Flash Flood in Connecticut, April 16, 1996

As a low pressure system over the midwest on Monday April 15th, moved northeast, its' associated warm and cold fronts moved across the area during the evening of Tuesday, April 16th.With abundant moisture and unstable air in place, heavy rain and southeast winds gusting over 34 knots preceded the frontal passages.In New Haven County, 12 hour rainfall amounts ranged from 2.83 inches at Oxford to 6.10 inches at East Haven. The following events occurred:o Moderate flooding occurred on the Wepawaug River in Milford CT, on the Quinnipiac River in Southington and Wallingford CT, on the Farm River in East Haven and North Branford CT, on the Muddy River in the Spring Lake area, and on Harbor Brook in Meriden CT. MacKenzie Reservoir, at the headwaters of the Muddy River, overtopped its emergency spillway. The reservoir level reached 196.8 feet. Mandatory evacuation of Clintonville CT, the nearest town downstream, occurs when the reservoir reaches 197 feet.o Five hundred forty seven (547) homes and 28 businessess suffered minor damages.o Three (3) small dams (2 in Middletown and 1 in Wallingford) were breached.The total un-insured flood damage was about 1.5 million dollars according to preliminary damage assessments by the Connecticut Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.