Updates here: Waterbury floods again | Dec. 18
December 18, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti | THIS POST WILL BE UPDATEDMonday’s rains, warm temperatures flirting with 60 degrees F combined with snowmelt for a December flooding event in Vermont that as of nightfall was rivaling the July flood.
Floodwaters inundate signs along the driveway at Dac Rowe Park in Waterbury on Monday. Photo by Sarah Milligan
In Waterbury, Duxbury and nearby communities, local officials and residents watched the major rivers — the Winooski and Mad Rivers in particular — all day as they rose to action levels, minor and then moderate flood conditions.
Harwood Unified Union School District schools closed for the day by mid-morning, starting in Moretown where flooding throughout the first floor of the school building itself prompted a call to send students and staff home barely an hour into the school day. Residents in Moretown village were evacuating by afternoon as well.
This evening, Harwood school officials announced that all schools will be closed on Tuesday. (See the full message below.)
In Waterbury, town officials have kept an eye on rising waters all day with road closures coming as roadways became covered. By nightfall, a number of roads were closed including North Main Street, U.S. Route 2 by Farr’s Field, Winooski Street, Elm and Randall Streets. As of 6 p.m., water was entering basements in some downtown homes but no evacuation moves were on.
Municipal Manager Tom Leitz noted that the latest river measurements around 6 p.m. showed a much smaller increase from the previous hour. “The Winooski is slowing,” he said.
This evening, the Waterbury Select Board will meet at 7 p.m. in person at the municipal offices and via Zoom. See the agenda for the meeting Zoom link.
A small Honda gets stuck in floodwaters just before 4 p.m. Monday on Noth Main Street in Waterbury. The driver was not injured. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
Flood updates from Monday, Dec. 18
8 p.m.
New information:
No parking ban in Waterbury tonight. Local residents may use the town lot on Armory Street above Brookside Primary School.
The Park and Ride lot on Lincoln Street is closed.
U.S. 2 is closed in several sections in Waterbury: near Farr’s Field to the west; at Dac Rowe Park on North Main Steet; near Subway on South Main. Motorists may traverse through Pilgrim Park to Demeritt Place to circumvent the closure on the south end of town. However, Rt. 2 is also closed in Moretown near Noyes Road. Multiple closures are in effect through the Mad River Valley along the Mad River as well.
The public is reminded to not drive through standing water and to minimize travel where possible.
The town website WaterburyVt.com has been updated with bulletins listed at the top of the home page including a flood resource document.
See coverage from The Times Argus of today’s flooding and a report from Gov. Phil Scott’s press conference.
At 7 p.m., the Waterbury Select Board convened its regular meeting and adjusted its agenda to discuss today’s flooding.
“Seems we are at peak flood stage now,” Municipal Manager Tom Leitz told the board, basing his observation on the latest flood gauge measurements on the Winooski River.
After visits to downtown neighborhoods before the meeting, Leitz estimated that there are about 15 homes with “pretty significant basement flooding on Randall and Elm streets.” Another four homes on Union Street appear to have the same although two are vacant since the July flood.
No injuries reported, Leitz noted, although two vehicles are stalled and stuck in floodwaters near Dac Rowe Park on North Main Street. Neither driver was harmed, he said.
Liz Schlegel, a flood response volunteer following the July flood, said volunteers were checking in on people who experienced flooding this summer. “I expect tomorrow it will be more than about 15 homes,” she said. “It might be worse than July. … but we will put out a big push for response as needed.”
Town Emergency Management Director Gary Dillon said no guidance was issued suggesting that people leave their homes tonight. An emergency shelter has been set up at the Barre Auditorium which people anywhere in Central Vermont could use. Leitz said school officials were on alert should a shelter be needed but that measure was not put into action given that rising river levels have slowed.
Members of Stowe Mountain Rescue in Waterbury Monday afternoon assisted with evacuating an 81-year-old driver from his Honda that stalled in floodwaters on North Main Street. He was uninjured. Left to right: Andy Millick, Greg Speer, Drew Clymer and Alex Sargent. Not pictured is Stella Richards inside the truck. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
6:30 p.m.: Harwood Schools are closed for Tuesday, Dec. 19
Rather than wait until morning to notify families and staff, Harwood school district officials made the call Monday evening that schools will be closed on Tuesday.
Superintendent Mike Leichliter sent the following message to all staff:
“All Harwood Unified Union school buildings will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, December 19, due to widespread flooding and associated weather impacts throughout our towns.
The Moretown School experienced flood waters in classrooms and the furnace room earlier today. Principal Kate Liptak will be providing further information to Moretown teachers and staff. Additionally, parents of Moretown School students will receive further information by 2:00 pm on Tuesday regarding contingency plans for the remainder of the week.
You are all amazing teachers and support staff members! Thank you for your flexibility and help earlier today when we announced the early dismissal. I needed to act very quickly when I received the first word of a "river" forming behind the Moretown School around 7:55 am this morning. Fortunately we were able to mobilize and dismiss Moretown and then the other schools before there were more serious impacts.
I will provide further updates on Tuesday.”
5:30 p.m.:
U.S. Route 2 near Farr's Field is flooded. Signs are not yet up. Avoid the area if possible.
Also, South Main Street is closed.
5 p.m. update:
Elm and Randall Streets are covered in water and closed to traffic. Winooski Street is closed to through traffic as water is over the roadway near the bridge. Traffic cannot cross into Waterbury from Duxbury and vice versa using the bridge.
Winooski River at Waterbury reached 423.66 feet at 4:45 p.m. Real-time readings are exceeding the forecast levels. Moderate flooding is considered at 421 feet; major flooding at 425 feet. July’s flood reached 426.22 feet.
Just before 4 p.m. a crew from Stowe Mountain Rescue helped an 81-year-old man who drove a small sedan into the floodwaters near Dac Rowe Park and became stalled. The Stowe crew is in Waterbury based at the Main Street firestation to assist if needed. The man was wet and cold, but uninjured, according to the responders. He was taken to a nearby rescue vehicle to get warm and Waterbury Ambulance was called to evaluate him.
Water deepens across North Main Street Monday afternoon. The street is now closed near Dac Rowe Park and the roundabout. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
3:15 update
Roads closed to due flooding in Waterbury are: North Main Street near Dac Rowe Park and the roundabout; Union Street near Main as well as Armory Drive; also River Road to the Ice Center.
In Duxbury, River Road from Camels Hump Road to the Bolton town line is closed.
Also in Duxbury, the Selectboard meeting for tonight has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled, according to Chair Richard Charland.
From the Harwood Unified Union School District School Board: The meeting to discuss the Harwood renovations scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Moretown Elementary School has been called off due to the flooding. It will be rescheduled. School board Chair Kristen Rodgers sent out a message saying, in part: “Unfortunately we do not have a time to share with you right now, but we will let you know as soon as it is confirmed. In the meantime, please be sure to check out our Warren recorded meeting here. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Waitsfield Elementary School gym, 6-8 p.m. We wish you all much strength as our district continues to heal and repair from the latest flooding. Sending warm wishes for the rest of 2023 and as we enter into 2024.”
Armory Drive bridge near Union Street in downtown Waterbury around 1:30 p.m. Photo by Gordon Miller
Thatcher Brook behind the grist mill on Stowe Street at 12:50 p.m. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
1:30 p.m. update in Waterbury:
NO PARKING BAN in Waterbury tonight. “We want people parking on high ground tonight,” Town Manager Tom Leitz said.
River Road in Waterbury to the Ice Center is closed.
Dac Rowe Park is flooded. Recreation Director Kararina Lisaius reminds the public to avoid the floodwaters. “Do not swim, recreate, boat, or enter the water at the park. Flooding creates fast-moving, dangerous and potentially contaminated water conditions that can last for days,” she posted on the Waterbury Recreation Facebook page.
With school closed, there is no afterschool Recreation program today.
From the Valley Reporter: In Moretown, Fire Chief Stefan Pratt has called for Moretown village residents to evacuate to higher ground. Rt.100B is closed at Freeman Hill to Stevens Brook Rd. People being advised to stage at top of Moretown Mountain Road near Common Road intersection.
Dac Rowe Park at 10:30 a.m. Photo by Gordon Miller
Update 11 a.m. from the Waterbury town offices: “The Winooski forecast in unchanged, but we have observed a rapid increase in the river height. As we noted during the last flood watch, people in flood prone areas should be prepared. We note the flood waters in July were several feet above the forecast, and that informs our thinking. As of the time of this post all town roads are open for travel.”
At 11:15 a.m. the Winooski level measured 420.1 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
Original post below
Another Monday storm brings heavy rain, flooding to Vermont
As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, Waterbury town officials said they did not expect major flooding from today’s heavy rainfall.
In a message to the public on the town’s Facebook page, Municipal Manager Tom Leitz said:
“We are monitoring the situation closely and will post updates as needed. We anticipate some temporary road closures as the water rises. If the forecast for the Winooski holds true we should not experience any major flooding.”
Vermont Alert at 9:39 a.m. shared a series of National Weather Service flood alerts.
As of 9:45 a.m. the Winooski River at Waterbury had reached 417.91 feet. Flood stage is 419 feet. The current forecast shows a crest of 419.69 feet before 10 p.m. tonight. These figures are updated hourly online at water.weather.gov.
All Harwood Unified Union Schools have been dismissed early for the day. That began with Moretown Elementary School where flooding was affecting the school building itself as the school opened for the day.
Below are photos shared by Superintendent Mike Leichliter from inside the school - water was about 20 inches deep in the boiler room and was spreading throughout the first floor.
A separate shot shows the field behind Waitsfield Elementary School.
Water rises in the field and playground at Waitsfield Elementary School on Monday morning. Photo courtesy Harwood Unified Union School District.
The levels of flooding so far this morning are rare for the two schools. In a message to local news media, Leichliter relayed that Waitsfield Principal Kaiya Korb did not recall floodwaters in the school’s field and playground this high, even during Tropical Storm Irene.
The Valley Reporter newspaper was reporting Rt. 100 closed in several spots in the valley due to water across it. The paper is posting updates on its Facebook page and X account.
Just after 11 a.m. Vermont Alert sent a notification for residents in Waitsfield to stay home if possible. Meanwhile, officials in Moretown were notifying village residents to prepare to evacuate.
To get Vermont Alert messages, sign up at vem.vermont.gov/vtalert.