We Need To Lower The Housy Before Big Storms, Towns Plead

PHOTO: Jodie MozdzerLeaders from several Housatonic River communities want to get federal permission to lower river levels during emergency situations, such as hurricanes. 

The issue came up three times last year, when heavy rains and storms caused severe flooding along the lower Housatonic River. Click here, here and here for some of the Valley Indy coverage of those storms. 

Federal regulations dictate how low the river levels can go. 

But town and city officials along the Housatonic River said during storms like the ones last year, those rules should be flexible if it helps prevent flooding.

Is there a way to authorize lowering of levels in anticipation of flooding?” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal asked rhetorically Monday, during an hour-long conversation with several of the officials.

The group of leaders has met twice with Blumenthal to talk about what they can do to prevent flooding during future storms. 

The first meeting, in October, laid out some of the issues facing the towns along the river. 

The second meeting, which took place in Oxford Monday afternoon, started paving the way for the towns to try to get some changes implemented. 

There’s nothing partisan about these issues,” Blumenthal told the group of leaders. 

Officials from Sherman down to Stratford attended the meeting Monday. Oxford First Selectman George Temple and Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller were present from the Valley. The Housatonic River flows through Oxford, Seymour, Derby, and Shelton. 

We’re in this together,” Blumemthal said. 

Background

The Housatonic River stretches from northern Massachusetts through Connecticut, emptying into Long Island Sound at Stratford. 

First Light Power Resources owns several dams along the river, and uses them to generate power. 

First Light is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC).

FERCs regulations deal with power generation and dictate how First Light and other power generators can allow water levels to change. 

PHOTO: Jodie MozdzerResidents along the river routinely blame the dams for flooding problems. 

If the lakes above Stevenson Dam were lowered before a big storm, for example, it would help alleviate flooding below. 

Or, if the dams release water at the wrong times, it can cause overflows in between them. 

Problems

First Light has changed its notification system to towns after the storms, Blumenthal said. That way, when excess storm water is released from the Stevenson Dam, residents will have more notice to move items out of low-lying areas and prepare for flooding. 

But First Light has had little flexibility in the water levels because of FERC regulations, Blumenthal said. 

The entire river valley also lacks a comprehensive study to help guide leaders on how to prevent future flooding disasters, Blumenthal said. 

Solutions

After the meeting on Monday, the group decided to take the following steps:

  • Write a letter to FERC and FirstLight addressing the concerns and the hope for changed regulations on water levels.
  • Schedule follow-up meetings, where representatives from FERC and First Light are present. Neither group attended the meeting Monday.
  • Contact the Army Corps of Engineers to participate in the discussions, and urge the Army Corps to conduct a comprehensive study of water flow in the Housatonic River.

Blumenthal said his office has also been helping get other projects prioritized. For example, Blumenthal has added a dam renovation project for New Milford in the proposed Water Resources Development Act before Congress. 

The project would help upgrade the Bleachery Dam in New Milford, which would help solve waterflow issues in that town’s portion of the Housatonic River, he said. 

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