Troubled waters: Plymouth residents form watershed group to address Canasawacta

PLYMOUTH – Months after flood waters caused significant damage, residents in Plymouth have found a resolution to the problem they say was detected long before the June flood.

Fall’s edition of newly-established Plymouth Newsletter explains that as early as March, members from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Department of Transportation (DOT), Army Corps of Engineers and the Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) met with town of Plymouth landowners and discussed erosion of the stream and its banks along nearly six miles of the Canasawacta Creek, acknowledging it could mean serious problems. In early June, representatives again walked the creek collecting and documenting data required for stream repair and/or maintenance.

Following the second visit, June’s end of the month flood took an even worse toll on the creek, its banks and nearby homes. On Aug. 21, agencies met again to discuss their findings with landowners. Original planning included corrective actions to repair sections posing problems to roads or bridges.

The June flood had changed the circumstances and although representatives are trying to work out the problems, there is no funding available for homeowners. Residents were told the only way to get assistance would be to form a non-profit watershed committee and apply for state and federal grants.

Plymouth residents working with regulatory agencies have now formed such a committee. The committee was adopted by the town board Sept. 11. The goal of the committee is to fix the problems within the creek which could result in, just one area alone, losing up to 13 homes.