Following record rainfall and detrimental flooding up and down the Northeast, Governor M. Jodi Rell activated 150 Connecticut National Guard troops to aid towns and cities in the eastern part of the state. The Guard is also on alert should they be needed to alleviate flooding in Hartford and Middletown, which are further south than the most affected areas.

Although the University is located nearly a mile uphill from the river, several parking lots on campus have flooded with collected water. University staff who live in nearby towns have also been detrimentally affected by the rains. Olin Library Accounting Specialist and Cataloging Assistant Joy Mlozanowski has been grappling with a flooded basement in her home in Haddam, located 10 miles east of Middletown. Haddam is not in a flood area, however Mlozanowski said that many people who have never been affected by flooding before are now dealing with extensive damage.

“It’s just that the ground became so saturated,” she said. “It’s too much [water].”

The Connecticut River crested or reached its highest level at 21.5 feet, which is 5.5 feet above flood stage on Thursday according to news website NBC Connecticut. The river crested in the Middletown area around 3 a.m. today, reaching approximately 14 feet, or about six feet above flood stage.