Irene Update #8 - Final Update
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Nick Daniels
Aug 29, 2011, 1:03:56 PM8/29/11
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HURRICANE IRENE UPDATE 8- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
August 29, 2011
William J. Fraser, City Manager
1:00 PM
This will be the final update related to Tropical Storm Irene.
The City of Montpelier escaped serious damage from Irene. Despite the heavy rains and high river levels, flooding impact was no worse than the May flood. The early warning and advanced preparation allowed both businesses and the City government to mitigate losses effectively.
Downtown Montpelier is open for business today. Most, if not all, shops are open, virtually all roads are open. It’s a beautiful day and people are out and about.
The Winooski river crested at 19.05 feet at around 10:00 PM last night. This was the highest river level since 1927 when it hit an unthinkable 27 feet. Nonetheless, there was no discernible difference in flooding from the May event.
The city did not ever sustain high winds of the hurricane or tropical storm level. As a result, there were no downed trees or power lines and we did not experience any power outages.
The volume of rain was substantial but did not fall with the same force as May. Therefore we have no major road washouts or closed roads. Gallison Hill Road was closed yesterday but is expected to be reopened today.
There is a lot of river mud and silt in the downtown, particularly in the State Street and Bailey Avenue area. This will be cleaned up today, in the meantime please exercise caution if driving through it as it can be quite slippery.
The city has no reports of any permanent residential relocation or loss of housing. All people who were evacuated and temporarily sheltered are back in their homes.
Many downtown buildings have flooded cellars. Those are being pumped out and the basements evaluated for safety.
People interested in volunteering to assist with clean up can contact Montpelier Alive at 223-9604. At this time its not clear what services might be needed but they will be happy to take your name and contact information.
There never was any issue with Green Mountain Power and the discharge of the Marshfield dam. As stated in earlier reports, GMP was in constant contact with the city and never did discharge any water from the dam.
Generally, all public infrastructure – water, sewer, roads etc. – is open and operating without problem. Montpelier is very fortunate compared to some of our fellow Vermont communities.
I’d like to thank community members and business owners for their cooperation and diligence. I thank GMTA for their assistance in transporting people to the shelter in Barre, the Keene, NH, swift water rescue team for their presence and Green Mountain Power for working closely with the city. I thank all the citizens who followed these updates and offered comments and asked questions. Finally, I thank all of the incredibly dedicated Montpelier city employees who worked around the clock all weekend to keep everything functioning and safe.
August 29, 2011
William J. Fraser, City Manager
1:00 PM
This will be the final update related to Tropical Storm Irene.
The City of Montpelier escaped serious damage from Irene. Despite the heavy rains and high river levels, flooding impact was no worse than the May flood. The early warning and advanced preparation allowed both businesses and the City government to mitigate losses effectively.
Downtown Montpelier is open for business today. Most, if not all, shops are open, virtually all roads are open. It’s a beautiful day and people are out and about.
The Winooski river crested at 19.05 feet at around 10:00 PM last night. This was the highest river level since 1927 when it hit an unthinkable 27 feet. Nonetheless, there was no discernible difference in flooding from the May event.
The city did not ever sustain high winds of the hurricane or tropical storm level. As a result, there were no downed trees or power lines and we did not experience any power outages.
The volume of rain was substantial but did not fall with the same force as May. Therefore we have no major road washouts or closed roads. Gallison Hill Road was closed yesterday but is expected to be reopened today.
There is a lot of river mud and silt in the downtown, particularly in the State Street and Bailey Avenue area. This will be cleaned up today, in the meantime please exercise caution if driving through it as it can be quite slippery.
The city has no reports of any permanent residential relocation or loss of housing. All people who were evacuated and temporarily sheltered are back in their homes.
Many downtown buildings have flooded cellars. Those are being pumped out and the basements evaluated for safety.
People interested in volunteering to assist with clean up can contact Montpelier Alive at 223-9604. At this time its not clear what services might be needed but they will be happy to take your name and contact information.
There never was any issue with Green Mountain Power and the discharge of the Marshfield dam. As stated in earlier reports, GMP was in constant contact with the city and never did discharge any water from the dam.
Generally, all public infrastructure – water, sewer, roads etc. – is open and operating without problem. Montpelier is very fortunate compared to some of our fellow Vermont communities.
I’d like to thank community members and business owners for their cooperation and diligence. I thank GMTA for their assistance in transporting people to the shelter in Barre, the Keene, NH, swift water rescue team for their presence and Green Mountain Power for working closely with the city. I thank all the citizens who followed these updates and offered comments and asked questions. Finally, I thank all of the incredibly dedicated Montpelier city employees who worked around the clock all weekend to keep everything functioning and safe.
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