Region cleans up after floods

Crews worked late so schools could open

Clean-up crews worked into the late hours Thursday night — and some continued into Friday— following Thursday’s rainstorm that soaked streets and schools.

Water from the heavy downpour found its way into parts of Waterford High School and Clark Lane Middle School in Waterford on Thursday afternoon, but the schools opened as usual Friday morning after crews worked through the night, school officials said.

Superintendent of Schools Thomas W. Giard III said the high school and middle school experienced some water issues during the storm due to the sheer volume of water that came down.

“Catch basins and associated drainage exceeded their capacity thus resulting in water in parking lots and walkways around the high school and middle school,” he wrote in an email to The Day. “We did have rain enter the high school and middle school primarily through doorways after students had been dismissed for the day. Our crews did a wonderful job last night and all buildings are open today. School was not impacted today thankfully.”

Giard said the water on the floors of the middle school was cleaned up and no damagewas reported.

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For the high school, the massive downpour led to some flooding in the wing that houses the field house, auditorium, auxiliary gym and pool, said Principal Andre Hauser.

He said some areas experienced more issues than others and estimated that several inches of rain collected in the auditorium.

The other wing that includes most of the school’s classrooms had very little impact from the storm, he said.

“The good news is we have a remarkable custodial and maintenance squad,” he said.

The night crew worked overnight and the school opened in the morning.

Hauser said it was too soon to tell whether there is any long- term damage, but he said he is hopeful that there would not be any, because the custodial and maintenance staff responded right away.

New London’s Interim Public Works Director Brian Sear said the city managed to avoid any major damage from flash floods on Thursday.

The flooding that did happen, Sear said, can be attributed to rain that fell at a rate of 2 inches an hour and quickly overwhelmed some drainage pipes.

It led to pooling on roadways, particularly along Water, Bank and Broad streets.

He said the Shaw’s Cove pumping station worked as it should, draining the water from Bank Street within an hour after the heaviest rainfall.

The Public Works Department has barricaded off several problem areas, including a small sink hole that appeared off Eugene O’Neill Drive and Golden Street and an 8-foot wide hole at Fulton Park.

Sear said some of the artificial turf near the football field at New London High School also was damaged by running water, as was the pavement on some roadways.

The Williams School in New London was closed Friday so crews could remove water that had flooded the private school's first- floor science and arts wings during the rainstorm.

Head of School Mark Fader said the downpour had overwhelmed the drainage system and led to about an inch or so of water in those areas.

He said though he didn't want to close the school, he felt it was best to take the time to clean up the water in the heavily used areas.

"We felt it was in the best interest for our school and for our students' safety, so they don't slip," he said.

The Public Library of New London was getting back to normal on Friday. During the storm, up to four inches of water flooded the downstairs area of the library.

On Friday, the elevator was working, and a private company had come in to set up fans and a dehumidifier.

“It’s just about dried out,” Suzanne Maryeski, executive director of the library, said late Friday morning. “We’re 100 percent operational.”

Gary Lessor, meteorologist with the Western Connecticut State University Weather Center, said Thursday’s rainstorm brought about 2.71 inches of rain — almost a month’s worth of precipitation.

“This was a very significant rainfall for a short time period,” he said.

Forecasts predict that rain will again arrive in the region Saturday evening, with a chance of thunderstorms. On and off showers that will end in the evening are predicted for Sunday.

About a half-inch to an inch of rainfall is expected for the weekend, Lessor said. He said the rainfall is unlikely to cause similar flooding because it will be dispersed throughout the weekend.

Lessor added that, after this weekend’s storm, the region will return to dry weather.