Lake Champlain rise above flood stage

By DAN HEATH
Staff Writer

April 29, 2007 07:13 pm

— PLATTSBURGH — Lake Champlain was about a half foot above flood stage on today, but no significant flooding was expected on the New York side of the lake.
Areas along the lakeshore in Clinton and Essex counties were part of a flood warning issued by the National Weather Service that remained in effect this evening.
National Weather Service Hydrologist Greg Hanson in Burlington said a monitoring station in Rouses Point showed the water level at 100.5 feet as of 4 p.m. today. Flood stage for the lake is 100 feet.
“At these levels, it’s more the wind and wave action” that causes flooding, he said.
The New York side could be affected by a strong south wind, but that wasn’t in the immediate forecast, Hanson said.
No flooding was reported by emergency services dispatchers in the three-county area.
The Weather Service flood warning indicated Lake Champlain is expected to remain above flood stage for the next several days. Hanson said because of its size, the water level is slow to rise after a rain and slow to drain afterwards.
He said even though there was a possibility of showers and thunderstorms tonight into Monday, that shouldn’t cause any significant flooding. That cold front was expected to move out of the area today.
“Then there will be a northwest wind, which is probably good for Plattsburgh,” Hanson said.
Winds were expected to be between 9 and 18 miles per hour, with gusts possible up to 38 miles per hour. That could cause flooding along the shoreline that faces west or north, he said, especially on the Vermont side of the lake.
E-mail Dan Heath at:
dheath@pressrepublican.com