Flooding hit the town of Keene hard on Monday, Dec. 18. (Provided photo — Naj Wikoff)

KEENE VALLEY — Flooding throughout the region on Monday, Dec. 18 prompted Essex County to declare a state of emergency. Multiple roads closed, several homes were flooded and students from the Keene and Lake Placid central school districts were sent home from school early.

Parts of Keene flooded quickly on Monday following a heavy rainstorm and warm temperatures that melted some of last week’s snowfall. Parts of Jay flooded and some residents briefly lost power.

Jay town Supervisor Matt Stanley said the town of Jay was under a state of emergency on Monday. At around 2:30 p.m., the town of Jay recommended residents evacuate the lower sections of Jersey and Intervale Avenue in AuSable Forks because the AuSable River was over 11 feet deep at that point and another inch of rain was expected. Citing emergency evacuation during Hurricane Irene, which happened when the river hit 12 feet and 4 inches, the town recommended that evacuation start early. The community center in AuSable Forks opened as a shelter managed by the Red Cross. Around 5:30 p.m., the town of Jay reported on its Facebook page that the AuSable River “looks like it might have crested just shy of 12 feet.”

Holt Road, Airport Road, Hurricane Road and Hulls Falls Road in Keene were closed; in Jay, state Route 9N between Trumbull’s Corners Road and Styles Brook Road, state Route 9N between Jay and Upper Jay, state Route 9N between Jay and AuSable Forks, Hesseltine Road, Carey Road, Grove Road, Randy’s Lane, and Trumbull’s Corner Road to Valley Road were closed. Sheldrake Road between Jersey Bridge and Stickney Bridge Road was open to local traffic only. Parts of state Route 73 were reduced to one lane or closed entirely. Mirror Lake Drive in Lake Placid was closed at the intersection of Northwood Road and River Road was closed between state Routes 73 and 86, according to county Emergency Services. The intersection of state Routes 9N and and 73 had visible flooding along the roadside. The AuSable River was seen overflowing along the side of state Route 73 across from Marcy Field.

Wilmington town Supervisor Roy Holzer said that there was “minor flooding” at the Wilmington Town Beach.

Flooding hit the town of Keene hard on Monday, Dec. 18. (Provided photo — Naj Wikoff)

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Keene

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When contacted by phone around 5:30 p.m. Monday, Keene town Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson Jr. said that the flooding was starting to clear and the town was shifting toward assessing and controlling damage.

“Thankfully this afternoon the water levels started to drop. We still have lots of road closures and we’ve got to assess damage,” he said. “We had a number of houses flooded, but luckily nobody needed evacuation, so that was a real relief.”

Wilson said that the damage on state Route 73 between Lake Placid and Keene was the most significant long-term project the town faced on Monday night. Floodwaters significantly damaged the asphalt and the state Department of Transportation was called out to assess the damage.

“It’s not like there’s a little mud and water on it — there’s no traveling on that road,” Wilson said.

Keene Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jody Whitney said around 9:15 a.m. that the water from the Ausable River was close to coming over state Route 73 in a few spots, but a few roads in town were closed due to flooding.

“People should be staying home,” Whitney said. “Slow down on the roadways, and I wouldn’t cross standing water.”

Keene Central School had its students and staff at the building while the floodwaters were rising and dismissed classes at 9 a.m., sending everyone home, according to KCS Superintendent Dan Mayberry.

“The water rose very quickly, and we were already sort of in transit getting people here and making sure that parents have arrangements for their kids,” he said.

Mayberry heard about the flooding on his way to work from his home in Lake Placid shortly after 7 a.m.

School started at 8 a.m. for the 168 students and 53 employees, but it took about an hour for parents to plan and make sure their children would be safe after school let out.

“That way it gave families time,” he said. “We didn’t want to send kids home on the bus and have nobody be there.”

This does not count as a snow day for KCS because students were already there.

“It impacts the number of hours but not our day,” Mayberry said. “Had I actually known that the flooding was going to be as bad as it was — because that wasn’t necessarily the forecast, at least for the direct area where we are — I probably would have canceled.”

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Lake Placid

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Lake Placid Central School District students were sent home early, at 1 p.m. on Monday, “in light of flooding concerns and road closures across the region,” according to a social media post from the district.

“There will be no after school activities today or after school programs at the elementary school or at the Shipman Youth Center,” the post reads.

Employees at the Olympic Center who live in the floodplain were sent home for the day, according to Olympic Center General Manager Chadd Cassidy.

On the Ray Brook end of McKenzie Pond Road, water flooded onto the pavement, covering half of one lane for Saranac Lake-bound traffic. Cars avoided it by swerving into the opposing lane. When there was oncoming traffic, they hit the water, sending huge plumes into the air, higher than the roofs of the vehicles.

On one side of the road, a whirlpool formed, draining water through a submerged culvert. On the other side of the road, between McKenzie Pond Road and state Route 86, water roared, funneling out through the culvert under the other main road.