Thursday - July 02, 2009

A Post For Mom

I’m fine, don’t worry. We’re uphill from all this mess. The roads are open and dry.



For everyone else who is not Mom:

I live about a quarter mile away from the Spruce Run reservoir. The surface of that lake is pretty much the same elevation as the foundation of my building, and there is a small valley between my place and all the water. So no flooding here. Heck, it isn’t even raining here. Right this minute, but the clouds are lowering. But it did rather pour last night. Again. As always. It’s rained here just about every day since the 4th week in May I think.

It’s not the reservoir that’s the issue. It’s the river, and the river is boiling. Downtown Clinton sits about 4 or 5 feet below the level of the spillway by our world famous Red Mill. And the water is starting to flow over the edge of the gabion wall. If the river rises another 4” it will flood the town.

My man Apu at the Kwiki-Mart says the water was higher late last night. The river runs behind his store on one side, and a big feeder stream comes in behind him on the other side. So he’s concerned, but hasn’t had to get the mops out. Yet.

Flood warning issued for South Branch of Raritan River for Clinton, Stanton, Three Bridges and Neshanic
by Terry Wright/Hunterdon County Democrat
Thursday July 02, 2009, 8:44 AM

The South Branch of the Raritan River was predicted to flood this morning, with Clinton, Stanton, Three Bridges and Neshanic in Branchburg, Somerset County among the areas expecting high water.

“A surge of water was moving down” the river south of High Bridge around 7 a.m., according to the flood warning from the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly.

River gauges indicated that some minor flooding was likely along the South Branch from south of High Bridge to Branchburg, NWS said. A flood warning means that flooding is imminent or has been reported.

The flood came after heavy rainfall overnight, coupled with rain earlier in the week. More than six-tenths of an inch of rain fell in some parts of Hunterdon early today.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall was the cause flooding of small creeks and streams, highways and underpasses, besides the river, the weather service said in announcing the warning, in effect until 10 a.m.

Central Jersey also faces a “slight risk of severe thunderstorms” later today, the NWS said. Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could produce damaging wind gusts and large hail, as well as frequent, dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning and heavy rainfall which could cause localized flooding.

Meanwhile, in downtown Clinton, at the millpond below the reservoir ...

I live about 3/4 mile to the NW of downtown, and it’s a good 15 feet uphill from the millpond dam. The reservoir itself lies about 35 feet above the town though!



Water rages over the dam at our famous Red Mill, right on the edge of town.
The water wheel is turning, and it’s not even connected. That never happens!



The town end of the damn, by the art museum. Note the water pouring over into the parking lot



Water coming over the gabion wall at the museum. Downtown is off camera to the left.



another view of the beginnings of a flood. If the river rises another couple inches, downtown is done for

Posted by Drew458     on 07/02/2009 at 12:31 PM   
Filed Under: • Daily Life •  
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