Northampton Emergency Flood Control Plan

Emergency Management Department 26 Carlon Drive Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 587-1032 ext 228 Local Emergency Flood Plan A plan of emergency action for the City of Northampton overseen by the Emergency Flood Coordinating Board MEMBERS: Mayor Emergency Manager Fire Department Representative Police Department Representative Public Works Director Original Flood Control Plan- March 19, 1970 Revised- March 18, 1990 April 6, 2001 October 10, 2005 March 10, 2006 *This Plan should be thoroughly read as some actions are required prior to the actual flood stage(s)* Flood Control Plan 031006 CONNECTICUT AND MILL RIVER FLOOD STAGES FOR EMERGENCY COORDINATION BACKGROUND The flood protection system for the City of Northampton consists of two main parts:  An earth dike on the eastern part of the City affording protection against high water from the Connecticut River, and  an earth dike and concrete flood wall in the western part of the City which, together with the Mill River diversion canal, affords protection against flash floods on the Mill River and backwater from the Connecticut River via the Ox Bow FAILURE OF EITHER SYSTEM AFFORDED BY THE OTHER NULLIFIES PROTECTION The Mill River can flash flood independent of the Connecticut River due to its local watershed while the Connecticut River requires a major Northeast Region (Massachusetts/New Hampshire/Vermont) event to cause flooding The Wastewater Treatment Facility and Flood Control Facility for the Connecticut River are located off Hockanum Road The Flood Control structure for West Street is part of the West Street bridge over the Mill River at the intersection West Street (Route 66) and Lower College Lane EMERGENCY PLAN Elevation 105 ft Effect: Connecticut River backs up sewage outfall line to the manhole invert at Hockanum Road pumping station action Alarm at Flood Control sounds and telephone call list to DPW is implemented Phase A: Elevation 105.5 – 106 ft Effect: Negligible action Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) closes outfall gate at its sewage effluent pumping station WWTF effluent is then pumped to the Connecticut River The sluice gate on the gravity conduit at the Flood Control Pumping Station (located at WWTF) is closed and storm flow is pumped into the flood plain Director of Public Works (DPW), or designee, initiates a watch and informs the Mayor, Emergency Manager, Police (NPD) and Fire action Flood Control Plan 031006 action Departments (NFD) as increasing flood phase levels are reached Notification can be made through Public Safety Dispatch Community notification made by established email lists, or other pre-determined means, to advise of rising water level Phase B: Elevation 107 ft Effect: Connecticut River and Mill River diversion begins flooding Pynchon Meadows and Manhan Meadows action action DPW Flood Control notifies Central Dispatch and DPW Sewer Department Foreman Central Dispatch notifies NPD and NFD shift Officer In Charge (OIC) DPW closes Pynchon Meadow Road and Old Springfield Road Phase C: Elevation 112 ft Effect: Manhan Meadows starts flooding into South Street interceptor action DPW Flood Control notifies Central Dispatch (and at every increased Phase.) Central Dispatch makes the following notifications: (to be made at every increased Phase from now on)  NPD and NFD shift OIC’s (call stations)  Mayor (Flood page)  Police Chief (pager)  Fire Chief (Flood page)  Communications Center Administrator (Flood page)  Central Services Director  Building Commissioner  AMR Shift Supervisor  Red Cross  City Councilor James Dostal action action action DPW inspects gate valve on sanitary sewer outside dike at Route 5/Mt Tom Road and Fort Hill interceptor Phase D: Elevation 115 ft Effect: Route 5/Mt Tom Road floods near Easthampton Line and/or Island Road Venturer’s Field Road and Hockanum Road near flooding action DPW closes Venturer’s Field Road and Hockanum Road at dike Flood Control Plan 031006 action action action action action action action DPW begins closing gate valve on storm interceptor at Pomeroy Terrace outside dike NPD closes Rt 5/Mt Tom Road just south of Atwood Drive NPD patrols on Island Road and Ferry Avenue to warn and evacuate residents DPW dispatches partial dike patrol Central Dispatch notifies MassHighway District to close Route 5/Mt Tom Road Notify Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and Easthampton PD of impending road closing Emergency Management sets up Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 26 Carlon Drive: no staffing, precautionary measure only NPD and NFD evaluate need for pre-placing emergency equipment near Island Road neighborhood for use if area becomes isolated by water Phase E: Elevation 120 ft Effect: Old Ferry Road, Fair Street Extension and Walnut Trees Path starts flooding Mill River at West Street begins flood stages action Mayor decides whether to call the Emergency Flood Coordinating Board to a meeting in the EOC (26 Carlon Drive) action DPW closes Old Ferry Road at Route 91 underpass and Fair Street Extension and Walnut Trees Path action Police patrol on Fair Street Extension and Walnut Trees Path to warn and evacuate residents action DPW dispatches full dike patrol action Emergency Manager orders B&M Railroad main closed action DPW notifies B&M Railroad and MassHighway District Install center uprights for stop log structures at Route 5/Mt Tom Road and B&M Railroad main Readies sand bags and stop log structure materials action Police Department stations traffic police on Mt Tom Road near dike action DPW opens fence at Riverbank Road and Rt for vehicular traffic and notifies MassHighway and MSP due to proximity to Rt 91 action EOC staffed at minimal level (2-3 people) Begin planning for food and accommodations for evacuated residents 10 action DPW closes flap valve on Mill River concrete wall off West Street (south of bridge) DPW readies West Street pumping station Pumping as required Phase F: Elevation 124 ft Effect: Sill of stop log structure at Route 5/Mt Tom Road begins flooding Flood Control Plan 031006 Sill of stop log structure at B&M Railroad main line is within one foot of flooding Riverbank Road is within one foot of flooding Mill River at West Street flood control activities commence action action action action action action action DPW erects full stop log structures, Route 5/Mt Tom Road and B&M Railroad main line DPW distributes sandbags to critical locations along Connecticut River dikes Install center uprights for stop log structures at Mill River at West Street Readies sand bags and stop log structure materials Emergency Management locates 30 additional workers to assist DPW with emergency stand-by Begin water rescue operations with assistance of NPD and NFD Increase EOC staffing level up to maximum (to be determined by Emergency Manager) Central Dispatch notifies MSP and MassHighway request for Rt 91 exit 18 ramps be closed Notify Easthampton PD of closing Phase G: Elevation 127 ft Effect: Connecticut River flood level within three feet of top of concrete wall flood control facility at WWTF Mill River at West Street nears flood levels Portions of South Street/Route 10 (Mill River east) start flooding action action DPW erects full stop logs structures on West Street DPW distributes sandbags to critical locations along Mill River dikes Police patrol on Earle Street, Paquette Avenue, South Street/Route 10 (Mill River east), Texas Road and West Street (Mill River east to Earle Street) to warn and evacuate residents Mayor of Northampton requests Governor to declare State of Emergency Consider relocating EOC to DPW Board Room (125 Locust Street) Phase H: Elevation 130 ft Effect: Flood level is at top of concrete wall of Flood Control Facility Connecticut River starts to over run into City property action Flood Control and WWTF personnel evacuate facilities action Mayor and Emergency Manager are in a command situation - order all residents to evacuate areas of City under elevation of 135 ft action action Flood Control Plan 031006 Phase I: Elevation 131 ft Effect: Sill of stop log structure at West Street begins flooding action Place sandbags at old railroad bridge (south of West Street) opening This bridge opening is now the Northampton to Easthampton Rail Trail Phase J: Elevation 132 ft Effect: action Flood level is at top of Connecticut River dikes Connecticut River ready to over run into city property along the entire Connecticut River dike system Continued evacuation of City under elevation of 135 feet Phase K: Elevation 137 ft Effect: Mill River is at top of old railroad bridge opening south (below) of West Street Portions of Lovefield Street begin flooding Mill River flood control system starts flooding City (direct link to downtown) via old Mill River bed (formerly railroad, now a bicycle rail trail) action Mayor and Emergency Manager are in a command situation- order all residents to evacuate areas of City under elevation of 145 ft Phase L: Elevation 140 ft Effect: Mill River is at top of flood control structure south (below) of West Street action Mayor and Emergency Manager are in a command situation- order all residents to evacuate areas of City under elevation of 150 ft Phase M: Elevation 145 ft Effect: Mill River is at top of flood control structure north (above) of West Street Original Flood Control Documents Deleted or Amended DELETED West Street Dike - Close gate in Propper-McCallum Building (now the Smith College Physical Plant); Elevation 120.0 Inspection of building in 2005 with Smith College shows that this piping is no longer connected inside building It is not know when this disconnect was made or by Flood Control Plan 031006 whom The 1’ x 1’ opening in the flood wall still exists at elevation 119.9 Two (2) high water events in 2005 showed no effect AMENDED Connecticut River Dike – Close gate valve in chamber east of Eastern Avenue; Elevation 107.0 The Flood Control staff has historically shut this gate at elevation 115.0 It is unknown why this inconsistency exists Connecticut River Dike – Close gate valve in chamber west of Highway Route5; Elevation 112.0 This gate was on an old sanitary collection trunk line for South Street This sanitary collection line was replaced in 1981 with a different horizontal alignment and locking (watertight) covers The Mt Tom Road (Route 5) sewer still passes through this gate but also has locking (watertight) covers Flood Control Plan 031006 ... 5/Mt Tom Road begins flooding Flood Control Plan 031006 Sill of stop log structure at B&M Railroad main line is within one foot of flooding Riverbank Road is within one foot of flooding Mill River... Road floods near Easthampton Line and/or Island Road Venturer’s Field Road and Hockanum Road near flooding action DPW closes Venturer’s Field Road and Hockanum Road at dike Flood Control Plan. .. River flood level within three feet of top of concrete wall flood control facility at WWTF Mill River at West Street nears flood levels Portions of South Street/Route 10 (Mill River east) start flooding