Norwich dam breach and flooding: What we know Thursday morning
The partial breach of the Fitchville Mill Dam on the Yantic River on Wednesday led to mandatory evacuations of homes and businesses, power outages, street flooding, and road closures.
Steve Langello, who lives on Yantic Street, and woke up Wednesday morning to see the parking lot by the building he lives in flooded. "They let me back in to get some personal items, and they said go," Langello said, while he was spending time at the city's emergency shelter at Kelly Middle School Wednesday afternoon.
Langello and his fellow residents were able to return home after 4 p.m. Wednesday but city officials are continuing to tell residents in the area to be vigilant.
Here's what we know as of Thursday morning.
Did the Fitchville Dam breach overnight?
No. A Norwich firefighter and Bozrah employee stood guard over the dam Wednesday into Thursday. There were no emergency messages sent to the community overnight as
Evacuation orders
The evacuation order issued Wednesday from the Bozrah town line to Backus Hospital was lifted late Wednesday afternoon. A second evacuation order is possible, if the dam fully breaches.
What we saw on Wednesday: Mandatory evacuations lifted for Norwich homes, compromised dam still being watched
Has the Yantic River crested?
At 1 a.m. the river was observed to be 7.2 feet, according to the National Weather Service. The flood stage is 9 feet, and appears to be continuing to drop.
According to the National Weather Service, the Yantic River crested at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at 14.23 feet. The highest recorded crest was 14.88 feet on June 5, 1982. By 9 p.m., Wednesday, the river had fallen to 9.93 feet. Heights in excess of 11.5 feet are considered major flood concerns; 9.5 feet is considered a moderate flood concern.
Is there school in Norwich today?
Norwich Public Schools and Norwich Free Academy are open this morning for classes, and school officials say they will remain in contact with city and emergency management officials to provide updates if the situation changes.
"The good news is that no physical injuries have been reported. However, it has been a distressing time for many, and my hope is that our students, families, staff and the community at large remain safe," reads a letter from Norwich Public Schools Acting Superintendent Susan M. Lessard to families and staff. "Additional resources are available via counselors and social workers. Our Family Resource Center and UCFS School Based Health Centers can also provide you with or direct you to community resources if needed."
Both schools districts transitioned from two-hour delays on Wednesday morning to closures based on the emergency in the city.
'Much too fast to walk through': Business owner rescued by boat from Norwich flooding
What repairs are they making to the dam?
On Thursday and into Friday, the State of Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection will oversee the stabilizing of the dam by installing a 'coffer dam' which will be placed in front of the existing dam to hold back water and allow for further investigation and repair.
How much rain fell in Norwich?
The National Weather Service released the total rainfall amounts for Tuesday night into Wednesday, late in the afternoon. A Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network reporter in Norwich reported 4.51 inches had fallen by 7 a.m. Wednesday.
The amount was slightly higher the the 4.10 inches reported in Griswold.
The highest amounts of rain in the state were in Fairfield County with Ridgefield reporting in 4.77 inches.
What is the forecast?
The forecast for today is mostly sunny, with a high near 45 and West wind 5 to 10 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The
With a storm predicted to move in Friday night through Saturday, the service is predicting 1 to 3 inches of new rain.
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This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Yantic River flooding: What to know as Norwich begins to recover
