Serious flooding evacuates Campbell

CAMPBELL--Warm weather at the end of last week, combined with rain, created serious problems on the Cohocton River near the hamlet of Campbell. Ice jams forced water to go out instead of downstream and caused significant flooding in the region, Friday, Jan. 12. The Campbell-Savona high school was closed early and an evacuation of the hamlet was put into place.
Steuben County Emergency Services Director Tim Marshall said gas and electrical utilities were shut off to approximately 11 homes due to flood damage, although no one required shelter at the American Red Cross station. The shelter is now closed.
Marshall said local officials became aware early Friday morning of several ice jams along the Cohocton River. The ice broke loose first in Bath near the Veterans Affairs (VA) Center and later in Avoca near the Bombardier plant. That ice moved downstream and jammed again in Campbell, creating a dangerous flooding situation for students and staff at the high school and officials moved to evacuate the school.
The officials themselves had to leave the town hall due to rising waters around 2 p.m. and ordered an evacuation of the hamlet around 2:45 p.m.
Around 3:30 p.m., the ice jam broke and the flood levels began to drop, Marshall said.
"We were amazed the ice jam broke up," he said. "If you had seen it, you would have thought 'no way.'"
The ice jam, also a concern for homes on the Cohocton River in the towns of Erwin and Painted Post, has since moved east, Marshall said.
Marshall added anyone in the affected hamlet still needing assistance should call 2-1-1 for referrals.
The Campbell Volunteer Fire Department was assisted by the Bath Volunteer Fire Department, the Bath VA Fire Department, and volunteers from the Savona, North Corning, South Corning and Coopers Plains fire departments, the Steuben County Sheriff and Office of Emergency Services, the New York state police, state Department of Transportation, Corning Natural Gas and the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG).