Photos of Spafford Landing Flooding

1. From Councilor, Bill Vinzant

2. Sent by Town Clerk, Lisa Valletta

Monday's heavy rain swamped roads and flooded basements in parts of Central New York, with the soggiest swath from Chittenango through Fayetteville and Manlius and down to Otisco and Spafford. 
Rain-swollen Limestone Creek forced the evacuation of an animal hospital in Fayetteville and washed out a bridge near the village of Manlius. A raging creek near the southern tip of Skaneateles Lake in Spafford sent 
water rushing into summer camps. 
States of emergency were declared in Chittenango and Otisco. Officials in those areas urged motorists to use caution and avoid unnecessary travel. 

Many roads were closed for long periods Monday, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of Onondaga County. Other roads throughout the region had standing water; authorities urged motorists to use caution and drive slowly. 
Meteorologists said three to six inches fell in the hardest hit areas during the 12-hour period preceding 5 p.m. Monday, when most of the heavy rain stopped. 
"That's extreme rainfall," said Dave Nicosia, National Weather Service meteorologist. "There's significant flooding going on." 

Limestone Creek on the rise 
The rising, rushing waters of Limestone Creek forced the staff at Stack Hospital for Pets in Fayetteville to remove about 30 dogs and cats, close the hospital and cancel appointments after 5 p.m. 
"All the animals are out," said co-owner Dr. Marcia Ziegler after she loaded four cats and a dog into her vehicle in the hospital parking lot. 

"We saved all the lives. Now we just have to worry about the business." "All pets are in good hands," read a sign posted on the front door of the hospital, on the banks of the creek at 110 Mill St. Ziegler said it became clear by lunchtime that the rising water of the creek was fast becoming a problem. They started calling clients, and made preparations to evacuate the animals and take refrigerated medical products out of the building. 
Ziegler hoped to be back in business today, but Fayetteville firefighters on the scene told her the gas and electric service had to be shut off. 

Elsewhere in Manlius, flooding caused the closing of several stretches of roads, many of them in the southern end of town near Limestone Creek. 
"I've lived along the creek for 22 years, and I've never seen it that high," said Manlius Village Administrator Cheri Haskins. 
In mid-afternoon, officials closed a short stretch of Route 173 between Brickyard Falls Road and Troop K Road. Then a bridge washed out on Brickyard Falls Road at the Manlius-Pompey line, closing that road as 
well. 
Within two hours, the list of closed roads grew, many near the creek - another stretch of Route 173 near the Madison County line, plus North Eagle Village Road, Whetstone Road, Limestone Drive and Broadfield Road. Motorists trying to navigate Towne Center had to deal with high water at some entrances and in low-lying areas of the shopping center. The harshest impact of the rainstorms might not be felt in DeWitt until 
today, said DeWitt Highway Superintendent Brian Maxwell. "We don't have our normal Butternut Drive closing yet," Maxwell said Monday afternoon. "That could come (today), especially if the rain continues. It usually takes about 24 hours to reach its flood stage because it drains from the Pompey hills and comes down through Jamesville. It takes a while." 

Raging water in Spafford 
Shirley Marsted and her two small children stood in the pouring rain Monday afternoon unable to get back to their summer camp on Spafford Landing Road, near the southern tip of Skaneateles Lake. 
"I ran to town (Cortland) to do laundry and get groceries and when I got back the road was gone," she said. 
The road, which led to her home, was closed after more than five inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours, plugging the culverts and causing raging water to flush debris, stone, mud, logs and more into and around nearly a dozen homes on the dead-end road. 

A similar flooding scenario played out in April after heavy rains, according to Kim Fairchild, who has owned his summer camp in the marina for 30 years. Larger culverts and regular cleanings might help prevent this from happening again, he said. 

"Last time my kids and grandkids pitched in to clean it up," he said. "I don't know what I'm going to do this time." Fairchild's home was a mess because of the rains, but many homes had other damage. One Spafford Landing Road home had a waterfall rushing in the back door and out the front. Another had the porch wash away. And many had water in their basements or first floors. 

Harry Hudson, whose family lives there year-round, said the nearby creek is normally about 2 feet wide with rolling water. Monday afternoon, the creek was about 15-feet wide with rushing water flooding his basement and eroding his driveway.

Chittenango trouble spots 
By 5 p.m. Monday, almost 4 inches of rain had fallen in the Chittenango area, said Michael Cempa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Binghamton. Chittenango Mayor Bob Freunscht declared the emergency about 4 p.m. Under the declaration, motorists were advised to use caution on village roads 
and avoid unnecessary travel. Freunchst said it was unlikely the declaration would be lifted until early today. 
"There were several areas filling up with water, and we have so many heavy vehicles and different departments here, it's for everyone's safety," he said. 

Almost 50 emergency workers were out pumping basements, diverting traffic and clearing drainage areas, Freunchst said. DOT workers were joined by county workers, the village public works department and police officers and three fire departments, he said. Much of the flooding was due to runoff from drainage ditches and lawns, said Joseph DeFrancisco, county director of emergency services. "The problem is that the ground is just supersaturated," DeFrancisco said. "It keeps raining, and there's nowhere for the water to go. But (the flooding) is a short-lived event. Once it stops raining, the water will start to recede." 

Mary Jane Stewart, 205 W. Genesee St., Chittenango, voluntarily left her home. 
"I'm on a slab and I have no cellar. My front yard, side yard and back yard are all under water. As soon as the water starts coming into the house, I'll leave," she said, adding that she is planning to stay with her 
son in East Syracuse. "I'll probably take my cat with me, too. Cats are not really swimmers." 
Staff writer Jerry Rosen contributed to this report. 
© 2004 The Post-Standard.