Alert Remains Due to Upstream Flood Potential

The flood of 2018 will be remembered for years to come. The Akwesasne Flood will be talked about, studied, researched and recorded. The flood directly affected over 100 community members and countless first responders and support staff.

Here is a brief timeline of the flood;

On February 22 at 11:00am - The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe's Emergency Planning Office issued what would become a series of updates on the flood.

A Unified Command was established with the assistance of the Tribe's Emergency Planning Office, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Hogansburg-Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Emergency Services, Franklin County Office of Emergency Services, and the New York State Emergency Fire Unit has deployed the Tupper Lake Fire Department and the Malone Call Fireman.

Data from the United States Geological Survey water monitoring station in Brasher Center was collected regularly and shared with Unified Incident Command Post (UICP). They reported the St. Regis River plateaued at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 22nd; with water and ice remaining in place. At 7:11am, National Weather Service in Burlington, Vermont extended the flood warning for the St. Regis River until 7:00pm on Thursday, February 22nd. During that time, the following roads were closed due to area flooding: St. Regis Road, Church Street, Helena Road, North Road, North Street, Gray Street, Mill Street, Pearl Street, Solomon Road and portions of Route 37C

- On February 22 at 1:40pm an urgent advisory was issued as electrical lines went down in Hogansburg resulting in power outage for east side of community. Route 37 was closed to traffic at the bridge due to rising water.

- On February 22 at 5:25pm the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council declared a State of Emergency within the Territory of Akwesasne due to severe flooding along the St. Regis River. The State of Emergency was declared around 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2018 and will remain in effect during the duration of the severe flooding.

At the time, the water level remained stable and ice jams remained in place resulting in the National Weather Service extending the Flood Warning until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2018.

- On February 23 at 11:00am the UICP issued an update on the flood warning that remained in effect for the St. Regis River in Akwesasne.

Data from the USGS water monitoring station reported the St. Regis River began to recede following its peak of 9.56 feet at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2018. At 6:41 p.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2018; the National Weather Service extended the Flood Warning for the St. Regis River until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 23, 2018.

The UICP reported at 6:27 a.m. on Friday, February 23, 2018 the following roadways remained closed due to high water levels and ice jams along the St. Regis River: Church Street, Helena Road, North Road, St. Regis Road, and the entire Gray Street. The following roads reopened: Route 37C, McGee Road, and Route 37 (including the Hogansburg Bridge).

Around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2018; a power outage took place that impacted approximately 225 households in the vicinity of Cook Road, McGee Road, St. Regis Road, Route 37 and the hamlet of Hogansburg. National Grid responded and reported at 10:00 a.m. on Friday that electricity has been restored to all affected customers.

- On February 24 at 11:00am another flood warning update was issued by the UICP on the State of Emergency. Data provided at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2018 by the USGS reported the water level for the St. Regis River had remained stable overnight.

At 6:32 p.m. on Friday, February 23, 2018, the National Weather Service had extended the Flood Warning for the St. Regis River until 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2018 due to ice jams accompanied by rain and snowmelt. The UICP reported continued flooding along the St. Regis River extending to the northern border of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe's jurisdiction.

The UICP reported that the following roadways remain closed due to high water levels and ice jams: Church Street, Gray Street, and North Road that at the time was being cleaned by the Town of Brasher. The following roads reopened; Mill Street, Pearl Street, Solomon Road, Route 37 and the Hogansburg Bridge, as well as the entire St. Regis Road.

The Tribe's Division of Social Services reported that 96 displaced residents extended their hotel stays until Monday, February 26, 2018 at the Comfort Inn in Akwesasne and the Quality Inn located in Massena. On Monday, home assessments were made for possible extension.

- On February 24 at 5:39pm the Salmon River Central School District issued a release to parents and guardians of the Saint Regis Mohawk School that students and staff would be relocated to the Salmon River Elementary campus for the week.

- On February 25 at 11:00am the UICP issued an update that according to the USGS the St. Regis water levels had declined overnight. The NOAA projected water flows should remain steady, but may see a slight increase on Tuesday, February 26, 2018 due to precipitation. They expected water flows would resume a steady decline through the coming days.

According to the UICP several road remained closed including sections of the Church St. and Gray St.

The SRMT offered FREE tetanus vaccines at the Tribe's Office for the Aging (aka Senior Center) in Hogansburg. They had arranged for 278 vaccinations.

The SRMT announced residents who were evacuated should not return home until their flooded home could be assessed. At the time some evacuees had returned home.

Once again, the SRMT announced the St. Regis River flooding would be a long-duration event and encouraged community members to offering temporary lodging for any displaced family members or friends.

Red Cross distributed free flood cleanup kits and personal comfort kits for those who continued to be displaced.

As well the UICP offered free sandbags should the possibility of the St. Regis River ice jams become dislodged and travel downstream to Hogansburg.

- On February 25 at 12:54pm SRMT Compliance Director Elliott Lazore and his staff received tetanus shots from Franklin County Public Health. Compliance staff joined a Home Assessment Team requiring them to venture into hazardous floodwaters that could possibly contain spilled fuel, sewage or other harmful substances.

- On February 26 at 12pm the SRMT Emergency Planning Office coordinated assessments for homes affected by the recent flooding. The assessments included air quality testing and inspections of structure, heating, electrical and sewage systems.

At the time, the SRMT EPO had asked homeowners who still had flooded basements to not pump the water from their basement until an assessment has been made. HAVFD teams started Monday morning pumping basements after an assessment has been completed.

- On February 26 at 4pm the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department mobile command unit was demobilized as of 6:00pm Monday. Tribal PD continued monitoring river levels would notify HAVFD and Franklin County 911 of any increase in levels.

HAVFD had been working over the last 7 days with the Tribal Police and Emergency Planning in a Unified Command response to the flooding incident.

- On February 26 at 6:00pm the UICP issued the following update on flooding that displaced around 100 residents along the St. Regis River: according to USGS water levels continued to decline and NOAA forecasted water flows would resume a steady decline through Wednesday as of press time.

The UICP reported that only two roads remained closed to all traffic: Church Street (at the St. Regis Mohawk School) and the entire Gray Street due to a washout. Leo Swamp Road still remains covered with water and is partially washed out.

Home assessments were completed on 30 homes impacted by high water and 10 homes had been cleared for individuals to safely return. At the time, assessments were focused on households with no or minimal damage for the quick return of residents. Some households will require long-term mitigation, so the Division of Social Services will continue to with individuals on accommodations. And again, the SRMT encourages community members to please consider providing temporary lodging for any displaced family members or friends.

The UICP continues to remind individuals that the State of Emergency issued by the SRMT at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2018 remains in effect until the declaration is rescinded. They are instructing individuals to stay away from flood areas and closed roadways, as water levels and ice jams remain unpredictable. Please remain vigilant and cautious for changing conditions.

- As of Wednesday, February 28, 2018, the Unified Incident Command continues monitoring ice packs located upstream along Maple Ridge Road in the Town of Helena. They are also monitoring ice packs located in the vicinity of McNeil Road, which dislodged around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 and moved downstream, resulting in water levels to rise slightly. As of Wednesday, the ice jam was located across the street from the St. Regis Mohawk School.