3-5 –14-17

lornajarrettblanchard June 4, 1982

–22 Dead/missing. AP. “New Englanders Dig Out.” Daily Sitka Sentinel, AK, 6-8-1982, p. 2.

–16 Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.

–13 Associated Press. “13 drown in New England.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 6-7-1982, p. 8.

–8 Connecticut (plus one missing) –5 Rhode Island (plus two missing)

Connecticut (11-12)

— 12 Blanchard tally of flooding-related deaths noted by locality below.[1]

—>12 NYT/Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982.[2]

— 11 Hanrahan, Ryan. “The Great 1982 Flash Flood.” Way too Much Weather blog. 5-12-2012.

— 11 Johnston Associates. Realizing the Risk: A History of the June 1982 Floods in [CT].[3]

— 11 NWS NERFC. Historical Floods in the Northeast. “June 1982 Flooding in Connecticut.”

— 11 USGS. Summary of Significant Floods in the US, PR, and the VI, 1970-1989. 2008.

— 10 Hartford Courant (Charles Stannard), CT. “A Look Back at the Flood of ’82.” 6-6-2002.

— 8-9 Associated Press. “13 drown in New England.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 6-7-1982, p. 8.[4]

— 5 National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Storm Data, Vol. 24, No. 6, June 1982, p. 6.

Breakout of Connecticut flooding fatalities by locality where noted:

–1 Bridgeport, June 4-7. Drowning; male, 15, initials T.G., tubing accident.[5]

–1 Clinton, June 6-7. Drowning; male pedestrian, 68, swept off water covered bridge.[6]

–1 Clinton, June 5-7. Heart attack; elderly woman while struggling to bail water in basement.[7]

–1 East Haddam, Middlesex Co., June 6-7. Drowning; female motorist; truck swept into brook.[8]

–1 East Haven, Wepawaug River, June 5-6. Drowning; male motorist, 38, washed out bridge.[9]

–1 Lyme, June 4-7. Drowning, female, 62, initials J.T., truck passenger swept off bridge.[10]

–1 Lyme, June 5-6. Male body found in his car; police reported death as a result of the storm.[11]

–1 Middletown, Coginchaug River, June 6-7. Drowning; male (J.P.), 20; fell out of canoe.[12]

–1 Milford, Indian River, June 5-6. Drowning; male, 65, swept away trying to cross bridge.[13]

–1 New Haven, June 5-6. Male motorist, 80; struck by his own car after stalling in high water.[14]

–1 New London, June 5-7. Drowning; boy, 8, in his flooded home basement.[15]

–1 Orange, June 4-7. Drowning; male (R.V.), 39, passenger in auto swept off bridge (see East Haven)

–1 Putnam, June 6-7. Drowning; female motorist when pickup truck swept away by water.[16]

–1 Redding, Saugatuck Riv., June 6-7. Drowning; male, 28, his rubber raft was swamped.[17]

–1 Salem, June 6-7. Drowning; female, 18, as she tried to escape her stalled truck.[18]

–1 Wallingford, June 5. Drowning; male, 15, rubber inner tube snagged/burst.[19]

Rhode Island (3-5)

— 5 Associated Press. “13 drown in New England.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 6-7-1982, p. 8.

— 5 Associated Press. “New Englanders Dig Out.” Daily Sitka Sentinel, AK, 6-8-1982, p. 2.

— 3 USGS. Rhode Island Floods and Droughts. “Table 1. Chronology of major…floods…”[20]

Narrative Information

Johnson Associates Summary on CT: “On the weekend of June 5-6, 1982, Connecticut suffered its worst flooding since 1955. Heavy rainfall and flooding were widespread throughout the State, but were most severe in south central Connecticut where up to 16 inches of rain fell in about 48 hours, with most rainfall occurring during a 24 hour period. Floods and flashfloods occurred on most of the small and medium size streams. New peak flows were established for many streams and flood frequency recurrence intervals of 200 years and greater were common in small basins. Large rivers, such as the Connecticut and Housatonic, experienced only minor flooding.

“Flooding on many of the smaller rivers was made much worse by the full or partial failure of one or more dams. The most dramatic and concentrated damage in the State occurred when the Bushy Hill Dam in Deep River burst, sending a wall of water down the Falls River that caused or contributed to the failure of six other dams and devastated the Centerbrook and Ivoryton sections of Essex. Throughout the State, 17 dams failed and another 31 were damaged. No flood control structures were damaged….

“Although the National Weather Service provided advance warning of the potential for flash floods, the weather advisories and bulletins issued did not indicate the seriousness of the flooding that was to occur. With the notable exception of Norwich, town officials did not have information that would lead them to issue evacuation notices much in advance of the actual flooding….Of the eleven people that died from flood-related causes, most were the result of careless actions: either rafting down flood swollen streams or crossing flooded bridges. Improvements in Federal, State, and local procedures for identifying flash flood potential and local procedures for providing residents with information on proper preparedness actions could result in fewer losses from future floods.” [p. iii]

NCDC on CT: “A 4-day rainstorm over New England from June 4^th to 7^th left 5 dead and numerous persons injured from flash floods which occurred in Connecticut. A total of 23 dams were breached and 2 broke. Damage was estimated in excess of $276,000,000…the heaviest amounts of rain fell in the southern half of the state with some areas receiving over 14 inches…” (NCDC, “Rainstorm in Connecticut on June 4-7, 1982.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.24, N.6, June 1982, p. 6.)

NCDC on Massachusetts, June 6-7 Heavy Rain and Flooding: “A large stagnant ocean storm produced the greatest amount of flooding since the ‘hurricane rains of the 50’s.’ Six to eight inches of rain swamped the state primarily over central and eastern portions. Large amounts of potatoes, corn and other vegetables were destroyed. Thousands of basements were flooded, hundreds of roads were washed out.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.24, N.6, June 1982, p. 23.)

NCDC on Rhode Island, June 6-7, Heavy Rain: “Very heavy rains of around six inches caused extensive river flooding. Hardest hit areas were along the Pawtucket River in Belmont Park and in Lincoln along the Blackstone River. Homes and automobiles became submerged. Sixty families evacuated Belmont Park.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.24, N.6, June 1982, p. 36.)

National Weather Service: “The heaviest spring rainfall to impact Southern New England occurred the weekend of June 4-7, 1982. A large low pressure system moved up from the Gulf coast and moved slowly up to the northeast, stalling on June 5 positioned to dump large amounts of water over Connecticut, and the rest of southern New England. Up to 16 inches of rain fell in the region over a four day period, with the heaviest amounts occurring in south central Connecticut. Rainfall on Saturday June 5 accounted for over half of that total when up to 10 inches fell….

“The result of this rainfall was many floods and flash floods, primarily in Connecticut. Record floods occurred on many smaller streams through the central part of the state. The larger rivers in Connecticut, the Housatonic and Connecticut, were not greatly impacted as their headwaters in the more northern parts of New England were not impacted by heavy rain. However, the smaller rivers – Yantic, Farmington, Shetucket – all received significant flooding as well as many smaller streams….
“The floods caused the loss of at least eleven lives. In addition damage estimates of approximately 230 million dollars were incurred. Thousands of homes suffered varying degrees of damage.

One significant development from the aftermath of this flooding was the development of a statewide flood warning system under the management of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. While this will not prevent flooding to occur in the future, it may help provide advance warning and prevent the loss of lives and property.” (NWS NERFC. Historical Floods in the Northeast. “June 1982 Flooding in Connecticut.”)

USGS: “A storm that local newspapers dubbed “the worst spring storm during the 20th century” ravaged through Connecticut, eastern New York, and central and eastern Massachusetts on June 5 through 7. The storm produced rainfall totals as high as 16 in. in Connecticut (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1982). At several places, the rainfall recorded with the storm was the highest recorded for a non-hurricane storm. This storm resembled a “northeaster” without the cold temperatures. Almost every stream in Connecticut flooded, with central Connecticut being the hardest hit. Eleven deaths and damages of $250 million were caused by the floods (Paulson and others, 1991).” (USGS. Summary of Significant Floods in the US, PR, and the VI, 1970-1989. 2008.)

Newspaper

June 7: “New Haven, Conn. (AP) — Residents of southern New England were warned today to be on the lookout for more flooding following a weekend deluge that sent up to 12 feet of water through some towns and forced at least 1,300 people to flee. Thirteen people were killed and five others were presumed drowned as a weekend storm dumped up to 11 inches of rain in the area.

“One of the areas hardest hit was Ivoryton, Conn., where two dams on the Fall River burst Sunday, releasing a wall of water that washed away four houses and several cars. ‘It looked like a tidal wave,’ said Christopher Dewey, who lives on Main Street. ‘It was like a white wave covering everything.’

“While the rains which began Friday [June 4] were tapering off today, the National Weather Service posted a flood warning for all of southern New England except Cape Cod….

“Eight people were killed and one was missing in Connecticut, two people were missing in Massachusetts and five people died and two were missing in Rhode Island.

“Helicopters and six-wheeled military vehicles were used to rescue stranded residents as a high-pressure system to the north kept the storm bottled up over the Atlantic Coast all weekend. ‘The damage is tremendous in many towns,’ said Connecticut Gov. William A. O’Neill, who called out National Guard units to help with sandbagging….The governor declared a state of emergency and asked for federal disaster assistance. Coastal areas of Connecticut near Ivoryton were cut off by flooding streams and marshes, and streets and highways were lined with cars stalled by flooded engines. Interstates 95 and 91 in New Haven experienced severe traffic jams due to flooded exits….Floodwaters were receding in most areas today, although the Connecticut River — the state’s largest — was expected to reach four feet above flood stage early today, according to the National Weather Service River Forecast Center in Bloomfield.” (Associated Press. “13 drown in New England.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 6-7-1982, p. 8.)

Sources

Associated Press. “13 drown in New England.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 6-7-1982, p. 8. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/yuma-sun-jun-07-1982-p-8/?tag

Associated Press. “New Englanders Dig Out.” Daily Sitka Sentinel, AK, 6-8-1982, p. 2. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sitka-daily-sentinel-jun-08-1982-p-2/?tag

Hanrahan, Ryan. “The Great 1982 Flash Flood.” Way too Much Weather blog. 5-12-2012. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: http://www.ryanhanrahan.com/2012/05/12/the-great-1982-flash-flood/

Hartford Courant (Charles Stannard), CT. “A Look Back at the Flood of ’82.” 6-6-2002. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: http://articles.courant.com/2002-06-06/news/0206062166_1_tropical-storm-connecticut-river-flood

Johnston, L.R., Associates. Realizing the Risk: A History of the June 1982 Floods in Connecticut. Westport, CT: Published by Natural Resources Center (Water Planning Report No. 7), 1983, 201 pages. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CZIC-gb1399-4-c8-r43-1983/pdf/CZIC-gb1399-4-c8-r43-1983.pdf

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 24, No. 6, June 1982. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, 50 pages. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-DF78D3D1-A5AD-4B24-8982-7A9FE68685E4.pdf

National Weather Service, Northeast River Forecast Center. “June 1982 Flooding in Connecticut.” Historical Floods in the Northeast. Taunton, MA: NERFC, NWS, NOAA. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: https://www.weather.gov/nerfc/hf_june_1982

New York Times/Richard L. Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/08/nyregion/connecticut-begins-struggle-to-recuperate-from-floods.html?pagewanted=all

Perry, Charles A. (USGS). Summary of Significant Floods in the United States and Puerto Rico, 1994 Through 1998 Water Years (Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5194). Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2005. Prepared in USGS, Lawrence, KS. Accessed 2-26-2016 at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2005/5194/pdf/sir2005-5194.pdf

United Press International/Jacqueline Huard. “A storm that spewed up to 10 inches of…” 6-6-1982. Accessed 5-13-2017 at: http://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/06/06/A-storm-that-spewed-up-to-10-inches-of/1782392184000/

U.S. Geological Survey. Rhode Island Floods and Droughts. “Table 1. Chronology of major and other memorable floods and droughts in Rhode Island, 1927-88.” Accessed 5-13-2017 at: https://md.water.usgs.gov/publications/wsp-2375/ri/

[1] Our tally of twelve differs from Kircher Table 3.1 list of eleven(in Johnston 1983, p. 39) in that we include the New Haven death of an elderly man whose car was reportedly stalled in high water, and whose death was reportedly caused by the car rolling over him as he tried to work on it.

[2] “Hartford, June 7 — Connecticut began bailing out today…`It’s an economic tragedy…’ Gov. William A. O’Neill said of the slow-moving storm that dumped 7 to 11 inches of rain and left at least 12 persons dead or missing across the state since Friday night.”

[3] Notes that funding for project and report was provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[4] Notes eight dead and one missing.

[5] Toby Kircher, CT Dept. of Health Services. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7, 1982,” in L.R. Johnston Associates, 1983, p. 39. [Blanchard note: A 15 year-old male also drowned in a tubing accident in Wallingford, as we have noted, and which this report also notes — thus this is not a mistaken double-listing.]

[6] NCDC. Storm Data, 24/6, June 1982, p. 15. Victim identified as Christopher Sprance, 68, who was walking home with wife when swept away. (NYT/Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982.) The description “Swept off water covered bridge” is from Toby Kircher, CT Dept. of Health Services. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7, 1982,” in L.R. Johnston Associates, 1983, p. 39.

[7] Hartford Courant (Charles Stannard), CT. “A Look Back at the Flood of ’82.” 6-6-2002. Also: Toby Kircher, CT DHS. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7, 1982,” in L.R. Johnston Associates, 1983, p. 39.

[8] NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 24, No. 6, June 1982, p. 15. Possibly the death noted by Hartford Courant: “The fourth county [Middlesex] fatality was June Thomas, a 62-year-old East Haddam resident…[and high school] art teacher… Her car stalled as she was returning from a wedding in Chester. Thomas was picked up by a town highway crew truck in Lyme. She was killed when the truck fell off a collapsed bridge over the Roaring Brook in Hadlyme.”

[9] New York Times/Richard L. Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982. Writes: “The body of Robert Vernon, 38, of East Haven was found Sunday [June 6] in his partially submerged car. The police said he apparently had not realized a bridge was washed away and had driven into the Wepawaug River.” However, a UPI article writes: “Robert Vernon, 39, of East Haven drowned early Sunday along Route 121 in Orange after his car was washed off the road and into a rain-filled ditch. Police said a bridge over Route 121 was washed out and Vernon apparently tried to cross the road.” (United Press International/Jacqueline Huard. “A storm that spewed up to 10 inches of…” 6-6-1982.) Kircher, in Johnston (1983, p. 39), has the age of R.V. as 39.

[10] Kircher, CT DHS. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7, 1982,” in L.R. Johnston Associates, 1983, p. 39. Highlighted in yellow to denote this is a reference to the death we list under East Haddam above.

[11] United Press International/Jacqueline Huard. “A storm that spewed up to 10 inches of…” 6-6-1982. Highlighted in yellow to denote that we do not include in our tally in that it is not included in the Kircher table in Johnston.

[12] Hartford Courant (Charles Stannard), CT. “A Look Back at the Flood of ’82.” 6-6-2002. The victim’s initials of J.P. from: Kircher, CT DHS. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7, 1982,” in L.R. Johnston Associates, 1983, p. 39. Kircher, however, lists this as a “rafting accident.”

[13] United Press International/Jacqueline Huard. “A storm that spewed up to 10 inches of…” 6-6-1982. Writes: “Milford Police Chief William Bull said an elderly man was swept away by water while trying to cross a bridge over the Indian River in Milford. Bull said the man slipped from the grasp of two would-be rescuers and…swept away.” The age is from: Kircher, CT DHS. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7, 1982,” in L.R. Johnston Associates, 1983, p. 39. Kircher account gives initials of victim as W.G., and notes “Hanging onto auto swept into river.” Also notes body not recovered.

[14] New York Times/Richard L. Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982. Victim identified as Joseph Pestey. UPI writes that “Police said Pestey got out of his car that stalled at a traffic light, leaving the car in gear. As Pestey worked on the car, police said, the vehicle rolled over him.” (United Press International/ Jacqueline Huard. “A storm that spewed up to 10 inches of…” 6-6-1982.) This death is not included in Kircher, CT DHS. “Table 3.1: Flood-Related Deaths, Storm of June 4-7…” in L.R. Johnston Assoc., 1983, p. 39.

[15] NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 24, No. 6, June 1982, p. 15. Identified in the press as Christopher LaPoint. (New York Times/Richard L. Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982.) Also in Kircher.

[16] NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 24, No. 6, June 1982, p. 15.

[17] New York Times/Richard L. Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982. While this article notes that he was missing and presumed drowned, we have looked up on Crestleaf.com a death record for Warren Bates of Redding, CT, who is noting as having died in June of 1982. Also this death is included in Kircher table 3.1 in Johnston, 1983, p. 39.

[18] NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 24, No. 6, June 1982, p. 15. Probably same death noted by NYT/Madden: “In Salem in eastern Connecticut, 19-year-old Jill E. Conant of Putnam was drowned when a pickup truck in which she was a passenger stalled and was swept away along Eight-Mile River. Two other persons in the truck were saved.” (NYT/ Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982.) Also Kircher in Johnston 1983, 39.

[19] New York Times/Richard L. Madden. “Connecticut Begins Struggle to Recuperate from Floods.” 6-8-1982. Another article notes that: “Richard Poggio, 15, of Wallingford, disappeared Saturday [5^th] while tubing with three friends on Wharton Brook in Wallingford. Their inner tube caught on brush and burst. The Civil Air Patrol led the ground search Sunday for Poggio.” (United Press International/Jacqueline Huard. “A storm that spewed up to 10 inches of…” 6-6-1982.) Listed as one of 11 deaths in Kircher Table 3.1 in Johnston 1983, p. 39.

[20] Notes the flood event was June 5-6, 1982. and that the Pawcatuck and Pawtuxet River basis were the hardest hit. In the text below the table, the Providence Journal of 6-8-1982 is cited (apparently as the source).