Flooding

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine signed a state of emergency declaration today following "catastrophic" rainfall that caused an estimated $25 million in damage across the county, particularly along the north shore.

More than four inches of rain fell in some portions of the local area between Sunday morning and early Monday morning, according to National Weather Service data. All roads are open. A flood warning remains in effect until 10:30 a.m.

The entire shoreline of the Peconic River in downtown Riverhead was flooded early Thursday morning following a major winter storm that brought heavy rains and high winds to the region April 3-4. RiverheadLOCAL/Denise Civiletti

Sound Avenue and Hubbard Avenue have multiple trouble spots and a broken fire hydrant is flooding on Rt. 58 just east of Ostrander, making travel difficult there.

The town is seeking federal funding for: a flood resiliency project on the riverfront; an amphitheater & playground in the town square; public Wi-Fi, security cameras, lighting and signage downtown; and about half the cost of a parking garage in the parking lot north of E. Main St.

Instead of changing local zoning and building codes to prevent or even just discourage development in vulnerable, flood-prone coastal areas, Riverhead is actually encouraging high-density development along its downtown riverfront, an area overwhelmed by Sandy’s powerful storm surge and regularly inundated when storm systems far less intense than Sandy bear down on our region.

The Army Corps of Engineers gave a preliminary presentation to town officials and planners earlier this month on flooding possibilities and ways to deal with them.

Soaking rains followed by gusty winds felled trees and power lines around Riverhead, as Tropical Storm Elsa passed through the region.

Floodwaters inundated downtown Riverhead and coastal sections ot Aquebogue and Jamesport Saturday.

Riverhead escaped largely unscathed from yesterday’s nor’easter. "Thank God it wasn't snow," Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said this morning. Things were pretty quiet across...