Blackstone River, like others, still running high as weekend storm looms

NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. — For the last 30 years, Joe Holland had a front-row seat when the Blackstone River floods — including in 2005, when more than a foot of rain in a matter of days caused catastrophic flooding across New England.

“Dumpsters were coming down... propane tanks,” he said. “The water was up completely over the bridge. I didn’t have any water when I went to sleep. The next morning it was coming up the stairs.”

Nothing like that happened this week. Yes, Holland and many others who live along the Blackstone dealt with water in the basement — but it could be measured in inches, not feet. Still, Northbridge residents are keeping an eye on the weekend forecast — and the possibility of more heavy rain.

“We get another two inches of rain Saturday it’ll be back up here in my yard and another foot deep in my basement,” Holland said. “We’ll be ready for it. I got generators and all kinds of extra pumps. I’m ready for Mother Nature. But most of the time she wins.”

But Holland said he doesn’t anticipate a serious problem with the added rain unless the power goes out.

On First Street, evidence of Monday’s flooding hasn’t had a chance to evaporate. A giant pool of water spans one yard. The sump pump at Domenic Elicone’s house continues to drain the basement.

“There’s nothing we can really do about it,” Elicone said. “It comes into our basement. All we can really do is wait till it goes away.”

Elicone said living by the river has its charms — until it doesn’t.

“It’s cool when it’s not raining,” he said. “When it’s not raining it’s nice to look at. But as soon as it starts raining it’s like, Oh, no. Is the water going to flood?”

Seventy-two hours after the last storm the Blackstone is still running high and running fast. That concerns Northbridge Fire Chief David White, who hopes kayakers and other boaters aren’t foolish enough to launch anything this weekend.

“Couple of inches of rain more on top of what we’ve already got may bring it back up to flood stage,” White said. “We’re monitoring it as we speak.”

However, like Holland, White isn’t expecting a deluge.

“We’ve lived along the river our whole life and we kind of know what it’s going to do and what it’s not going to do,” he said.

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