Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Management
Department
26 Carlon Drive
Northampton, MA
01060
(413) 587-1032 ext. 228
MEMBERS:
Mayor
Emergency Manager
Fire Department Representative
Police Department Representative
Public Works Director
*This Plan should be thoroughly read as some actions are required prior to the actual flood stage(s)*
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.
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.
1. action Alarm at Flood Control sounds and telephone call list to DPW is
implemented.
Effect: Negligible.
Effect: Connecticut River and Mill River diversion begins flooding Pynchon
Meadows and Manhan Meadows.
1. action DPW Flood Control notifies Central Dispatch and DPW Sewer
Department Foreman.
2. action Central Dispatch notifies NPD and NFD shift Officer In Charge
(OIC).
3. action DPW closes Pynchon Meadow Road and Old Springfield Road.
3. action DPW inspects gate valve on sanitary sewer outside dike at Route
5/Mt. Tom Road and Fort Hill interceptor.
Effect: Route 5/Mt. Tom Road floods near Easthampton Line and/or Island Road.
Venturer’s Field Road and Hockanum Road near flooding.
1. action DPW closes Venturer’s Field Road and Hockanum Road at dike.
2. action DPW begins closing gate valve on storm interceptor at Pomeroy
Terrace outside dike.
Effect: Old Ferry Road, Fair Street Extension and Walnut Trees Path starts
flooding. Mill River at West Street begins flood stages.
Effect: Sill of stop log structure at Route 5/Mt. Tom Road begins flooding.
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.
1. action DPW erects full stop log structures, Route 5/Mt. Tom Road and
B&M Railroad main line.
2. action DPW distributes sandbags to critical locations along Connecticut
River dikes.
3. action Install center uprights for stop log structures at Mill River at West
Street. Readies sand bags and stop log structure materials.
4. action Emergency Management locates 30 additional workers to assist
DPW with emergency stand-by.
5. action Begin water rescue operations with assistance of NPD and NFD.
6. action Increase EOC staffing level up to maximum (to be determined by
Emergency Manager).
7. action Central Dispatch notifies MSP and MassHighway request for Rt. 91
exit 18 ramps be closed. Notify Easthampton PD of closing.
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.
1. action DPW erects full stop logs structures on West Street. DPW
distributes sandbags to critical locations along Mill River dikes.
2. action 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.
3. action Mayor of Northampton requests Governor to declare State of
Emergency.
4. action Consider relocating EOC to DPW Board Room (125 Locust Street)
Effect: 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.
1. action Continued evacuation of City under elevation of 135 feet.
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).
Effect: Mill River is at top of flood control structure south (below) of West Street.
Effect: Mill River is at top of flood control structure north (above) of West Street.
DELETED
1. 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
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