Deja vu: Vermont gets flooded one week before Christmas
Vermont is hearing those dreaded words again: "widespread flooding."
A late-December rainstorm is expected to dump at least a couple inches on Burlington by Tuesday, Dec. 19, according to the National Weather Service. Some businesses that were flooded during the July floods were once again seeing the waters coming in the doors of their newly renovated properties.
By early afternoon Monday, the Mad River Valley had closed schools and businesses near the river. In Chittenden County, U.S. 2 in Richmond near Cochran's Ski Area was closed. And in Montpelier, a coffee shop that was open for mere weeks following summer flooding had its floor covered in water once again.
Some major rivers had already hit flood stage and some were well on their way, expected to crest in the middle of the night between Monday and Tuesday. What is forecasted and what are the anticipated effects?
Chittenden County − Winooski expected to crest four feet above flood stage in Essex Junction
With two inches of rain in the forecast, the Burlington area was expected to receive among the highest amount of rainfall in Vermont on a list from the National Weather Service. Middlebury, Springfield and Mount Mansfield − the latter as high as 2.97 inches − were higher.
As a result, the rain and the snow melt from a snowstorm one week ago combined to overflow the capacity of Vermont rivers, streams and brooks.
U.S. 2 in Richmond was closed between Bridge Street and Cochran Road before 2 p.m. Monday. The low-lying fields in the flood plain, farmland, and a park & ride in Richmond were underwater during the July floods.
The Winooski River at Essex Junction was expected to crest at 16.8 feet overnight, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Flood stage is 12 feet, so that puts the area at "moderate" flooding.
When the Winooski hits 16 feet in that area, the USGS predicts, "Low lying roads along the Winooski will flood, including Bridge Street in Richmond, North Williston Road in Essex, Poor Farm Road near the South Burlington and Essex town line, and Pine Island Road in Colchester. The Burlington Intervale will be inundated, and there will be widespread field flooding from Jonesville to Lake Champlain."
Montpelier experiencing nightmarish deja vu
The Winooski River in Montpelier was expected to also crest at 16.8 feet, creating "moderate" flooding. Flood stage there is anything above 15 feet.
At 16 feet, the USGS says to expect, "Route 2 will flood at Bailey Avenue bridge, and the entrance to the Montpelier High School. Parking lots behind state office buildings next to the river will flood between Taylor Street and Bailey Avenue, and the approach to Taylor Street bridge will be inundated. Low-lying fields and farmland will be inundated."
Capitol Grounds coffee in Montpelier had reopened its doors six weeks earlier following extensive renovations due to flood damage from July. In a post on Monday, the staff posted pictures on Instagram comparing the water levels inside the shop from July 10 and Dec. 18, showing the similarities of pictures five months apart.
Mad River Valley closed schools by noon
The Mad River Valley was among the first areas where widespread flooding reports became known Monday morning. The river had already overflowed its banks around the time of the morning commute.
Kassia Randzio, co-director of the Vermont River Conservancy, had prepared a fundraising email to go out, and the timing was apropos.
"I walked my daughter to the bus stop and there was 6 inches of water on our street before 8:00 a.m.," she wrote. "By 8:30 the dissonant beeps of the emergency weather service took over the airwaves, warning that the Mad River will be 1 ½-feet over its banks by nightfall. Then my phone rang at 9:00 with the school superintendent’s auto-message: rural students were being bused home before the Dog River floods. All area schools were closed before the clock struck noon. Downtown businesses are bracing for the worst."
Mehuron's Supermarket in Waitsfield announced it would close by 4 p.m. to protect the safety of customers and staff.
This story may be updated.
Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: More Vermont flooding at Winooski River in Montpelier, Mad River Valley
