Flood — Mercer, New Jersey

2006-06-28 to 2006-06-30 · near Countywide, Mercer, New Jersey

Wider weather episode

Several days of heavy rain throughout the Delaware River Basin culminated with major flooding along the Delaware River from the 28th through the 30th. It was the fourth or fifth highest crest on record for the Delaware River along Mercer County. The crest was slightly lower than the April 2005 flood. President George W. Bush declared Mercer County a disaster area. Sporadic periods of heavy rain started on the 23rd, but the most widespread and heaviest rain fell from the night of the 27th into the morning of the 28th. Event totals in Mercer County averaged three to six inches, but storm totals exceeded 10 inches in parts of the Upper Delaware Basin in New York State. The hardest hit municipalities were Trenton and Ewing with the Island and Glen Afton sections of Trenton affected the most. Governor Jon Corzine declared a state of emergency from the 28th through the 30th. Approximately 1250 homes and businesses in the state were damaged, four were destroyed. Many homes had their basement appliances and furniture ruined. The disaster area declaration made individual and public assistance possible. The entire state of New Jersey was also available for assistance from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Between Mercer and Sussex Counties ten Delaware River bridges operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission were closed. Tolls were suspended on bridges that remained open to ease congestion on the 28th through the 30th. Four bridges were still closed the night of the 29th, three bridges were closed on July 1st, they all were re-opened on the 2nd. Emergency responders told people to not walk into flooded waters because it might contain sewage and other contaminants. Many homes also had oil in their basements from ruptured tanks. There was also concern about persons with individual wells having their drinking water compromised. An explosion of mold and mosquitoes was expected in the wake of the flood. Crops closest to the ground were also impacted by the flood and included cabbage, cucumbers, strawberries, spinach and squash.In Mercer County, over 400 homes and apartments were flooded, one was destroyed and over 50 suffered major damage. Over 4,000 people were evacuated, mainly from Ewing Township and Trenton. In Trenton, about 1,500 people were evacuated from the Island and Glen Afton sections. About 280 homes were flooded. Evacuations included senior citizens from the Water's Edge Convalescent Home. Most people returned by the 4th of July, except for residents in two apartment complexes. Trenton's water filtration system was shut down because of the debris in the Delaware River. A water emergency was declared for all areas served by the Trenton Water Works in Trenton, Lawrence, Ewing, Hamilton and Hopewell. Water use restrictions and calls for conservation were in place. The system started running at half of capacity on the 30th and was back at full strength on July 1st when the water emergency was cancelled. Non-essential state workers were told to stay home from the 28th through the 30th. The Statehouse parking garage suffered over half a million dollars in damage to its electrical and mechanical equipment after it flooded. Major New Jersey State Route 29 was flooded and closed in and out of Trenton. In Ewing, about 2,500 people from apartments and condominiums from Lower River Road to Upper Ferry Road were evacuated. In the Titusville section of Hopewell Township, about 20 homes were evacuated between the Raritan and Delaware Canal and the Delaware River. The Washington's Crossing State Park was also flooded and closed.The Delaware River at Washington's Crossing was above its 20 foot flood stage from 825 p.m. EDT on the 28th through 912 a.m. EDT on the 30th. It crested at 22.54 feet at 700 p.m. EDT on the 29th, the fourth highest crest on record. The Delaware River at Trenton was above its 20 foot flood stage from 746 a.m. EDT on the 28th through 652 p.m. EDT on the 30th. It crested at 25.09 feet at 845 p.m. EDT on the 29th, the fifth highest crest on record. Inland the Assunpink Creek at Trenton was above its 7 foot flood stage from 711 a.m. EDT through 1231 a.m. EDT on the 28th. It crested at 7.49 feet at 1030 a.m. EDT. Actual storm rainfall totals included 4.90 inches in Windsor, 3.90 inches in Trenton and 3.87 inches at the Mercer County Airport near Trenton. The 8.57 inch monthly precipitation total was the third wettest June on record at Mercer County Airport.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5518471. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.