In early July 2023, heavy rains spurred flooding that ravaged the Northeast. While Vermont suffered the worst, the intense weather also dealt a heavy blow to Western Massachusetts.
“Last July, we had significant flooding in five big areas throughout North Adams- The State Street area, which left a big gap and a big road failure, structure, culvert failure near Joe Wolfe Field. We had significant flooding with our partners in Clarksburg on the Millard Ave area into Barth Street in North Adams, which then pushed the issue down into Eagle Street. We had significant flooding in the Brooklyn Street area, which was probably the most impacted, and then Fuller and all those streets down to Houghton Street," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. “We had the landside on Church Street, which was on a private residence but it affected flow of traffic through South Church Street into Church Street, and then flooding throughout the area, which, as things went on throughout the assessment of damage, we discovered at Hillside Cemetery, we had lost some walls, which is our historic cemetery.”
By August, North Adams estimated the storm damage had risen to almost $5 million.
“We were very fortunate that we were able to repair and fix Brooklyn Street with some Chapter 90 money we had, and then the governor came through with the $1.2 million to help us do some engineering with what we're doing in the Brooklyn, Eagle Street area as well as Bryant Street, Frederick Street and Foucher Ave, so we're looking at all those different areas and how to assess it," Macksey told WAMC. "So that's all the negative stuff.”
Despite visits to North Adams by top ranking Massachusetts leaders like Governor Maura Healey after the flooding, it took months for aid to finally arrive.
“As you know, the governor came, the congressman came," said Macksey. "Everyone was on site, everyone saw the damage that we had, and then we had to wait. And we waited and we waited, and we really advocated and pushed the governor's office to come through. I'm thrilled with the money that we got. I wish we were made whole, but I understand the situation that, really other communities in the commonwealth were hit worse than us. But it was a long process.”
Macksey was keen to highlight the constructive takeaways from the experience.
“We really got to see where our weaknesses were in the system, Josh, as well as establish really good working operational teams, protocols with police, fire, EMS, emergency management from the state, as well as we established a wonderful working relationship with an organization called Team Rubicon, and they're a group of veterans who came into North Adams and helped a lot of residents in these areas who have flooded basements clean out, get all the old wet stuff out of their basements and discard that," she said. "So there was a positive outcome to it, in the sense that we established these great relationships and we learned from it. But I never want to go through that again.”
The city’s relationship with rain has been permanently transformed.
“When we know that a significant rain event is occurring, we are ensuring that all of our manholes and catch basins are clear," the mayor explained. "These high impact areas as I described them, we make sure they're all open and the water's flowing, and then, literally, when it starts raining, we deploy people to these sections to kind of watch and see what's happening.”
Macksey says a year later, much of the dust has settled.
“Most of our areas have been tended to," she said. "Like I said, we're undergoing an engineering study in the Brooklyn Street area, Houghton Street area, and then there's one residential area that is kind of duking it out with the railroad. But all in all, we fared very well and we recovered.”
For her part, the second-term mayor says she’ll never be caught flatfooted by rain again.
“I have a to go bag now so I can be out in the rain at any time, whereas last year, I wasn't prepared," the mayor told WAMC. "As a team, I feel confident that we're prepared to handle these things. And even something so simple as stocking more pipe, the pressure is too much on a pipe and we have a blowout, handling some of those kinds of materials. So even though it was very traumatic at the time, I think we're stronger and better by it.”
According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2023 was the hottest recorded year on record, contributing to the rise of extreme weather events across the globe.
