News & Alert History

Posted on: November 23, 2021

Flood Response Update

Action and Reaction; Town of Locke Flood, 26 Oct. 2021

Situation: 

The town of Locke NY has experienced multiple flood events along Hemlock Creek (a DEC registered trout stream) downstream of the Bird Cemetery Rd bridge to the intersection with Owasco lake inlet east of Rt 38. The latest occurrence was 26 Oct 2021.

Mission: 

The town board believes it is their duty to cause corrective action to be completed as soon as possible.

Actions taken prior to the 26 Oct 2021 event:

Cayuga County Soil and water conservation district was contacted after a flood event in 2019 to develop a plan for remediation. CC SWCD contracted Hunt Engineers to develop that plan. In conjunction with DEC, DoT, US Army Corps of Engineers, OLWMC and Cayuga County emergency management office, a plan has been developed.

Actions taken subsequent to the Oct 26 2021 event:

A state of emergency was declared 26 Oct 2021

A meeting of stakeholders was held 02 Nov to discuss the situation

An onsite meeting to observe conditions was held 05 Nov

An emergency course of action was developed

Impacted land owners were contacted, all have given consent to implement the plan

Site access preparation has started

An application for an emergency remediation work permit from the DEC has been applied for

A meeting was held the week of 21 Nov. to determine what each stakeholder (not land owners) will contribute, their responsibilities, costs and payments.

Command and Control: 

The town of Locke is the lead agency.

CC SWCD is the primary execution agency

Points of contact: 

Locke Clerk- 315-497-9338

Acting Town Supervisor Thane Benson- 315-497-3427