Flash flooding in southwestern Catskills

[Mark Schaefer]

Due to storm damage June 19 evening, NY Route 206 / CR 7 (Downsville-Rockland Road, a.k.a. Cat Hollow Road) is closed from the Pepacton Reservoir to the Delaware-Sullivan County Line. This road is shown on NY/NJ TC map #44 and is crossed by the Campbell Mountain Trail.

From the NY Real Time Transportation Status webpage (http://www3.travelinfony.com/carsgoogle/) (with Closures selected):
NY 206
closed to traffic, flash flood on NY 206 in both directions from Route 30 Cat Hollow Road to Delaware-Sullivan County Line due to mud on roadway.

Effective Dates : Starting on 06/20/07 11:38 AM until further notice.

Comment: Rt 206 -Rt30 cat Hollow road Delaware-Sullivan County line.

Flooded roadway. Emergency Vehicles at this time only.

There is some coverage of the flooding on the Middletown Times-Record website (http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070620/NEWS/70620005).

Stream crossings may also be difficult in the western Catskills for a few days.

[rockysummit]

Another June with terrible devastation from flash floods. It was a year ago that Livingston Manor area went through the same. Very sad.

[1ADAM12]

The flooding made news here in Corning NY. The paper here is saying there are missing people is this true?

[TFR]

The flooding made news here in Corning NY. The paper here is saying there are missing people is this true?Yes, 6 people are missing and 3 others are 'presumed dead'.

[Mark Schaefer]

The paper here is saying there are missing people is this true? According to today's article (http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070621/NEWS/706210332) in the Middletown newspaper, there is one confirmed death. 3-4 persons are still missing.

8 miles of Route 206 suffered serious wash outs and will likely be closed for a good period of time. The video links tended to dwell on the junctions of Route 206 with Gavett and Beaver Kill Roads. It is possible other roads in the area are also affected, however, the coverage has been focused on Route 206.

[mudhook]

A friend who works at Little Pond State Campground told me they got 8" of rain in a very short period, and the water was 3' over the dam almost instantly. This explains the 6-8' wall of water that struck the homes farther downstream.
I wittnessed one of these micro bursts in my area of the cats on 7/4/99, 7" plus rain in less than 2 hours,( some claimed 10") houses swept away, roads washed out. Forunately it was in the morning and no one was lost. I was fire chief at the time and called for towns downstream to start evacuating low areas. They thought I was crazy at first, it had never even rained there.
My heart goes out to all involved in this tragedy.

[cantdog]

Today the Catskills flooding was briefly covered in Good Morning America. Wow! Anyone run Esopus since the event?

[Laurie Rankin]

Today the Catskills flooding was briefly covered in Good Morning America. Wow! Anyone run Esopus since the event?

I drove by the Esopus since the flooding and it was not affected.

Spoke with my son this morning who works for the local Electric Cooperative in the area of the flooding and he said it was amazing to see the efforts that were underway yesterday when they arrived in the area that recieved the worst damage. The National Guard was working alongside the local departments, highways were being quickly filled in to allow support vehicles through (they were able to re-set poles and restore power to all but one on the road he was working on).

As so often happens when such tragedies occur, a sad mixture of loss and yet a renewal of hope when you see how all pull together to help under such circumstances. My thoughts and prayers to all involved, including those affected and those who are there helping.