NEWS

Record-setting rain leaves flooded roads, homes and headaches

Victoria E. Freile
@vfreile

Scattered showers expected in the next few days could further stress an already waterlogged region after heavy rain shut down area roads Monday, sparked a state of emergency in one Ontario County community and caused widespread flooding.

Nearly 4 inches of rain doused the Rochester region since Sunday, contributing to what is on track to be Rochester's fourth-wettest July on record, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

A new record rainfall for the date was officially logged Monday afternoon at Greater Rochester International Airport, surpassing the previous record of 1.96 inches, set in 1966, by a half-inch, said Weather Service meteorologist David Thomas.

In Richmond, Ontario County, about 7 inches of rain washed out several roads and poured into homes within the lakeside community, reaching well past basements and halfway up the first story of several houses, said Richmond Fire Chief Ken Adami.

"This is the worst event we've had in recent years," Adami said.

Town Board member Steve Barnhoorn agreed that Monday's flooding was "definitely worse than the one we had in May, by a country mile." That May storm yielded about 2.5 inches, he said.

The Town Hall grounds and gazebo surrounded by water Monday had "mostly receded" by Monday night, leaving debris — like brush and logs — and "so much mud," Barnhoorn said.

Adami said firefighters on Monday morning rescued a family of five from a house surrounded by water. The volunteer department pumped water from dozens of homes. And Richmond's volunteer firefighters established a temporary shelter at the United Church of Christ on Honeoye's Main Street to help anyone displaced by the community-wide flooding.

Honeoye resident Randy Pawley said he couldn't believe the rush of water that flooded the hamlet's Main Street. He guessed 2 to 3 feet of water flooded his backyard and washed away his driveway Monday morning, as some of his neighbors appeared to have submerged basements, and main roads were underwater.

"I'll get it all back together again," he said. "But it'll take time."

Several roads and culverts in Avon — including a culvert on North Littleville Road that supported a water main and bridge — washed out due to recent heavy rain. Avon Supervisor David LeFeber estimated that parts of the Livingston County town were pummeled with at least 7 inches of rain since late Sunday.

"We've had quite a few houses in the village with basements flooding," he said. "We're dealing with the damage."

Carrie and Will Curtis shoveled water out of their driveway Monday, stating that their Avon property has previously flooded, but never this badly.

LeFeber said it appeared that much of the problem in Avon was heavy runoff from nearby creeks overflowing, in turn causing the excess water to back up.

"The water is going where it should, but there's a lot more volume and increased speed," he said. "It just can't get through quick enough."

LeFeber said crews will continue to work until the damaged water main and culverts are repaired.

Officials in Livingston, Ontario, and Monroe counties issued travel advisories Monday due to excessive runoff that led to standing water, hydroplaning and other issues on area roads. Excessive rain also temporarily closed the eastbound lanes of the New York state Thruway between Exits 47 and 46 on Monday. The lanes reopened about 10:20 a.m.

Flash flood warnings also were in place throughout western New York.

Ontario, Livingston and Yates county sheriffs also have warned boaters that large debris, including trees and branches, have been washed into Canandaigua, Conesus and Honeoye lakes. Boaters there are asked to move slowly in the water.

With a two-day rainfall total of 3.84 inches as of mid-afternoon Monday, the storm marks Rochester's sixth-wettest two-day stretch since the Weather Service started tracking such information in 1871, Thomas said.

The soggy stretch nearly doubled July's rainfall total to 7.51 inches, which is a half-inch shy of the month's No. 3 spot, set in 2006 with 8.02 inches. And July doesn't end until Thursday.

With so much rain this month, farmers are growing concerned.

Steve Ammerman, Farm Bureau manager of public affairs, said the hay harvest, which passed its first cutting earlier in the summer and its second cutting in late July, is suffering because farmers cannot get out to harvest the crop when their fields are too wet.

Hay is the top crop in Genesee County, and is among Monroe County's top five crops. According to a USDA report, which tracked crops and weather conditions from early July, the hay harvest was hindered by excess rain.

"You want to harvest it when it's at its best, and the longer it stays out, the more opportunities there are for pests and things to get at it," said Dean Norton, Farm Bureau president. "There's a small window to harvest already, and with the rain, it makes (that) window that much smaller."

Wheat, for example, is harvested at the end of July. If heavy rains continue, that harvest could be delayed, Norton said.

Although more rain is expected this week, Thomas said it should not be on par with the rain we've already seen in the last 48 hours. Scattered light showers are possible Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

VFREILE@DemocratandChronicle.com

Twitter.com/vfreile

Includes reporting by staff writer Sarah Taddeo