Schoharie County was ready for anything Hurricane Sandy can throw at it, officials agreed at a press conference Monday.
What a difference a day makes, as the feared hurricane barely swiped the area.
More than a dozen federal, state and local officials gathered at the New York Power Authority in Blenheim Monday to assure residents they were ready for what could have been a duplicate of last year's Irene.
A good share of that readiness was the lowering of the water levels in the New York Power Authority's lower reservoir and New York City's Gilboa Reservoir.
Releasing water before the storm hit allowed the reservoirs to lessen flood danger, though not prevent flooding.
"We're fully prepared for the influx," said NYPA's Lynn Hait, adding that the reservoir was down to its lowest operating level.
Paul Ross of NYC's Department of Environmental Protection said water was diverted through the Shandaken Tunnel, as requested by Assemblyman Pete Lopez and Harold Vroman, chairman of the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors.
"Indications from the forecast are that water will not go over the spillway" and into Schoharie Creek, Mr. Ross said, because of the lowering of the water level.
"We learned our lessons from Irene," he added.
As for the dam itself, "I assure 100 percent that the dam is safe," Mr. Ross said.
But while the holding power of the reservoirs was encouraging, flooding remained a distinct possibility, according to Jim Tierney, assistant commissioner of Water Resources for the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Streams suffered severe damage from Irene, he said, with high water either straightening the streams--so water rushes faster--or being cut off from wetlands and flood plains.
"The streams can't store water the way they should," Mr. Tierney said. "Even the smaller streams can produce severe flooding."
An expected six inches of rain didn't materialize, however, and the area received about an inch, officials said later.
Nonetheless, county teams were ready for such danger, county Emergency Management Director Kevin Neary said. All schools were prepared to be shelters, except Gilboa-Conesville, where the Conesville Firehouse would have been the shelter, he said.
"We couldn't have prepared like this without help from the schools," he said.
Starting on Thursday, Mr. Neary had repeated meetings with county department heads, fire chiefs, utility representatives and others to prepare.
"We have lines of communication where we can share information rapidly," Mr. Neary said.
"We're ready, God forbid, if we need the shelters up and running."
Residents needing storm information could dial 2-1-1, Mr. Neary said, adding that the number may be in effect for several days.
While flooding from Sandy didn't happen, the threat of high winds knocking down trees and power lines remained a possiibility.
NYPA President Gil Quiniones said utility crews from around the country--and from as far away as California--are ready to respond.
Almost every speaker at Monday's press conference pointed to the cooperation among officials at local, state and federal levels in preparing for Sandy. Mr. Quinoines called it "synchronization."
Assemblyman Lopez echoed those thoughts, adding that agencies worked well after Irene but are better prepared for cooperation now.
"Last year's event changed everything," Mr. Lopez said, crediting the Governor's office with pulling agencies together.
"We have a team that understands what people have been through, and we don't want to let our people down. We pray, but we're putting our prayers into action."