News stories tagged with "ausable-river"

(11/02/11) At a meeting last night in Ausable Forks, dozens of local residents turned out at a public meeting to talk about the long-term response to flooding along the Ausable River.

Many community leaders are concerned that changes to the river, including build-up of sediment and the widening of the channel, could spark more flooding and ice jams in the future. Martha Foley has more.

NOTE: Brian Mann will have an in-depth look at river management questions tomorrow during The Eight O'Clock Hour. more

(08/29/11) New Yorkers are watching rising creeks and rivers this morning. The Associated Press reports more than 900,000 homes were without power, more National Guard soldiers were deployed to clean-ups, and major highways and roads remained closed.

At least three deaths were blamed on the tropical storm. One thousand National Guard troops deployed over the weekend are to be augmented Monday with more engineers to help clear streets and debris and restore power.

Irene was no longer a hurricane by the time it hit the North Country counties, but it still packed a powerful punch. As of 10:30 last night, dozens of roads in Essex County were closed, the county's emergency radio system was off the air, many people remained stranded by high water and the county was in a state of emergency.

More than 100 roads in the county are closed because of flooding, washouts and high water threatening bridges. While the damage was widespread, County Emergency Services Director Don Jaquish said Keene and Keene Valley were hit the hardest. The Keene fire station was swept away by the floodwaters. "It's been washed away," Jacquish said last night.

People in Keene and Keene Valley had evacuated and Jacquish's crews were preparing evacuations in Upper Jay. He anticipated severe flooding in the hamlet of AuSable Forks, calling the crest of the East branch of the Ausable "unprecedented."

Brian Mann was in Keene early this morning. Talking with Martha Foley, he described a community devastated by the flash flooding. more

(04/29/11) Over the last seventy-two hours, the Ausable River has been transformed from a popular trout stream into a raging torrent.

High water and damaged highways have forced road closures from Lake Placid through Keene Valley all the way down through Jay and Ausable Forks.

Brian Mann was in Keeseville yesterday afternoon as emergency crews and volunteers braced for another big blast of water triggered by heavy rains. more

(06/09/10) Researchers say the invasive algae didymo, widely called "rock snot," is spreading throughout Vermont and the Lake Champlain basin. Found last week east of Burlington, the algae could make its way into Adirondack waterways, and once it establishes a presence, it's just about impossible to control or eradicate. Scientists say the algae forms large mats along the bottom of waterways and chokes out native plants. Martha Foley has more.

(09/09/09) A North Country legend passed away over the weekend. Fran Betters from Wilmington taught fly fishing, tied trout flies and wrote books about fishing. Betters, who was 78 years old, had been ailing for months. His shop on the bank of the Ausable River was a destination for sportsmen from around the world. Betters knew what insects were hatching, and near which rocks the biggest fish were waiting. He fished the Ausable River since he was a boy, and he knew each rapid and pool. He also learned that there is more to fishing than fishing. Lamar Bliss has this Meet the Masters profile.

(03/16/07) Local officials watched nervously Monday across the North Country as rivers rose with early spring rain and melting snow. Ice dams were the big worry. A bottleneck of ice on the Great Chazy River forced residents to evacuate neighborhoods in Champlain. Another dam on the Ausable River triggered flooding in the town of Jay, where a state of emergency was declared. Brian Mann was in the village of Ausable Forks yesterday when crews fought to dislodge one of the massive clots of ice. He sent this report.

(03/15/07) A flood warning remains in effect through this afternoon along rivers and streams in Clinton, Essex, eastern St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, as well as parts of Vermont. A state of emergency was declared in the Town of Jay, along the Ausable River. County officials say there have been no injuries. Officials from both Essex and Franklin counties were watching as an ice jam at Ausable Forks moved downstream this afternoon, and the river was falling. Emergency officials also reported an ice jam and flooding in Champlain. Evacuations were underway. Brian Mann was also watching the Ausable. He spoke with Martha Foley at midafternoon.

(05/15/06) The Ausable River flows from the Adirondack Mountains down into Lake Champlain. At its mouth, the river divides into winding channels. The Ausable Marsh, just south of Plattsburgh, is one of the wildest places on the lake. Brian Mann went on a solo paddle on a rainy Saturday and sent this audio postcard.

(08/16/04) On Friday, the Adirondack Park Agency approved a controversial plan to build a new bridge across the east branch of the Ausable River. The structure - in the town of Jay -- will sit just downstream from the old covered bridge, which will now serve as a foot and bicycle crossing. As Brian Mann reports, the 7-million dollar project is still dividing locals after years of debate.

(12/03/03) State police say a propane-delivery truck has been pulled from the icy Ausable River near Lake Placid. An accident yesterday afternoon forced officials to shut down Rt. 86 for much of the day. Brian Mann has details.