Oxford residents fear creek damage will cause more flooding

OXFORD – Flooding across Rt. 12 has become an all too familiar sight for Oxford residents. Nearby Fly Meadow Creek has a long history of occasional flooding, but since the flood this past June the creek suffered erosion damage that could explain its increased frequency of overflow.

Oxford Department of Transportation (DOT) Resident Engineer Mike Dale admitted flooding occurred Tuesday due to the conditions of the creek.

“It’s at a higher risk of flooding,” said Dale. “It’s happened before.”

Local residents complain that Fly Meadow Creek suffered damage to its banks during the flood in June and has not yet been addressed.

“It was the creek’s bank that gave out,” said Carole Sylstra, a resident affected by Tuesday’s flooding.

Sylstra claimed that in the last two decades her basement had only flooded three times – all within the last 10 months. Many other residents near the scene of Tuesday’s Rt. 12 flood were also surprised by how fast the water rose over the road again.