Published in the Courier News on April 3, 2005
From staff reports
Residents of flood-prone areas in Central Jersey anxiously watched the skies and rivers Saturday as a rainstorm moving up the East Coast brought with it heavy rains and threats of flooding.
At 3:45 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Raritan River. The river was expected to crest today, hours after the rain was predicted to end.
The Raritan was expected to crest 4 feet above flood stage at Manville and Bound Brook this morning, with the Millstone River at Blackwells Mills in Hillsborough expected to crest five feet above flood stage at noon today.
The North Branch of the Raritan was predicted to crest a foot above flood stage tonight, though the river was reported rapidly rising and about a foot below Route 28 in North Branch about 9 p.m.
By Saturday evening, several area roads that usually flood were already flooded. Southside Avenue in Somerville was closed after Peter's Brook overflowed its banks, and Burnt Mills Road between Branchburg and Bedminster had already been closed by floodwaters from the North Branch.
Bridgewater police said Old York Road going into Branchburg -- where the two branches of the Raritan River meet -- was closed by 7:30 p.m. due to flooding. Branchburg police reported isolated trees and wires down but nothing that caused injuries or serious problems.
In Hillsborough, police reported that many roads leading to bridges over the South Branch of the Raritan River were closed beginning Saturday afternoon. Other roads closed were Blackwells Mills Road over the Millstone River into Franklin and Sunnymead Road between Hamilton and Falcon roads.
In Middlesex, River Road was closed between Lincoln Boulevard and Baekeland Avenue at 8 p.m., police said. Bedminster police said about 9 p.m. that Lake Road in Far Hills was to be closed.
The threat of rising waters from the South Branch prompted one Hillsborough resident early Saturday afternoon to enlist the help of the Hillsborough Rescue Squad to protect some of his livestock.
Two emus and some sheep were grazing in fenced pasture on Three Bridges Road near the river. The owner, worried that rising waters might entrap the animals and unable to get to them himself because of flooding, called for help around 1 p.m.
The Hillsborough Rescue Squad responded and took the man to the pasture area in its boat. The resident opened the gate, allowing the animals to flee to higher ground, said the squad's chief, David Gwin.
Later Saturday afternoon, a motorist came close to being swept away when he missed a barricade and drove into flood waters.
Police said a man was driving on Reaville Road late Saturday afternoon when he passed a barricade blocking off a portion of flooded roadway by the intersection of Everitts Road and drove his vehicle directly into the high waters.
Police said the man successfully exited his vehicle but was unable to pull the vehicle from the waters. Police responded and a tow truck removed the car. No injuries were reported.
Andrew Rehm, owner of Frascella's Liquors on John Street in downtown Bound Brook, was anxious Saturday night about what the morning might bring.
In 1999, Rehm lost $40,000 worth of merchandise in the Hurricane Floyd flooding when the rampaging water was six feet deep inside his store.
Asked by one of his Spanish-speaking customers about what he thought might happem, Rehm replied jokingly that Main Street and Talmage Avenue would become "calle de pescado," or road of fish.
Rehm said most downtown business owners were frustrated at the slow progress of the federal Green Brook flood control project, which was initiated because of a flash flood in 1973.
"It always seems there's enough money to give to for foreign governments though we taxpayers are not served properly," he said.
Courier News staffers Greg Marano, Christa Segalini and Michael Deak contributed to this story.
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