REGION II DISCOVERY REPORT SARANAC RIVER WATERSHED | HUC 04150406 CLINTON, ESSEX, AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES* * These counties span more than one watershed; please see the following page for a list of communities fully or partially located in the watershed. This report covers only the Saranac River Watershed. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency Region II 26 Federal Plaza, Room 1807 New York, NY 10278 March 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS STUDY INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................................................................1 Project Area Community List .......................................................................................................................................................1 TERMS AND ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................................................................2 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ......................................................................................................................................................................3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................................................................7 DISCOVERY OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................................................................8 DISCOVERY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY ..................................................................................................................11 1. Identification of Stakeholders ...............................................................................................................................................12 2. Pre-Meeting Engagement and Information Exchange .............................................................................................................13 3. Discovery Meetings ..............................................................................................................................................................14 4. Post-Discovery Engagement..................................................................................................................................................15 SARANAC RIVER WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS AND GEOGRAPHY .............................................................................................16 Watershed Disaster Declarations ..............................................................................................................................................18 Clinton County Overview ...........................................................................................................................................................19 Essex County Overview .............................................................................................................................................................21 Franklin County Overview ..........................................................................................................................................................23 SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY RISKS IDENTIFIED ..............................................................................................................................25 Town of Altona – Clinton County ................................................................................................................................................26 Town of Beekmantown – Clinton County ....................................................................................................................................27 Town of Black Brook – Clinton County .......................................................................................................................................28 Town of Dannemora – Clinton County ........................................................................................................................................29 Village of Dannemora – Clinton County .....................................................................................................................................30 Town of Peru – Clinton County ...................................................................................................................................................31 City of Plattsburgh – Clinton County ..........................................................................................................................................32 Town of Plattsburgh – Clinton County ........................................................................................................................................33 Town of Saranac – Clinton County .............................................................................................................................................34 Town of Schuyler Falls – Clinton County .....................................................................................................................................35 Town of North Elba – Essex County ...........................................................................................................................................36 Village of Saranac Lake – Essex & Franklin County ....................................................................................................................37 Town of St. Armand – Essex County ..........................................................................................................................................39 Town of Wilmington – Essex County ...........................................................................................................................................40 Town of Bellmont – Franklin County ...........................................................................................................................................41 Town of Brighton – Franklin County ...........................................................................................................................................42 Town of Duane – Franklin County...............................................................................................................................................43 Town of Franklin – Franklin County ............................................................................................................................................44 Town of Harrietstown – Franklin County .....................................................................................................................................46 Town of Santa Clara – Franklin County ......................................................................................................................................48 Town of Tupper Lake – Franklin County ......................................................................................................................................49 REGION II DISCOVERY REPORT — SARANAC RIVER WATERSHED | I TABLE OF CONTENTS CONT’D RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RISK MAP PROJECT SCOPE ......................................................................................................50 Detailed Study Requests ..........................................................................................................................................................52 Approximate Study Requests ....................................................................................................................................................56 Total Watershed Study Requests Summary ...............................................................................................................................57 Study Requests Outside Project Area ........................................................................................................................................58 RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................................................................59 Reducing the Impact of Flooding to Structures ..........................................................................................................................60 Reducing Your Community’s Flood Insurance Premiums.............................................................................................................60 Mitigation Planning to Reduce Loss of Life and Property ...........................................................................................................60 Understanding the Validity of Flood Hazard Data ......................................................................................................................61 Trainings to Support Local Mitigation Efforts .............................................................................................................................62 Seeking Grants and Support for Hazard Mitigation Projects ......................................................................................................63 Exploring Data Sources Used in Discovery ................................................................................................................................66 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................................................68