Vermont Flood Disaster Fears as Officials Warn Wrightsville Dam at Capacity

City officials in Vermont are warning residents that unprecedented levels of water in a crucial dam could see it fail, leading to a "potentially dangerous situation."

The Wrightsville Dam in Montpelier, the state's capital, only has 6 feet of storage capacity left before the water will exceed its capacity, City Manager William Fraser posted on Facebook on Tuesday morning. The dam has never spilled over before, meaning "there is no precedent for potential damage."

It is unclear how long it would take for the dam to exceed its capacity.

The news comes as Vermont has been hit by severe flash flooding caused by a rainstorm, sparking road closures and evacuations. Videos showed how the power of the raging floodwaters has torn through Vermont roads, with cars submerged or swept away and residents trapped in their homes.

Newsweek reached out to the office of Vermont Governor Phil Scott via email for further information and comment.

Much of New England and New York have also been battered by the torrential downpours. But the dire situation looks set to continue in Vermont as the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the region warning of "potentially catastrophic flash flooding" on Monday.

Fraser's post online was headlined "Potentially Dangerous Situation."

"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. There would be a large amount of water coming into Montpelier which would drastically add to the existing flood damage," Fraser wrote.

"This will be particularly bad along the North Branch River corridor and into the downtown. Unfortunately, there are very few evacuation options remaining. People in at-risk areas may wish to go to upper floors in their houses. The City has asked for swift water rescue assets to be moved into the area to assist when possible."

Fraser wrote that Montpelier is moving its dispatch center and Emergency Operations Center to the city's Water Treatment Plant "as a precaution."

The city manager warned residents that "computer and radio systems at the Police Station may become incapacitated if floodwaters increase. Again, could be a dangerous situation."

The Wrightsville Dam, in the town of Middlesex, was built as part of a flood control project in 1935. It was modified to its current configuration in the early 1980s, with a hydropower station, according to Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation, which owns the dam. It is 115 feet high and 1,525 feet in length.