2006 Flood
Ipswich River Flood ~ May 14-16, 2006
Flood Forum Highlights Strategies to Reduce Flood Risk
IRWA co-sponsored a forum on the “Flood of May 2006,” in August of 2006 with Eight Towns and the Bay, and Essex County Greenbelt Association. The forum drew a crowd of 40 people to discuss flooding in the Ipswich River watershed. Expert speakers addressed a variety of flood-related topics. Gardner Bent of the United States Geological Survey noted that the flood broke all records for the Ipswich River, with flows of 4,520 cfs recorded at the Ipswich streamflow gage and 1,300 cfs at the South Middleton gage. Richard Zingarelli of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the State Hazard Mitigation Officer and liaison to FEMA, explained the ins and outs of the National Flood Insurance Program and opportunities to update the FEMA flood maps to more accurately reflect flood-prone areas. FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants are now available to local municipalities to fund actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards.
Wendi Goldsmith of the Salem-based Bioengineering Group then highlighted opportunities to manage stormwater using natural methods to retain water onsite, recycle nutrients, and minimize soil loss. She noted that vegetated landscapes absorb 95 percent of rainfall onsite, leaving only 5 percent to run off into rivers and streams. By contrast, 95 percent of urban runoff runs off paved and built areas, swelling streams and contributing to flooding. She urged a shift in perspective to consider water as an ecological resource, rather than an engineering problem.
Dave Rimmer of the Essex County Greenbelt Association emphasized the importance of land protection in preserving wetlands and floodplains, which serve as natural sponges. Finally, Emily Levin of IRWA addressed the issue of stream continuity – reconnecting fish and wildlife habitat by retrofitting undersized culverts, which may also block the flow of water and contribute to flood risk.
Ipswich River Flooding Pictures
Some parts of the watershed received more than a foot of rain in a four-day period. The Ipswich streamflow gage by Willowdale Dam measured peak flows of 4520 cubic feet per second (cfs), and peak flows at the South Middleton gage were 1,300 cfs. These flow levels represent a 27 percent increase over the previous record flood of 3550 cfs at Ipswich in April 1987, and an 8 percent increase over the previous record flood of 1200 cfs at South Middleton in March 2001. [Values have been corrected; see explanation at bottom.]
Our hearts go out to those whose lives, homes, and businesses were affected by the flooding. Photos of conditions in downtown Ipswich show the extent of flooding. Stream Team members documented conditions in the middle and upper watershed.
(1) EBSCO Publishing with Ipswich (Sylvania) Dam completely submerged in foreground. (Photo credit: Emily Levin)
(2) EBSCO Publishing with submerged fish ladder; water levels reached a newly constructed pedestrian footbridge. (Photo credit: Emily Levin)
(3) Floodwaters covered the parking lot of a real estate office. (Photo credit: Andy Agapow)
(4) Floodwaters reached a historic home in downtown Ipswich. (Photo credit: Emily Levin)
(5) Floodwaters submerged many parking lots and reached downtown buildings, causing evacuations. (Photo credit: Andy Agapow)
(6) Howlett Brook floods Ipswich Road in Topsfield, upstream of Willowdale State Forest. (Photo credit: Lisa Manzi)
(7) Paddling the flooded Ipswich River near Thunder Bridge in Middleton. (Photo credit: Dennis Kelley)
(8) Flooded Ipswich River Park in North Reading. (Photo credit: Anne Reynolds)
The Martins Pond Association provided photos of Martins Pond in North Reading. Martins Brook flows out of the pond before joining the Ipswich River. Martins Pond elevation is usually 74.5 feet above sea level, but the water level crested at 79.2 feet during the event, setting a new record and causing many homes to flood and about a dozen to be evacuated.
(9) Evacuated homes on Pinecrest Road looking north towards Martins Pond. (Photo credit: Janet Nicosia)
(10) Canoeing down Burroughs Road near Martins Pond. (Photo credit: Janet Nicosia)
Additional information about floods, and steps communities can take to maintain natural drainage patterns and manage stormwater, is available here.
[Explanation for corrected values: Peak flow values for the Ipswich streamflow gage have been reduced by the US Geological Survey (USGS) from 5100 cfs to 4520 cfs, and for the South Middleton gage from 1,420 to 1,300 cfs. Instrument malfunction during the flooding caused the gages to provide inaccurate readings until USGS corrected the data.]
