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July 17, 2006
Flood Picture Essay Part 1
I did say that I would get some pictures posted of the flood and the aftermath. So here it goes, part one of a photo essay of my experience of the flood. Sorry I don't have much from the evacuation center, I ran out of pictures on my digital cameria.
Some of these pictures are from submitions to The Daily Star photo gallery
To see the full size pictures right click and choose view image.
Tuesday 6-27-2006 Main St. Sidney Bridge
Everything seemed fine, high water but nothing we hadn't delt with before. Life is normal and good. Latter that night the fire/rescue siren went off, calling out the firefighters and rescuers, to start the evacuation of the lowest lieng areas. Us in town think nothing of it, As I said we've seen high water before.
Our first warning about the impending flood was this I88 accedent.
Although for us it was a knock on the door and the nighbor telling us that we were to evacuate ASAP. Couldn't argue, there was water running right up the street.
This is the River St. right behind the house. In front of the house (other side of Weir St.) is the Susquhana River.
Wednesday 6-28-2006 Main St. Sidney Bridge
I snapped this shot as I crossed the bridge after checking on the small warehouse area I rent. We were one of the last people allowed to cross that was not an emergency vehicle.
Wednesday 6-28-2006 Self-store units (my small but valuable warehouse)
From there I was sent to the evacuation center at the Sidney Central School.
In the fore ground is Dawn Rivers Baker owner of Wahmpreneur Publishing Inc., home of The MicroEnterprise Journal and Brighid's Fire Books. Sitting next to her is Aubrey Baker AKA Sir0tter owner of Sir0tter's Traiding Den. Behind them is their daughter Regina and her friend Erin.
Thursday Morning 6-29-2006
At the evacuation center we were kept in the dark about how bad the flooding was getting. But here you can see the waters lapping at the Main St. Bridge.
And roomers were running wild. One man was arrested for running up and down Unidilla's main street shouting that the dam was breaking. This caused all kinds of panic.
It certenly did have enough water behind it. This was before the crest of the water. So even though the Susquehanna river had already crested, we weren't done.
Before this dam started to spill over another above us towards Cooperstown did. causing a second rise in the water level on Thursday night.
All signs pointed to a controlled release of water from East Sidney Dam but as the water there continued to rise it was put off until the water could start going over the spillway.
Friday 6-30-2006 we were given word at the evacuation center that the water had started coming over the spill way at the dam.
This gave us a third spike in the water level. I heard one old-timer say that this was the first time he could remember the spill way was used at the dam. I'd like to get that confirmed.
And here is what I88 looked like at that time.
About this time Fire Fighters and the National Guard started to arrive in town to get ready and help start the clean up.
The National Guard set up to help patrol and keep us civilians out of the flood areas. The fire Fighters were doing search and rescue till they could start the clean up. They came from all over the east coast. I saw one truck that had Alabama on it and one that was from Canada. They happened to be the ones from the farthest away that I spotted.
Flood Picture Essay Part 2: Thanks to the volunteers.
Flood Picture Essay Part 3: Saturday 7-1-2006 The flood waters crest on the Susquehanna River.
Flood Picture Essay Part 4: Monday 7-4-2006 Clean up starts.
Flood Picture Essay Part 5: Aftermath and life goes on.
Posted by derstaffo at July 17, 2006 08:19 AM
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