Concord, NH - The Flood of 2006

May 15, 2006 Report

"...the worst flood in 100 years."

by Jim Cummings

We have been having torrential rains for the past few days with major flooding. This morning when I got up, I found that I have lost part of my backyard to Rattlesnake Brook. An old clay storm drain, buried for probably over one hundred years had blasted open from the pressure of the water and blew out the embankment. Trees fell over into my vegetable garden, crushing part of the fence and one of my pear trees has gone down the river. The other pear tree was merely shattered by the falling trees.

Rattlesnake Brook once ran underground through a granite tunnel and had once upon a time powered the mills of West Concord. Now it is above ground. A canyon has been created in my neighbor's backyard.

The apartment building across the street, Mill Place West, a former textile mill has been evacuated. The city workers that I showed the newly emerged storm drain to were amazed to discover where the water had gone.

Another view of Mill Place West.

  This is upper rattlesnake brook running through a granite culvert toward Mill Place West from Quaker St.

This is the play ground at the back of Garrison School, Rattlesnake Brook runs out of Penacook Lake behind the school.

  This is the swimming pool, empty yesterday, full today.

This view is from the bottom of the gulley in my backyard. At the top left is where the embankment was blasted out by the water.

This is just below the old mill dam, downstream from me. Normally this brook is a small tinkling trickle.

This is an access road for a new development across the street from Penacook Lake.

We have been told that the water rights to Rattlesnake Brook were purchased by the city in 1892 from the same mill that had produced blue (wool) cloth for Civil War uniforms. The mill's former land area is adjacent to our property. (Rattlesnake Brook that powered the mill is the same one that caused some of the flood damage in our area).

Update in December 2010:  The City of Concord, New Hampshire has purchased the property formerly owned by Reino Egland. They will tear down the old house and outbuildings, will install a new culvert to divert the underground brook, and will develop the land area near North State Street, as a walking access point / trailhead for the walking trails along the Merrimack River. Parking will be located on Clark Street, according to the latest plan. The approximately two hundred acre tract of land will add to the recreational possibilities in our fair city. As of this writing, work to demolish the existing land buildings has not yet been started.

Copyright 2006. Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH.  All rights reserved, including text and photos.
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