NORTHAMPTON, Mass (WWLP) — Flood warnings initially issued Monday were still in effect for the Connecticut River in northern Hampshire County Wednesday, including the city of Northampton.
The river is running high due to the snowmelt in northern New England and recent heavy rainfall.
22News spoke to the owner of the Oxbow Marina about why the high waters are having a negative impact on local boaters.
“As far as boating out there…the river? Forget it. I mean you’ve got driftwood, you got logs coming down, the current is swift,” Mick Dudah told 22News.
It’s a bad combination for boaters.
The waters are calm in the Oxbow, but the level is so high, boaters have to be very careful not to create a wake too close to shore, because that can lead to property damage, and erosion. However, this is not exceptionally rare.
Dudah said the river water rise can happen more than once a year, depending on local rain, torrential rains up north, and melting of the snowpack. And even though Wednesday was nice and dry, we are expecting rain showers from Thursday into Easter Sunday, meaning rivers could rise again later this week.
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