ROCKINGHAM — The one-two punch of flash flooding on the Williams and Saxtons rivers on Sunday and a fast rising Connecticut River on Monday wreaked havoc on low-lying areas of northern Windham County.
The flooding came as a result of heavy rain on Sunday from Tropical Storm Irene.
The village of Saxtons River saw flooding of historic proportions. According to the National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., the river of the same name that runs through the village rose to 19.7 feet on Sunday. That was well above the flood stage of 10 feet, and it broke the all-time record of 17.9 feet set during the Hurricane of 1938.
The water receded by late Sunday night and was down to 5 feet by Monday morning.
Route 121 was closed from Back Westminster Road west Sunday and Monday. The river on Sunday briefly overran Interstate 91, which was closed between Exits 5 and 6 until about 10 a.m. Monday.
Floodwaters washed away one trailer where the occupant initially refused to evacuate but eventually fled in time.
At least one house knocked off its foundations and massive amounts of trees carried by the floodwaters were thrown onto the road. Crews had to clear lots of mud and debris before traffic could get through.
The flooding was so fierce that the Saxtons River cut new channels and severed access to several side roads, requiring the work of crews all day Monday and into Tuesday to clear them.
Some roads were open by Tuesday afternoon, but the evidence of flood damage was all around.
Rivers of mud began drying on lawns and fields; houses, trailers, and vehicles sat askew in awkward positions; trees torn out by roots lay deposited where they caught.
The Williams River in Rockingham rose to 17.4 feet on Sunday night, breaking the old record of 9.98 feet set in 1993. Flood stage is 8 feet.
The river also receded quickly, to 5.4 feet as of Monday morning, but not before washing away the historic Bartonsville Covered Bridge.
The Connecticut River at North Walpole, N.H., crested at 31.36 feet as of 1 p.m. Monday. Flood stage at that site is 28 feet. That was the third-highest crest of all time there. Only the 1936 flood (43.8 feet) and the 1938 flood (39.1 feet) were worse.
The river eventually fell below flood stage by late Monday night.
The Bellows Falls dam had to release water on Monday due to rising water levels upstream. The result was a thunderous torrent of water raging underneath the Vilas and Green Mountain Railroad bridges.
Scores of onlookers lined the banks of the Connecticut River on both sides, while the Walpole Fire Department kept an eye on the bridges.
As a result, low-lying areas of Westminster along Route 5 were flooded. The worst flooding was near the Allen Brothers farmstand near the Exit 5 interchange of Interstate 91.
At its peak on Monday afternoon, the water level there was 3 to 4 feet deep. Allen Brothers was completely flooded, as water stood near the top of the gasoline pumps. Firewood and flower baskets were floating in water.
Nearby, the headquarters of Southern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) was cut off by floodwaters, but the building was unharmed.
Water started to recede later Monday afternoon, and Route 5 was reopened. On Tuesday morning, the parking lot at Allen Brothers was filled with mud left behind from the flood waters.
“Eighty percent - at least - is not covered by insurance,” said Tim Allen. “It's not a question of when, but if, we can ever reopen again at all.”
But Allen had high praise for the emergency personnel who were there to help.
“Can't ask for better firemen and volunteer help from Westminster,” he said. “We have all the help we need.”
Westminster Fire Chief Cole Streeter said Tuesday that his department “will be on the ground helping with cleanup for weeks. We had 29 volunteers on the ground [Monday] and have 12 today.”
Action plan coming
State Rep. Mike Mrowicki (D-Putney) was at Allen Brothers on Tuesday surveying the damage.
He said he didn't know if the Federal Emergency Management Agency could help cover the damage, but said that “all the legislators are on the ground in their districts checking with businesses, farmers, and homeowners affected by the flood. When we've got all the information, then we'll be meeting with the emergency services people and the governor, and come up with a plan.”
Mrowicki said he hopes when lawmakers return to Montpelier in January, they begin discussing how Vermont will cope with future extreme weather events.
“Whatever the cause of the increase of these [extreme] events, man-made or not, a discussion on how we are going to deal with them has to be a part of the town plans,” he said.
Westminster Selectboard Chairman Craig Allen said he was touring the town Monday and was caught by surprise by the rapid water rise.
“We thought we had everything covered, but when they pulled the boards [at the Bellows Falls dam], it sent a wave down the river, and suddenly we had flooding where we hadn't a minute before,” he said.
“People calling in about road signs not up to say 'don't go down that road because it's cut off.' We didn't have enough signs, the road crew didn't have enough signs, the state didn't have enough signs. As soon as we could move one from one location to another, we did. We had people running all over the place.”
No injuries were reported in Westminster, and the flooded areas on Route 5 between Holton Farm and Westminster Station were reopened by Tuesday.
In between all the action on Monday, Vermont National Guard personnel from the Bradford armory were resting at the Westminster armory. They had just returned from flood duty in Brattleboro.
“It takes a lot of patience,” one soldier said. “We're just waiting for orders on where to go next.”
Rockingham area residents who need shelter may go to Springfield High School, 303 South St., in Springfield. The shelter will stay open as long as needed. The telephone number is 802-885-7900.
“This is the time for people to pull together and support each other,” said Mrowicki. “Check in on each other. If you haven't heard from a neighbor, call or stop by and make sure they are okay.”