In the 2011 flood, aging canal dams could not be raised at several locks, and debris blocked locks and dams, according to a New York State Canal Corporation finding. Water from a canal or a dam can reach property on a different schedule from river water, so its cleanup starts from a different place.
Key takeaways
- A New York State Canal Corporation finding from 2011 reported that aging canal dams could not be raised at several locks during the flood.
- Debris blocked locks and dams in the same event, which changed where water went and how fast it rose.
- A regional newspaper report described emergency repairs to the Lock 7 dam on the Mohawk after a leak during the 2011 flood.
- The statewide USGS total of 31 counties declared disaster areas, over $1.3 billion in damages and 10 deaths is a figure for the whole state, not for Schenectady County.
- For a homeowner, the operating agency is responsible for a lock or dam, and the property owner is responsible for the cleanup of its own building.
What did the 2011 flood show about canal dams and locks?
A New York State Canal Corporation finding from 2011 reported that aging canal dams could not be raised at several locks during the flood. Debris also blocked locks and dams. Those conditions changed how water moved through the valley during the high water.
A canal lock and dam hold back and release water to keep the navigation level, and their gates and their crests decide how much water passes. When a dam cannot be raised as high as needed, the water has to go somewhere else, and that can mean low ground near the structure takes it.
Debris that blocks a lock or a dam changes the flow in the same way. Branches, mud and other material that catch against a gate or a spillway can hold water back in one place and release it in a surge when the blockage gives way.
How does canal water differ from river water?
Canal water is controlled by structures that people operate, so it can rise and fall on a different schedule from a river. A lock or dam that fails or is blocked can send a surge toward property below it, which is often sudden and wide.
River floods tend to rise with the river and recede as the river falls. A canal flood depends on the gates, the dams and the debris, so the timing can be harder to predict. An owner may have less warning from a canal event than from a river crest.
The water from a canal or a dam is also treated as contaminated in many cases, because it carries sediment and can carry material from the ground it crossed. The cleanup follows the same discipline as a river flood, with protective equipment, removal of porous materials and a record of each step.
What happened at Lock 7 on the Mohawk?
A regional newspaper report from 2011 described emergency repairs to the Lock 7 dam on the Mohawk after a leak. Repairs to a dam belong to the agency that operates it, and they are not work for a homeowner or a cleanup crew.
A leak at a dam during a flood is a structural problem. The repair is made by the operator, and the water that escapes from the leak travels toward the property below it. The owner can see the water and the damage, but cannot fix the structure.
For the owner, the useful lesson is that a structure under emergency repair can be followed by a second wave of water or by seepage after the first surge has passed. The cleanup crew checks for seepage and for debris after the first water is gone.
What is the statewide flood total, and how should it be read?
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that 31 New York counties were declared disaster areas for the 2011 floods, with damages over $1.3 billion and 10 deaths across the state. That is a statewide total, not a figure for Schenectady County.
A statewide figure adds up damage across many counties, and it cannot be divided by the county to produce a local figure. The USGS report describes the state as a whole, and this guide does not use the total as a local one.
No Schenectady County damage total is given here, because one was not established for this page. The local facts used on this site are the ones that apply to the Stockade, the Mohawk and the canal structures, each stated with its source.
Who is responsible for a canal lock or dam?
The agency or company that operates a lock or dam is responsible for it. A property owner is responsible for the cleanup and drying of the owner's own building, and for the claim with the insurer.
A homeowner cannot repair a lock or dam, and a restoration crew does not do that work. If a structure appears to be failing, leaking or moving, the right step is to report it to the local emergency services and to the operating agency.
The owner's responsibility is the house: the water removal, the drying, the record and the claim. The insurer decides the claim under the policy, and the state Department of Financial Services is the regulator for complaints about insurers.
What should a valley property owner check after high water?
After high water recedes, check the foundation for new cracks or seepage, the steps for movement, the furnace and the electrical panel for water damage, and the drains and window wells for blockage. Keep the records for the claim.
Foundation walls that held water on one side can show new cracks or a damp line days later. Steps can shift if the soil under them was saturated. Those signs are reasons to call a qualified contractor for the structure.
Gas and electrical equipment that was under water should be checked by the right professional before it is used again. Photographs of the water line and the debris, and a dated note of when the water rose and fell, help the insurer and any repairer.
How does this affect a cleanup plan?
A cleanup for canal or dam water starts with the source and whether it is still rising. The crew then checks the building, removes the water and debris, reads what the water reached and dries the structure to the dry standard.
If the source is still active, the cleanup cannot finish, and the crew says so. Once the level is steady, the crew can remove the water. The high-water mark is recorded, because it is part of the record for the insurer.
Debris is cleared from the drains and window wells, and the crew notes where the blockage was, so the owner can keep it clear before the next high-water event. The record and the readings then go to the owner for the claim and for any later repair.
How can water from a canal reach a house when no river is near?
A canal is a managed waterway, so water can reach low ground through an overflow, a failed gate or a blocked spillway even where no river is nearby. The route depends on the ground between the canal and the property.
Water that leaves a canal follows the lowest route available, along drainage ditches, across yards and into any low point on the way. A house that sits below the level of the canal bank or a nearby road can receive water that never touched a river.
The route also depends on the drainage around the house. A yard that slopes toward the foundation, a window well and a floor drain can each bring surface water inside, even when the main flood stays outside. The crew reads those entry points on the first visit.
What should a Mohawk Valley owner do before the next high-water season?
Clear the drains and window wells, check the grade around the foundation, keep the sump tested and photograph the property before the season starts. Those steps give the owner a baseline for any later claim.
Clearing drains and window wells before the rains is the cheapest protection a house has against surface water. Check that the grade slopes away from the foundation, and that downspouts discharge away from the walls. A sump should be tested by filling the pit, so you know it works before a storm.
Photograph the property, the yard, the foundation and the cellar in dry weather. A dated set of pictures shows the condition of the house before any water, which helps the insurer judge the change after a loss.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 statewide total the same as the Schenectady County total?
No. The USGS figure of 31 counties declared disaster areas, over $1.3 billion and 10 deaths is for New York State as a whole. No Schenectady County damage total is given in this guide.
Who pays to repair a canal lock or dam?
The agency or company that operates the structure is responsible for its repair. A homeowner is not responsible for it, and a cleanup crew does not perform that work.
Will a homeowner policy cover water from a canal?
Often water from outside the house is handled under a separate flood policy or endorsement. Your insurer and your policy decide what is covered, and this guide does not state limits or deadlines.
What should I do if I see a lock or dam failing?
Leave the area, do not go onto the banks or the structure, and report it to the local emergency services and to the operating agency.
Can debris be the cause of the water entering my house?
Yes. Debris can block a window well, a floor drain or the outdoor grade, and push surface water into the house. Clearing what is safe to reach helps, and the crew records where the blockage was.
What records help after a canal flood?
Photographs of the high-water mark, the debris and the damage, the crew's readings and the scope, the removal list and the invoices. Those records show the source and the extent of the loss to the insurer.
Should I buy flood insurance for a canal risk?
Whether to buy a separate flood policy is a decision for the owner, with the insurer or an adviser. This guide does not recommend a policy or state its terms.
Sources
This guide is general information for Schenectady County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.