UPDATE: Chautauqua County's Office for the Aging is checking in on 77-year-old Richard Reisch to be sure he has enough food and water until he's able to cross the creek again. Reisch says he plans to get a temporary crossing in place sometime next week, until a more permanent solution can be reached next spring.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The cleanup is underway after heavy downpours on Sunday flooded a number of towns and cities across Western New York.
A man in Stockton can no longer leave his driveway after severe flooding washed away his bridge.
"It was a big surprise let me tell you," said Richard Reisch. "A lot of force had to rip that apart. A lot of force."
Reisch says he has no idea how he'll be able to afford to replace the 20-year-old bridge.
Powerful rain forced the water level to rise in the creek running through his property and under his driveway.
Reisch says the water was flowing over his bridge and across the surrounding field.
"I've been on this property 20 years. I've never heard or seen it rain like it did this past weekend,” he said. "Only once before did I see it up to the top and it didn't wash it out. I'm sure it was over the top."
The bridge washed away in a matter of minutes.
Reisch reached out to Chautauqua County on Monday, but had not heard back as of the time of our report. Over the years, he asked county leaders to clear out beaver dams along the creek that, he says, can cause high water levels.
"Afraid lay this all on me, even though it was their fault that it happened," said Reisch.
