After flooding, Newfield residents demand stream fix

When storm clouds gather and a flood warning is issued, Charlie Borra races home to sweep water from his garage.

He lives on Route 13 in Newfield, near Carter Creek. Heavy storms have caused the creek to back up three times since 2011, flooding his property, Borra said.

Borra believes that New York state is unlikely to pay to fix the flooding problem because it’s primarily private properties that are threatened, but Tompkins County officials say that they’re pushing for state-funded flood mitigation.

Flood waters last hit Borra’s home when a heavy storm struck Tompkins County on June 14.

Water spilled over from Carter Creek, and the deluge flowed southwest across Borra’s property and into his neighbors’ basement. Water flowed alongside an embankment that holds Route 13, and the torrent washed away cars and driveways that stood in its path.

Upstream, on Carter Creek Road, a county bridge that leads to Connecticut Hill state forest was also washed out and more homes flooded.

Heavy rain from the June 14 storm lasted for about 1 1/2 hours, and it brought flooding that filled basements, cracked roads, and washed-out driveways and bridges across southern Tompkins County. The storm dropped about 4 1/4 inches of rain on Newfield, according to National Weather Service Data.

Cleanup costs are still mounting.

Town of Newfield Highway Superintendent Kevin Berggren estimated that it will cost about $1.5 million to repair all the town infrastructure that was damaged in the storm. The town’s total highway budget for 2015 is $1.4 million.

There could be about $300,000 in damage to Tompkins County infrastructure, county Highway Division Director Jeff Smith said. Danby Town Supervisor Ric Dietrich estimated that storm damage to roads in his town will total about $250,000.

“We’re going to be working on fixing up the ditches until the snow flies, for sure,” Berggren said.

When the water started flowing into Borra’s garage, he swept it out the door before his home flooded.

“I was scrambling when I got here,” he said. “The water was out of control.”

Weeks after the storm, Borra stood in the doorway of his garage and pointed toward a small shed that he uses as an office.

“The water was strong enough that it took that shed and carried it right over there,” he said, now pointing to a spot about 30 feet away from where the building rests.

Borra operates Newfield Auto Financing from the property.

Four vehicles that he had for sale were damaged in the June 14 flood. Borra said that he can’t sell the flood-damaged cars to his local customers, so he plans to take them to auction. He estimates that the June storm cost him about $10,000 in damages.

The water carried one of his for-sale cars about four feet, where it smashed into another car.

Donna and Andy Chrisman, Borra’s neighbors, said this is the third time that floodwater has filled their basement. Their fuel-oil tank to spilled during a flood in 2013.

State workers wore hazmat suits to clean up the oil spill. The work cost the Chrismans about $10,000, which they paid off just before the June 14 flood hit.

This time, their basement filled with 5 1/2 feet of water. The Chrismans and their five children evacuated from the housing during the storm, and they had to live with a relative for seven days until the floodwater receded.

When the family returned, they found that the basement had filled with about three feet of mud, the home’s electrical system needed repair, the furnace was ruined and their well water appeared undrinkable.

Donna Chrisman said that she doesn’t have an estimate on how much the June flooding cost her.

She added the family isn’t asking for financial help to repair their home. “All I am doing is begging (government officials) to please fix the creek,” she said. “This is going to keep happening, and I’m scared.”

Disaster in Tompkins

Borra and the Chrismans are among 40-plus property owners who were affected by the June flooding, according to Lee Shurtleff, director of Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response.

Shurtleff said he had hoped an emergency declaration would make state and federal money available for the clean up.

“When there’s a declaration, sometimes individual assistance is made available through FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency),” Shurtleff said.

The total damage cost, however, didn’t meet the threshold for an emergency declaration. A minimum $27 million in damage is needed for an emergency decleration in New York state, according to Shurtleff. The damages in Newfield and southern Tompkins County exceeded $1 million, Shurtleff added.

The June storm was different from other disasters in Tompkins County because it predominantly affected homes, Shurtleff added.

"There were many homes that (were) impacted, and so we’re pursuing (aid),” he said.

Shurtleff has turned to the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA, for low-interest loans that could help homeowners and businesses recover from the flood.

Under the program, renters and homeowners can apply to borrow up to $40,000 for personal items and up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Businesses can apply to borrow up to $2 million from the SBA. Interest rates are set quarterly and can be as low as 2.2 percent for homeowners and 4 percent for businesses.

U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., sent a press release Thursday urging the SBA to offer loans for Tompkins County.

Complicated fix

It’s clear to Borra and the Chrismans that their flooding problem is caused when Carter Creek is overwhelmed by a storm.

The waterway is a protected trout stream, which means that a stream disturbance permit will likely be required for any flood mitigation to occur, according to DEC spokesperson Jomo Miller.

“The DEC visited parts of Carter Creek after recent flooding with the (Tompkins County Soil & Water Conservation District) to discuss potential mitigation projects and expediting any necessary permits,” Miller said in an email to the Ithaca Journal.

The Ithaca Journal was required to email the DEC questions, a tactic frequently used by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration to craft responses for reporters' interview questions. Although the Journal's news gathering policy is to ask questions live, the newspaper submitted its questions via email due to the public health and monetary significance of this story.

“The DEC is not aware of any specific planned mitigation work in this creek, but we are prepared to assist municipalities, (Soil & Water Conservation Districts) or landowners should they desire to proceed with projects,” Miller added via email. “DEC works with applicants to expedite any permitting process related to flood damage mitigation.”

Shurtleff said he’s hopeful that state Department of Transportation money will pay for Carter Creek flooding mitigation work. He’s working to bring flooding issues to the attention of the DOT and DEC, and those agencies could fund flood mitigation work, Shurtleff said.

“Not only does the flooding in that area threaten the homes continually, but it also threatens the state highway and bridges that are nearby,” Shurtleff said.

Follow Andrew Casler on Twitter @AndrewCasler.