Western Connecticut hit with flooding

Conn. (WFSB) – Rain has been pouring down on people all day in Litchfield, Fairfield and New Haven counties.

The flooding has caused the Housatonic River to swell.

“Really torrential water coming down so I figured I’d come over to take a look,” said Alan Nelson, who came to watch the river.

The Stevenson Dam in Oxford was showing off the strongest of the Housatonic River’s potential with 24,600 cubic feet flowing per second.

The National Weather Service expecting it to reach 11.2 feet, or just over flood level, by the evening.

“It’s amazing the picture you see out here, the water coming down and the mist flying up. Beautiful!” Nelson said.

Across the river in Shelton, water was less a sight to see and more of an obstacle to dodge.

People along the riverfront development “The Maples” maneuvered their cars as water rose over the central road.

“Very fast, I was shocked,” said Judy McGuire, a resident. “Our catwalk part of it is under water.”

If the river’s rise can be recorded in feet, it can also be measured in floating garbage bins and washed out driveways.

For those directly on the Housatonic’s banks, this is nothing new.

“It goes with the turf,” said McGuire.

Folks living in The Maples have dealt with flooding before, but for those in other areas with a flood warning it’s flood covered roads are a still a concern.

Do not drive over flood waters.

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