Shandaken Conservation Advisory Council Informs Residents About Flood Risk

By Matthew Avitabile

SHANDAKEN – The Shandaken Conservation Advisory Council met last Monday with recommendations for the community. The meeting at the town hall was well-attended.

Members of the committee were cited prior to the event, including Beth Waterman, Nicole Caputo, Maya Lilly, Robert Cruickshank, and Karen Lee, Catherine del Tufo. The advisory council meets every third Monday each month.

Each member of the board was introduced, including their hard work as volunteers for the community.

The event was emceed by Chair Beth Waterman and included several guest speakers. There was no formal meeting beyond approving the May meeting minutes.

Heidi Emmerich and Max Kelly spoke first, explaining their background. Kelly spoke about flood risk and efforts individuals can make. Shokan Stream Management Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County. The presentation was entitled: Shandaken Prepares: Understanding Flood Risk & Your Options for Mitigation.

The efforts could help protect property and safety, he said. The speaker said that the unique geography of the Catskills contributes to significant flooding. The area has among the highest rainfall in the state and the Northeast, with Shandaken receiving the highest rate of participation in the entire Catskills Mountain range. While some of the water is absorbed into the ground, much flows into local waterways. He said that potential climate change could increase precipitation in coming years. He explained how the floodplains in the Catskills are especially vulnerable to flooding as being "part of the stream."

Emmerich said that flood zones are based on 100-year flood zones, asking if anyone agreed that the term may "not be accurate anymore." She said that the name can be misleading as there is a one-in-one-hundred chance of occurring each year, or 1%.

"We talk about this term even if it's not the reality anymore because it is the base flood. All of our rules and regulations are based on at the moment."

She said that such a flood could occur at random intervals. The old model showed that a home with a 1% annual chance of a flood has a 26% chance of flooding during a regular 30 year mortgage, she said. However, more recent models show that there is a 71% chance of flooding in the same period. "It's not a matter of if, but when," she said.

Emmerich said that residents can check their potential risk by looking at National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) maps. There is also a flood-related map on the Ulster County Parcel Viewer. The average annual cost for flood insurance in Ulster County is nearly $1,500, she said.

The next speaker was John Mathiesen, the Environmental Engineering Specialist and Program Manager for the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), joined by Joe Bacci.

He said that there were multiple means for businesses and residents to sell their properties if they are in particular risk of flooding. There are also flood protection efforts, such as flood-proofing properties, as well as anchoring services for propane tanks.

CWC has also worked on stream construction to mitigate the effects of erosion. The organization will often work with local Soil and Water agencies to rework streams, he said.

Last to speak was Anna Harrod-McGrew, Natural Resource & Environment Educator from Cornell Cooperative Extension. She advised residents to sign up for emergency alerts, to create a plan in case of disaster, and to build a kit that can be carried in a vehicle or on a person. Getting information out is "challenging," she said, but residents can sign up for NY-Alert and to make sure that wireless emergency alerts are enabled on their phones.

The speaker also advised reading insurance policies prior to a potential disaster. If there is a flood, those affected should not move items within a home so that insurance adjusters can make an accurate accounting of what was affected. Pets are a key issue, she said and are often overlooked.

Including a pet evacuation plan, microchipping them, and creating a buddy system with neighbors can help prevent panic.

Harrod-McGrew advised adding a number of items to an emergency kit, including one gallon of water per person, non-perishable food, a flashlight with extra batteries, a sleeping bag or warm blanket, important documents, a can opener, local maps, toilet paper, trash bags, first aid supplies, a battery-powered radio, and cash. She said that having a waterproof and fireproof bag could help organize vital documents.

The group is hosting a Fire Preparedness Roundtable Discussion July 21 6:30 at the Town Hall with firefighters speaking.