Flood waters

RECENT RAINSTORMS HAVE given new meaning to the term “waterfall.” The Otter Creek Falls in Middlebury have been as violent and noisy as they have ever been. Independent photo/Steve James

THE RAGING MIDDLEBURY falls after the torrential rains in July. Independent photo/Steve James

WATER INUNDATES A wetland area in Salisbury, a fairly common sight in these parts in the wake of an unrelenting period of rainfall. Independent photo/Steve James

Rains over the past 10 days have sent the water in Lake Dunmore to historic levels, sending docks adrift, flooding some lower-lying homes, and causing shoreline erosion. Unfortunately, too many boaters early on were unaware of the damage caused by driving their boats or jet-skis too fast, including pulling skiers and tubers, and sending wakes into submerged docks and against fragile shorelines. State officials belatedly got the message and closed the lake to motorboats by Tuesday, but not before many lake residents were more than frustrated as seen by this sign on a Lake Dunmore home. Lake levels will likely stay too high for boaters for much of this week and into the weekend, if projected rains hit again this weekend. Photo submitted

FLOODED LAND JUST north of Morse Road in July. Photos courtesy of the Vermont Civil Air Patrol.

LOOKING EAST OF South Street Extension (south of Porter Hospital). Photos courtesy of the Vermont Civil Air Patrol.

AS OF WEDNESDAY morning, July 19, the pedestrian bridge from Middlebury’s Mill Street to the Marble Works was closed until further notice due to concern of potential damage to the support structure from the recent flooding. The bridge will reopen once it is inspected and can be assured it is safe. Independent photo/Megan James

THIS BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW arced in gentle evening light over the Elderly Services Inc. property in Middlebury following the long and violent thunderstorm on Thursday, July 13. Photo by Ken Schoen

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