Vermont dams near maximum capacity as storm pummels Northeast

Vermont and neighboring areas in the Northeast, are experiencing historic flooding that has trapped residents in their homes, disrupted travel and caused millions of dollars in property damage.

Authorities are working to manage heavy flooding in and around Vermont’s capital, Montpelier, while monitoring three dams that were approaching their maximum capacity.

Water levels continued to rise Tuesday morning at the Wrightsville Dam north of Montpelier, according to Police Chief Eric Nordenson.

"The Wrightsville Dam only has 6 feet of storage capacity left. If water exceeds capacity, the first spillway will release water into the North Branch River. This has never happened since the dam was built so there is no precedent for potential damage,” William Fraser, the city manager of Montpelier, said in a Facebook post on Monday.

"There would be a large amount of water coming into Montpelier which would drastically add to the existing flood damage...Unfortunately, there are very few evacuation options remaining. People in at risk areas may wish to go to upper floors in their houses," Fraser added.

The U.S Army Corps of Engineers warned on Monday that the Ball Mountain Dam in Jamaica and the Townshend Dam in Townshend were at risk of overflowing and expected to cause "severe flooding" overnight. The Army Corps of Engineers released an update Tuesday saying the risk of significant overflow from both dams had diminished overnight.

"Water will still be released from the dams, but in smaller amounts than previously anticipated," the Army Corps of Engineers' New England district wrote in a tweet.

Water levels peaked in several nearby rivers but began to recede by 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

"It's not just your imagination that this is a big flood. This has been the second highest recorded Winooski River level in history, behind only the historic 1927 flood. This is higher than 1992 and both 2011 flood events," the Montpelier city government stated on Facebook.

"We have not seen rainfall like this since Irene," Vermont GOP Gov. Phil Scott said, in reference to the storm in August 2011.

Montpelier issued an emergency health order closing their downtown until at least noon on Tuesday, according to CBS News.

No deaths or injuries have been reported in Vermont, emergency officials said.

Rescuers from North Carolina, Michigan and Connecticut were able to reach Vermont towns on Monday that had previously been unreachable when the storm began, according to Mike Cannon of Vermont Urban Search and Rescue.

Water rescue teams in Vermont carried out over 50 rescues, primarily in the southern and central areas of the state, Vermont Emergency Management said Monday night.