
GILBOA, N.Y. (AP) - New York City's Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland says his agency has finished work to repair the spillway of the Gilboa Dam in Schoharie County after it was damaged during Hurricane Irene.
Record-breaking water flow eroded two sections of the spillway. A scheduled $350 million upgrade of the dam continues. Strickland said the dam has been and continues to be safe.
Residents of communities downstream of the dam feared it would give way during the hurricane, which had brought severe flooding to the Schoharie Valley.
County officials evacuated the flood zone downstream of the dam when higher than expected rainfall and the communication failure of some electronic sensors caused emergency sirens to go off.
The dam is part of the city's upstate water supply.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)