About 100 residents and pets evacuated

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May 6, 2011

JOE LOTEMPLIO News Editor The Press Republican Fri May 06, 2011, 04:19 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — About 100 more City of Plattsburgh residents and their pets were evacuated on Friday.

In its second week, no end was in sight for flooding fueled by rain, spring runoff and wind around the region.

“I had a guy from the state tell me that this was the slowest disaster he’s ever seen,” said Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day.

LAKESIDE EVACUATED

As floodwaters continued to spread on north Margaret Street in the city, evacuation of the remaining units at Lakeside Apartments was ordered shortly after 11 a.m.

The city bused the displaced residents to a temporary shelter set up at the Crete Memorial Civic Center and to the former North Country Shopping Center, where they could be picked up by friends or relatives.

“It’s a challenge to get these people out and find places for them, but we will do the best we can,” Mayor Donald Kasprzak said.

DETOUR IN PLACE

North Margaret Street was closed Friday — only people who live in the area were allowed past Georgia-Pacific at the south end.

The road was completely closed from Scomotion Creek to the Cumberland Head Corners.

To reach spots south of that, including West Bay Plaza, motorists coming from the north needed to detour onto Interstate 87 at Cumberland Head Corners, get off at the Boynton Avenue exit and drive down to Margaret Street.

Those needing to reach locations north of the closed section were being escorted, one at a time, through water on the one lane that was open.

ELECTRICITY DANGER

At McDonald’s, in the middle of the worst flooded area, water covered the bottom of outdoor parking-lot lights.

As managers of the eatery were arriving to shut off the electricity, barriers were put in place to make sure no one could enter that area.

Electrocution was a risk, City Police said.

The section of street passing by McDonald’s and Edgewater Estates was shut to traffic completely.

McSweeney’s Red Hots restaurant farther up the road remained closed, as it has been for days.

CANCELLATIONS

At Eye Care for the Adirondacks, located north of the closed section of roadway, staff members were canceling appointments because of the flooding.

Large tarps were installed on the back of the building to protect it from spray from Lake Champlain, and owners had been sandbagging this week.

Late Friday morning, Business Office representative Casondra Harris noted that the street in front of their facility would soon be shut down.

She said water was finding its way into the Eye Care building’s break room.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

SEAWALL WORKS

Water pounded the seawall at Edgewater Estates and Hazy Ray Shores apartment complexes at the south end of that section, but evacuation was not necessary.

“They are little bit higher at that end, and they did a good job and a lot of work in building up and fortifying their seawall,” Day said.

FIGHTING FLOOD

At 10 a.m. Friday, Lake Champlain had reached 103.2 feet above sea level, 3.2 feet above flood stage.

Emergency responders were busy pumping out basements around the area. Sandbagging continued at homes, businesses and other locations as people tried to keep ahead of the record rise of the lake.

Though two pumps sucked water from the Village of Rouses Point Water Plant, workers were adding sandbags to those already packed against the building.

The drinking-water supply, officials said, remained safe.

Day said crews from the State Emergency Management Office were on hand to do preliminary assessments of damage, but it was difficult.

“The water is still rising, and until it stops, we can’t walk around safely to see the damage and make proper assessments.

“This isn’t like what they had in Essex County, where it was a flash flood and then it was over. This is still going on.”

FEDERAL HELP

Kasprzak was hosting a telephone conference call Friday with members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The area must see at least $25 million worth of damage to qualify for federal help.

“Unfortunately, I think we are going to hit that target,” Kasprzak said.

OWENS ON AID

Congressman Bill Owens (D-Plattsburgh) said he called officials in Quebec to see if they could make any adjustments to the Richelieu River to alleviate some of the high water in Lake Champlain.

But he was told they could not do that because they were experiencing their own flooding up, and opening the locks would make it worse.

Owens said that once the state declares the area a disaster, he will lobby President Barack Obama for assistance.

He said that competing for disaster aid with the storm-ravaged Midwest will be difficult.

“We will be competing in a very a difficult environment so it is important that we have our ducks lined up and make sure we have good, solid information to present,” Owens told the Press-Republican Friday.

CAMPGROUNDS

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has changed camping schedules at two parks because of the flooding.

Cumberland Bay State Park in Plattsburgh is swamped with water and will now open May 25 instead of May 13.

As an alternative camping location, State Parks suggests Macomb Reservation State Park, 12 miles from Cumberland Bay. Macomb Reservation will open May 13, ahead of schedule, to accommodate campers.

ReserveAmerica, which operates state’s camping reservation system, contacted 37 customers with Cumberland Bay reservations about the extended closure.

Camping is suspended indefinitely at Mary Island State Park in Jefferson County because of structural damage to its water and electrical systems.

Email Suzanne Moore at:

smoore@pressrepublican.com