How Tropical Storm Isaias showed the town's weak points
The Town of Yorktown hazard plan, which covers Jefferson Valley, records Tropical Storm Isaias on August 4, 2020. The storm brought down 58 trees and caused power outages that lasted up to seven days in places. Seven days without power means seven days of sump pumps that do not run and refrigerators that thaw and leak.
A long outage is where a battery backup for a sump pump is worth the price. Around-the-clock dispatch is available for the town regardless of the weather.
Where Yorktown records localized flooding
Jefferson Valley is a census-designated place that sits mostly in the northeast corner of Yorktown, with US 6 running through it. The Taconic State Parkway is on the western side of the town and the Putnam County line is to the north. The plan names localized flooding in the Hunterbrook and Greenwood Street areas, along Brookside Avenue, on Hunterbrook Road near Fox Tail Lane, on Mohegan Avenue and Dale Street and on New Road in Shrub Oak.
Those streets are not all in Jefferson Valley, but they sit in the same town and drain into the same systems. If you live near any of them, water that rises on the road can reach a lower level or a crawl space.
What the Yorktown plan says about flood insurance
| Measure | Figure in the plan | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| National Flood Insurance Program policies | 170 | Flood insurance is uncommon relative to housing stock |
| Claims paid | 197 | Claims have occurred even in low-risk areas |
| Total paid | $765,684.43 | Losses are real, not theoretical |
| Repetitive-loss properties | 7 | Some addresses flood again and again |
Figures are from the town hazard plan and describe the town, not only Jefferson Valley.
A storm cleanup in Jefferson Valley
Safety first
Downed lines, gas smells and blocked roads are handled before work starts inside.
Remove the water
Pumps and wet vacuums clear standing water, and wet insulation and drywall come out as needed.
Dry the structure
Air movers and dehumidifiers run until readings match dry reference materials.
Repair
Ceilings, walls and floors are rebuilt once the roof or opening is closed.
See storm water damage cleanup for the full process and water extraction for how pumping works.
Permits and who answers for Jefferson Valley
Repairs that need permits in Jefferson Valley go through the Town of Yorktown Building Department at 363 Underhill Avenue, which also handles floodplain regulations. The town's flood law requires new construction in mapped flood zones to be built two feet above the base flood elevation.
Jefferson Valley sits in Westchester County, a different county from Mahopac, so county health and highway authorities differ from the ones that serve our home base. The Jefferson Valley Mall and the retail along US 6 are commercial properties where commercial water damage restoration may apply.
If water is still spreading in Jefferson Valley
Shut the main valve
Turn it clockwise until it stops. Open a low faucet to drain the line.
Power off wet circuits
Use the breaker panel only if it is dry and clear of standing water.
Move things up
Raise boxes, rugs and electronics, and unplug devices on wet floors only after the power is off.
Skip contaminated water
Runoff and drain backups should not be touched or walked through.
Call the 24/7 line
Tell us the street, the depth and the source.
Water in your Jefferson Valley home
Call the 24/7 line and tell us what happened.
Jefferson Valley on the map
The map is centered on Jefferson Valley, near the Jefferson Valley Mall and the US 6 corridor. Our base is on Route 6 in Mahopac to the north.
Jefferson Valley water damage questions
Yes, around the clock, including during storms and long outages. Call and describe the situation.
Jefferson Valley uses ZIP 10535, which covers the US 6 corridor and the mall area. Nearby Shrub Oak has its own ZIP, 10588, and we serve that too.
Sump pumps and refrigerators stop running in an outage. A basement can flood because the pump has no power, and thawing food leaks.
The Town of Yorktown Building Department. They also handle floodplain rules.
Wind and rain damage that comes through a storm-created opening is often covered. Flood and groundwater are often separate. Check your policy.