Oneida County Readies Emergency Response Team Ahead of Potential Ice Jam Flooding

Operation Center Set up at 911 Center; Equipment Deployed to Key Locations

Oneida County has set up an emergency response center to coordinate a team of local and state officials and staged heavy equipment along known flooding locations in order to prepare for potential flooding caused by anticipated ice jams.

A team comprised of officials from the Oneida County Departments of Emergency Services, Public Works and Water Quality and Water Pollution Control; New York State Departments of Emergency Management, Public Transportation and Environmental Conservation; Herkimer County Office of Emergency Services; Mohawk Valley Water Authority; National Weather Service; Falter Construction; GHD Engineering and multiple towns and village municipalities has been assembled to monitor the ice jam situation from the Oneida County 911 Center in Oriskany.

“With temperatures expected to dramatically rise throughout the weekend, ice jams could occur in Oneida County waterways and lead to possible flooding,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “We are taking this threat seriously and proactively coordinating efforts with our local and state partners to rapidly react to the situation and deploy resources to limit the damage from any issues that may occur. I urge everyone residing in the areas where these types of events occur to remain vigilant in the coming days.”

Heavy equipment to break up ice jams has been deployed along key waterways throughout the county, including the CSX bridge over the Sauquoit Creek in Whitesboro. The emergency response team has also notified CSX of the situation.

Coming off of the heels of the extreme cold the region has experienced the past few days, temperatures are expected to increase into the 40s starting Sunday and continuing through Tuesday. These temperature increases will likely cause snowmelt and ice movement on rivers and streams. Monday evening is expected to bring rain showers with light accumulation that could exasperate the problem. Tuesday evening’s temperatures are forecast to fall back into the 30s and 20s and another potential weather system may move in that could produce additional mixed precipitation.