CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (WRGB) — Communities across the Capital Region began cleaning up Thursday after record-setting rainfall flooded roads and homes, prompted water rescues and emergency declarations, and caused a 100-year-old mill to collapse.
Record-setting rainfall
The daily rainfall total at Albany reached 5.45 inches Wednesday, making it the second-wettest day on record. The highest daily total remains 5.6 inches, recorded during Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999.
The 6.93 inches measured over the past two days also marked the second-wettest two-day stretch on record at Albany.
Wednesday was the wettest July day on record, surpassing the previous record of 3.49 inches set on July 13, 1996, during Tropical Storm Bertha.
Unlike rainfall from tropical systems such as Irene in 2011 and Isaias in 2020, CBS6 meteorologists said Wednesday’s storm was driven by a strong upper-level low-pressure system for midsummer standards.
Three-day rainfall totals from New York Mesonet sites included 11.8 inches in Schodack and 11.48 inches in Kinderhook. Widespread totals ranging from approximately 5 to 9 inches were recorded, with the heaviest rainfall focused along the Hudson Valley.
Historic mill collapses in Castleton-on-Hudson
Viewer video captured the collapse of a historic mill, built in the 1800s or earlier, in Castleton-on-Hudson during the severe weather.
Floodwater had subsided in the area by Thursday, but major road damage and debris remained around the structure.
Schodack Town Supervisor Charles Peter said the area has experienced flooding before, but Wednesday’s conditions were the worst he had seen.
“Yesterday, the water came down off the hill and just kept hitting into the foundational corner here, and eventually the structure couldn’t take it anymore,” Peter said.
Castleton-on-Hudson issued a boil water advisory Thursday morning because of the flooding.
There was also a flood warning for parts of Albany, Columbia, Greene, and Rensselaer counties, which was expected to expire around 6:30 Thursday evening.
Damage reported
First responders were called to a reported house collapse on Hendricks Avenue in Menands while other crews were responding to flooding and water rescues.
The property was taped off when CBS6 arrived. Video showed the ground had given way, allowing dirt and debris to push into the house and press a wall toward furniture inside.
It remained unclear whether the damage was connected to the weather. CBS6 reached out to first responders for additional information.
In Guilderland, video from Stuyvesant Plaza showed a man carrying a child through floodwater. The plaza has a history of flooding during torrential downpours.
“I know that the town’s tried to address it. I know that Stuyvesant Plaza has tried to address it over the years,” said Sandra Dollard, with the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce. “I want to say back in 2021 or 2022, there was some of it repaired.”
First responders handle hundreds of calls
Fire departments, police agencies and emergency dispatchers reported unusually high call volumes as flooding spread across the region.
Guilderland’s Town Supervisor Peter Barber said town services were also affected after more than 8 inches of rain fell over a 36-hour period, with some areas reporting more than 10 inches. First responders assisted with road closures, removing fallen trees and pumping out basements. The storm also forced the cancellation of the town’s Parks and Recreation summer program, which Barber said was the first such cancellation in memory.
The Bethlehem Police Department said the community received more than 150 calls for service and assistance over a 48-hour period. Police officers, telecommunicators, animal control officers and town employees responded alongside the Slingerlands, Elsmere, Delmar, Selkirk and North Bethlehem fire districts.
The Delmar Fire Department responded to 38 emergency calls in 24 hours.
The Slingerlands Fire Department said its members worked for 16 straight hours and responded to 25 calls inside and outside the district. North Bethlehem firefighters assisted with several calls while Slingerlands members took a break to eat.
The Best-Luther Fire Department responded to approximately 20 calls beginning at 7 a.m. Wednesday, including flooded roads, downed wires and flooded basements.
West Albany firefighters said they worked beginning at 5 a.m. Wednesday, responding to dangerous flooding and rescuing several residents from their homes. Boats from the Fuller Road and Verdoy volunteer fire departments assisted with multiple water rescues.
West Albany crews said they planned to return Thursday morning to assess properties and begin pumping water on Lower Exchange, Sumpter, Corning, Sand Creek and Van Rensselaer Road.
Coeymans firefighters worked beginning at 6 a.m. Wednesday, responding to flooded basements, foundation damage, flooded roads and other weather-related emergencies.
Flooding near Bruno Boulevard also forced the Ravena Rescue Squad to temporarily relocate its crews to the Village of Ravena Fire Department.
After a second ambulance crew was added, the squad responded to major flooding near Miller Road in Coeymans. Coeymans firefighters and a water rescue team from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control evacuated residents by boat. Ravena Rescue transported the evacuees to area shelters on a nonemergency basis.
The East Greenbush Fire Company received its first storm-related call at 5:58 a.m. Wednesday. Members then responded continuously for more than 16 hours, answering more than 80 calls.
More than 40 members took part in the response, including some whose own homes were experiencing flooding.
The City of Rensselaer Fire Department provided a staffed engine for much of the day, allowing an apparatus to remain available for other emergencies.
East Greenbush firefighters said Thursday morning that members remained deployed within the fire district and in the City of Rensselaer.
The Castleton Fire Department reported handling more than 20 calls with approximately 12 volunteers Wednesday.
Separately, in the Columbia County town of Stuyvesant, the Stuyvesant Fire Company responded to 24 emergency calls.
Those calls included flooded roads, flooded basements and pump-outs, a structure fire, and downed wires with fire.
The Valatie Fire Department said roughly 10 inches of rain fell in its area. Members worked from approximately 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. Wednesday and responded to about 30 calls, although the department said it was still counting calls and completing paperwork.
Valatie firefighters estimated that a Columbia County 911 dispatcher handled close to 200 calls, possibly more, during the storm.
The Philmont Volunteer Fire Company answered more than 35 calls for service. Mellenville firefighters assisted during the high call volume.
Greene County 911 reported receiving well over 300 calls during the heavy rain over several days.
For the first time, all six terminals at the county’s dispatch center were staffed. The county also used its All-Call system for the first time since the 2015 Lanesville brush fire because of the number of calls coming from across the county.
The Coxsackie Fire Department said 35 members responded to more than 70 calls over 14 hours during Wednesday’s storm. Calls included pump-outs, road closures, fire alarms, landslides, assistance for stranded motorists and a water rescue with the sheriff’s office.
The department said it worked in conjunction with the village, town and county emergency management office. It also thanked local businesses and auxiliary members who provided food to crews, along with community members who helped with cleanup efforts.
The American Red Cross opened emergency shelters in Albany and Greene counties for people displaced by the flooding.
Road closures
The Town of Schodack’s state of emergency remained in effect Thursday.
As of 6 a.m., the following roads were fully closed:
Clove Road, Shufelt Road, Sagendorf Road and Simons Road.
South Old Post Road was closed from Brookview Station to Schodack Valley. Brookview Station was closed from Simons Road to Brookview.
Several other roads had restricted lanes because of damage or standing water.
Town Hall returned to normal business hours Thursday, but the town’s summer camp was canceled again. The Town Park remained closed until further notice.
State Route 143 was closed between Marshall Road and Starr Road in Coeymans because of a washout. Police and rescue officials said repairs were expected to take several days.
In North Greenbush, Sharpe Road was closed between Main Avenue and Spring Avenue because of a fallen tree and downed wires. Police said crews working at the scene believed the road could reopen around 1 p.m. Thursday.
The Guilderland Police Department announced early Thursday that McKown Road had reopened.
In Egremont, the Green River rose over its banks, flooding neighboring yards and roads. Pumpkin Hollow Road, Boice Road and Rowe Road were closed.
Officials continued to warn drivers not to enter flooded roads, drive around barricades or travel through areas closed for emergency work.
Brown’s Beach closed
Brown’s Beach in Stillwater will remain closed through Sunday because recent heavy rainfall caused the lake level to rise to an extremely high level. The lake is expected to continue rising over the next several days.
Three buoys have already pulled loose, and additional buoys could be affected because several are barely visible above the water. The Highway Department will also need to bring in sand and complete significant maintenance throughout the beach area.
The beach is expected to reopen Monday, Aug. 3, conditions permitting.
Emergency declarations extended
The City of Rensselaer extended its state of emergency until 4 p.m. Friday, July 31.
Mayor John DeFrancesco said the rain appeared to be over, but residents were still without power and dealing with flooding. The extension allows emergency services to continue assisting residents with storm cleanup.
The Town of Hunter also continued its local state of emergency because of flooding, damaged infrastructure, hazardous roads and ongoing cleanup.
Town Supervisor Sean Mahoney said the declaration would remain in effect for two additional days unless it was extended or ended sooner.
The order authorizes road closures, debris removal, repairs to damaged public infrastructure and coordination with county, state, utility and emergency response agencies.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office also reported that a local state of emergency had been declared in the Town of Amsterdam after localized flash flooding Wednesday caused significant damage and prompted emergency response efforts.
Conditions improve, but showers remain possible
CBS6 meteorologists said rainfall would be much more scattered Thursday and that additional widespread flooding was not expected.
Some light rain continued in northern areas and southwest of Albany, but rainfall rates were far lower than those recorded Wednesday.
Friday was expected to bring mostly sunny skies, although an isolated afternoon shower or storm remained possible. Another chance for showers and storms was expected Sunday.
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