Hurricane Isabel’s tantrum turned out to be less destructive than expected.  Isabel made her way to Delaware on Thursday September 18th, but she did not bring the all the rain that was expected, leaving Delaware with only minor flooding and damage in most areas.   Northern Delaware surface waters were already high and had flooded only a few days before Isabel’s visit.

High winds brought down branches and toppled trees all over the state.  It's likely the high rainfall Delaware has experienced this year attributed to the number of downed trees.  The ground was so saturated that the winds were knocking trees over, bringing the roots along with the rest of the tree and leaving large holes.   Toppled trees also brought down power lines in some areas, leaving residents without power for several days in some areas, including parts of northern New Castle County, and in the Middletown area.

Isabel damaged piers and eroded shorelines. The  fishing pier at Woodland Beach was damaged and waves washed away the beach.  Erosion along the Murderkill River was minimal due to the wooded buffers, though water levels were higher than many residents ever recalled.   Some flooding occurred in the Inland Bays and Nanticoke as well.

At Port Mahon in Little Creek the road was flooded and waves crashed over the rocks.

The agriculture community was also impacted by Isabel.  In some areas, fields were flooded and crops were flattened by the high winds.

Prior to Isabel’s visit, Governor Minner declared a State of Emergency, closing state offices and schools and recommending businesses to close Thursday and Friday.  Gov. Minner also opened shelters throughout the state for residents living in mobile homes, low-lying areas, and coastal areas.  Dover Downs opened the Ballroom in their hotel to race fans in Dover for the Nascar Race.   Nascar events were cancelled Thursday and Friday, however the Busch and Winston Races continued as scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Isabel’s visit may have turned out to be slightly more than a “non-event”, but it was a good example of how the residents of Delaware can pull together in response to such events.  We also saw the dedication of state and local agencies pulling together to provide support and clean-up efforts for residents.