[Dockside]

And does Lake Champlain even flood that badly? I've seen homes in other shoreline areas that are impractical due to the high hurricane and flood insurance rates. Does anyone have any experience with this in the Burlington area? How far would I have to be from Lake C to avoid flood insurance? Thanks.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

I cant answer your question specifically but I
can inform you of the Bu$h Congress / Katrina
give-a-way to the insurance companies that snuck
through quietly, whereas an insurace company is allowed
to break the terms of your mortgage and assign you
flood insurance at their discretion. We have Chase and
what they did to us between the surprise insurance assignment
and the +6% overage they are allowed to steal for 'escrow
overage' upped our payment by 200.00 a month. This is made
all the more insulting by that fact that our house is clearly out
of a flood zone according to FEMAS own charts and that there
is not enuff water in Southern Vermont to flood our house that
is a half acre back and 30ft. above Otter Creek, the reason they
claim we require it. They said they would entertain a dispute but
it must include a surveyers letter. This is a very costly process
and since we are moving, just accepted the unethical usary because
it wouldnt be in our best interest to fight it.

[Dockside]

Katrina was 2005, but what really panicked the insurance companies was the 2006 hurricane forecasts that predicted total chaos. Insurance rates went through the roof. I've looked at homes for sale that I can't touch...the insurance is unaffordable. Good luck to those people trying to sell.

[MRVphotog]

I don't think there is a big problem with Lake Champlain and flooding. In Vermont we do get bad flooding but it happens due to rivers flooding. Here in the MRV we had a 100 year flood back on June 27th, 1998. It was an amazing experience, incredible amount of damage. I'll never forget it.

From the Boston Globe:
VT. FLOODING TRAPS RESIDENTS, SWEEPS AWAY CARS, BRIDGES
Published on June 28, 1998
Author(s): Ellen O'Brien, Globe Staff and Lolly Bowean, Globe Correspondent

WARREN, Vt. -- A day of relentless rain forced riverbanks and bridges to collapse yesterday, spewing forth dangerous waters that swept away mobile homes and cars, forced residents into trees, and stranded hikers on mountaintops.

Governor Howard Dean declared a state of emergency in four counties -- Addison, Washington, Orange, and Windsor -- and said that he would be touring the sites by helicopter as early as today. He said he expects the area will be declared a federal disaster area.

[Dockside]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

It was an amazing experience, incredible amount of damage.

I saw the damage. We spent a week in Waitsfield right after the flood. It wiped out my wife's favorite bead store and blew the local economy away. Warren was a mess and all the swimming holes along the Mad River were too dangerous to swim in.

I love that area, it truly is God's country.

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by Dockside

I saw the damage. We spent a week in Waitsfield right after the flood. It wiped out my wife's favorite bead store and blew the local economy away. Warren was a mess and all the swimming holes along the Mad River were too dangerous to swim in.

I love that area, it truly is God's country.

I assume that's Baked Beads, they did move, in fact they just had their famous annual Bead Sale, but not cause of the flood. I heard if your into beads it's the place to be.

Yup, there was alot of damage, it also cancelled the Ben/Jerry Festival but the economy got back pretty quick. They fixed the damaged roads(Rt 100 south thru the gulf looked like an accordian) and bridges amazingly fast. Places away from the river were fine like Sugarbush and many restaurants and lodging places.

The swimming in the Mad River definately was disaffected pretty much of the whole summer. Some the septic tanks for a few homes near the river ended up in river.

[tkln]

Was there any specific reason that there was so much damage (ie, homes built up by the river, dams that broke, etc)? I've got the Mad River Valley on my list of places to possibly move to (one day!) and flooding is one of my major concerns. I've had water issues in my current home since I was 5, and do not want to repeat that when we move.

I know catastrophic storms can happen anywhere, but have they done anything to help prevent this kind of damage from happening again?

[MRVphotog]

Rain, lots of rain over a couple of days caused the flood. Most homes are not right on the river. My place is about 200 yds from the river and I had no problems. The Mad River is called the Mad River as it is one of the few rivers that flow north so what happens on the Winnooski River has no effect.