FLOOD UPDATE: Dec. 10
Eye on weather forecast | CReW names executive director | state mental health program continues
December 10, 2024 | By Waterbury Roundabout
Flooding hit Central Vermont including Waterbury last December 18-19. File photo by Gordon Miller
This week’s forecast from the National Weather Service calls for moderate to heavy rain on Wednesday afternoon and evening into Thursday with a flood watch in place for most of Vermont.
“Heavy rain along with snow melt from warm temperatures will lead to possible flooding. Flash flooding and main stem river flooding are both possible. Total rainfall before a transition to snowfall Thursday
morning will be between one and a half to two and a half
inches in the watch area,” the latest alert on Tuesday morning states.
“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. “Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.
National Weather Service 36-hour precipitation forecast today.
Local residents are encouraged to check the forecasts including the Winooski River level forecast and current National Weather Service alerts here and plan accordingly. As of midday Tuesday, the forecast calls for the Winooski to reach a minor flooding stage around 1 a.m. Thursday. This level typically means flooding in low-lying areas such as Dac Rowe Park, the cornfield near the State Office Complex and Farr’s Field along U.S. Route 2 but not reaching residential neighborhoods. Check back on this forecast site on Wednesday.
Other important information:
Sandbags will be available from the town on Wednesday. Trailers will be placed at Elm/Randall and Rt 2 (likely in the old cider house parking lot). Town officials will also make an announcement on Facebook once they are in place. Residents can also fill their own at the sand pile at 1707 Guptil Road.
Waterbury residents may text “Waterbury” to 91896 to opt in to text alerts via the new “TextMyGov” system.
The CReW flood-recovery effort reminds those in flood-prone areas to remove any valuable items from basements. If you need assistance with this, email outreach@thecrewvt.org or call 802-585-1152.
Pack a GO Bag in case you need to leave in a hurry! Make plans for your pets and move your car to higher ground. Plan alternate routes if the roads you have to take are low-lying.
The Waterbury Select Board meets Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Steele Community Room and via Zoom. Watch for local emergency planning information on the town website WaterburyVt.com and the town Facebook page.
The CReW names executive director
CReW has named Manager Mike Dacey as its new Executive Director. Courtesy photo
Community Resilience for the Greater Waterbury Area, also known as The CReW, announced on Monday that it has promoted Construction Manager Mike Dacey to the newly created role of Executive Director.
The community flood recovery and resilience organization which serves property owners in Bolton, Duxbury, Middlesex, Moretown and Waterbury has been operating as a long-term flood recovery group since its founding in August 2023.
The five towns in CReW’s service area have experienced flooding three times since July 2023, and hundreds of property owners have been affected, many severely. The CReW helps property owners access financial and construction resources to help with rebuilding – they provide information, give advice, help people apply for funds, and help manage and execute flood reconstruction and mitigation projects.
CReW Board Chair William Shepeluk, Waterbury’s former longtime municipal manager, said the organization’s workload exceeded the capacity of its volunteer leaders.
“It became clear even before the most recent flood that we needed a full-time leader who could coordinate our work,” Shepeluk said. “While we are lucky to have great volunteers on the board, many have full-time jobs and this is too much for volunteers to do. After Storm Beryl devastated our service area (July 10, 2024) we knew we had to move forward.”
Shepeluk said the group was fortunate that Dacey was able to increase his responsibilities to take on the overall management role to oversee CReW’s flood-recovery work.
Dacey has been working with The CReW since November 2023. He started as a construction assessor and coordinator and as additional flooding hit Waterbury and the surrounding towns in December and again in July, he became involved in every aspect of CReW’s work, from case and construction management to community education and coordination with other flood groups, funding partners, FEMA and the state of Vermont.
Dacey played a key role in coordinating hundreds of volunteers for CReW’s flood clean-up efforts this past summer. CReW leaders say Dacey’s background in construction, small business, the creative arts and operating a co-working space give him a broad array of management and hands-on skills.
“There is a lot of work to do in our community, both on flood recovery and on mitigation, and I’m honored to be taking the helm at CReW to support that work,” Dacey said. “I want everyone in our area to know that we are here to help, that we can help people apply for the funding they need and organize their construction work. Flood recovery can be a long haul, and CReW is here to help folks in our community navigate that process.”
CReW estimates that more than 600 properties in its service area were affected by the July 2024 flooding, many with complex challenges that require extensive rebuilding and financial coordination. The case management team works directly with property owners to facilitate FEMA appeals, identify other funding sources to help with repairs and upgrades, and provide individual support for those rebuilding or pursuing buyouts.
In his new role, Dacey will coordinate case management, create construction plans, coordinate contractors and volunteer groups and help owners figure out mitigation strategies for their properties.
CReW Vice Chair Liz Schlegel said the new staff position is funded through grants and fundraising. Support from the Vermont Community Foundation was particularly helpful, she said.
More information about CReW is online at thecrewvt.org.
State extends flood recovery mental health program
The Vermont Department of Mental Health has announced that it will continue running its free Starting Over Strong Vermont program through July 2025 to provide mental health and community outreach services for individuals affected by this year’s floods.
The program offers a phone line that connects Vermonters in Chittenden, Washington, Addison, Lamoille, Essex, Caledonia, and Orleans counties to mental health and flood recovery services in their communities.
Launched in 2023, the Starting Over Strong Vermont program served over 14,000 participants across seven contracted agencies in its first year. Originally set to end in October 2024, the program has been extended for an additional nine months due to additional funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in response to flooding in 2024.
The program helps individuals and communities recover from disasters by offering free, anonymous support from trained outreach workers. They offer emotional support, coping strategies, and resource connections, along with short-term individual and group sessions, referrals to services, and community networking to strengthen local support systems.
“Vermonters have shown incredible resilience in the face of the past two years of flooding. But resilience doesn’t mean recovery is quick or easy,” said state Mental Health Commissioner Emily Hawes. “Healing is a journey, and access to continuing support is crucial—not just immediately after a disaster but throughout the recovery process.”
If you or someone you know needs support—or if you’d like a Starting Over Strong Vermont outreach worker to attend your next community event or gathering—call 802-651-1767 (802-651-1SOS). The phone line is available Monday through Friday, during regular business hours. Outside of those hours, leave a voicemail for a return call the next business day. For urgent mental health needs, dial 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
More information about the program is on the Starting Over Strong Vermont webpage.