The Connecticut River is up over its banks, affecting places like Middletown’s Harbor Park.
You would normally find people walking along the boardwalk at Harbor Park in Middletown. But on Wednesday, you couldn't see it, as it was hidden under two to three feet of water.
What you could see was large pieces of debris floating along the Connecticut River. Situated right along the river, the Harbor Park is vulnerable to flooding.
Middletown's fire chief says the water started to rise Wednesday morning and it will continue doing that for the next several hours.
"It's expected to crest here in Middletown at midnight. 21.4 feet above flood stage," Fire Chief Jay Woron said.
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Woron said that will bring the water into the parking lot. Meanwhile, people stopped by the park to get a closer look at the flooding.
"The biggest problem is the debris," Lorry Young of Cromwell said.
Young said she spends her summers boating on the Connecticut River. Nervous about high flood levels, she pulled her boat out of the water and was forced to adjust her summer plans.
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"We have guests from France who arrived last night. Our plan was to go to Sag Harbor tomorrow, because they've never been to Long Island, and obviously that's not going to happen," Young said. "Life on the river. C'est la vie."
Her friends said they were not expecting to see this on their trip.
"It's all this debris on the river, I've never seen that before," said Nicole Belaud of Toulouse, France.
Throughout the day, Woron said their marine unit was securing docks around the river to prevent them from getting swept away.
He and the city's Director of Emergency Management Robert Kronenberger advise everyone to stay away from high flood areas. It's what's below the water that can be dangerous.
"Be smart, be cautious. I mean, we're in the height of summer. No one wants to keep their boat on a trailer, but at the same time, you not only want to do damage to your boat, you want to make sure the passengers stay safe as well," Kronenberger said.
He said he expects the river levels to return to normal in the next seven to 10 days. Even then, he advises waiting a little longer because debris could still be in the water.
