Some Delaware River Scenes From Irene

[Update 4 – 9/2/11 – Did a United Water reservoir dam release cause a “wall of water” to flow down Swan Creek? (see boat in road below). see:

• Lambertville residents wonder if flood surge during hurricane was man-made disaster
• Hurricane Irene mystery: Lambertville residents raise questions about flash flood from above town

One thing is for sure, if a United Water dam release caused the flash flood, it certainly does matter, suspending parking fees is what doesn’t matter, and Mayor Delvechio will eats these words:

“We’ve asked them [United Water] in writing. There’s only one way to be sure. When we hear back, we’re happy to make that public. We have three hills and the water came off all three hills.There are enough people with concerns about it that saw the flow.”

In the meantime, DelVecchio said, there are more pressing tasks.

“We have to question formally, but now we go back to the cleanup, because in some ways … it doesn’t matter,” he said. DelVecchio has ordered that all parking meter fees in the city be suspended a few days so residents can mobilize to repair the damage.

Residents should file OPRA requests to DEP and United Water to get a hold of the emergency response plans, United operating logs, and documentation of all communications between United and DEP. – end update]

Update 3 – 8/30/11 – River crested at Stockton at 18.6 feet, more than 5 feet less than the prediction I originally quoted of almost 24 feet. I wonder what explains that?

These photos are shot traveling by bicycle – I’ll try to head south today to see Rt. 29 washout in  Hopewell. Gotta wait for morning rush chaos to diminish, because I need to travel by road at least 8 miles to reach the Canal Town Path. But my favorite route is to take back road to Hunter Road, bomb down that hill (by Wheelfine bike store on Rt. 518), wind up behind Howell History Farm, and then shoot down Pleasant Valley Rd to Rt. 29.]

Update 2 – 8/29/11 – additional photos below]

Update 1: Monday, 8/29/11 8:30 am- Looks like good news, but George Orwell must be in charge of NOAA’s “Advanced Hydrological Prediction Service” – the peak flood stage has been reduced several feet (20.6 feet), yet you’d never know that. Yesterday’s projections are down the memory hole. Pretty nifty, eh? Errors never made!

Away, You Rolling River! – end update.]

Got out of the house mid morning and did a local tour. Delaware River flood-waters are projected to peak tomorrow at Stockton at about 5 am at 24 feet, 6 feet above flood stage and a major flood event.

That would rank Irene as the sixth highest flood elevation ever –

In the last decade, the Delaware has seen 4 of its top ten record floods in over 170 years of records posted (see this history) –

Think of the interaction of global warming (more frequent and intense storms) and destruction of the landscape and natural hydrological cycle by development (more and faster stormwater runoff), which vastly increase risks and storm damage.

But enough with the data – ever notice that disasters are one of the few times that neighbors talk to each other and people freely congregate in numbers on the street?

It was one of those days on Main Street in Delaware River communities Stockton and Lambertville today. Take a look:

Stockton – Stockton got hit hard last night with flash floods, but folks were out chatting about the rising river. A “major flood” 24 foot stage is predicted for tomorrow morning, triggering a mandatory evacuation by 4 pm today.

I came across this globe, in a plant stand. Is an upside down planet a distress signal, like an upside down flag? Was this some kind of creative statement about global warming?

Nope – it was just being thrown out.

But maybe that is the statement? The Earth is trashed – we’re fucked!

So I picked it up! (and the light even works!) – Hell, tell Bill McKibben to relax: I got the whole world in my hands!

Lambertville

West Amwell

Bulls Island State Park

Updated – photos – 8/29/11 Rocktown

East Amwell

Lambertville