10 Years Since Historic Flood of 2011 Swamped Twin Tiers

It has been ten years since the devastating, historic flood of 2011 and some property owners are still dealing with the aftermath.

On September 7, 2011 what was left of Hurricane Lee began to dump heavy rain on the Susquehanna River Valley and continued to douse the region for days.

According to records, 10 to 12 inches of precipitation fell in the Binghamton area. Flood gages recorded water levels as high as 17 feet above flood stage.

The catastrophic flooding came just five years after the flooding of 2006 that was described as a once-in-a-hundred-year flood.

Over 20,000 residents were reportedly evacuated and many more sought higher ground on their own.

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Initial property damage loss reports were put at over $560-million.

Many properties that were inundated in 2006 and again in 2011 have been left as green space or garden areas.

One of the largest parcels that still has not come back to life following the flood is the site of the former BAE factory in Westover.  That sprawling former U-S Airforce site was razed and BAE relocated operations to Endicott.  The plot is now owned by Broome County’s industrial development agency. Discussions are continuing among several government and other agencies about future development of the 27-acre lot on Route 17C.