It should be okay soon. Now if we get more heavy rains, forget everything I wrote here. Stay tuned.

Matt

 

[snowshoe]

They said the area above the water gap got so much more rain than we did near Trenton.

Over by me in Extreme Northwest NJ 10 minutes from Port Jervis the official rain total was 4.1 inches plus add some snow melt as well.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Ashokan res.spillway.I should mention that rt.28 is open now.

WOW!!!

Is that from the Bridge that crosses the gorge about a mile down from the spillway?

Also, thanks for the Rt. 28 Report. Do you know exactly where it was flooded?

 

[MattC]

Ted's photos of the spillway are up:
http://midhudsonadk.org/gallery-1.4.4/gallery/Ashokan-flood?page=1

 

[hermit]

Rt 214 is open now..Tom,the picture was taken from the bridge looking into the gorge.Rt 28 was flooded by Kenco to 209.Rt 42 is still closed as of 9:45 a.m 4-5

 

[imarchant]

Good photo, Ralph. It must be pretty impressive to see that up close-I'm almost tempted to drive up there just to have a look.

Jay-I think your "back way" would be passable, if it's what I think you're referring to. To get to 28A south of the reservior, you could take Exit 18, go through New Paltz on 299, take 32 north, then 213 west through Rosendale, go through Stone Ridge where 213 is briefly a junction w/ 209 north, then back to just 213 north to 28A @ Olivebridge. Right?

299 is fine, except for going west of NP, where it's still flooded. 32 is on it's way back to being in order (it was one lane near the Wallkill earlier today). 213 though High Falls might still be underwater, but everything seems to be slowly receding now. It should be okay soon. Now if we get more heavy rains, forget everything I wrote here. Stay tuned.

Matt

Per this mornings radio report: State Rt. 213 is closed (I think they said at Rosendale) and County route 42 is open to local traffic only.