Flooded homes finally starting to be removed from Lake Delhi

In July 2010, flash flood waters washed away the earthen portion of the Lake Delhi Dam. It forever changed the landscape and the lives of those living near there.

Residents are moving forward with the a plan to restore the lake. Last fall, voters approved a $6.1 million bond issue, a crucial step in restoring the lake. On Wednesday, that work got under way with the demolition of homes below the dam.

"This whole disaster is just unbelievable. I still at times turn around and say, I just can't believe this has happened," said Tammy Gorman, who lost her home when the dam broke.

On Wednesday, Gorman watched as demolition crews turned what was once her home into a pile of rubble.

"This makes me very happy to see this is finally going to be taken care of," said Gorman. For more than a year, Gorman's vacant home stood as a reminder of what happened in July 2010.

"It's really frustrating to watch our house just sitting there and rotting and falling apart literally," said Gorman.

"The flood happens quickly, but then the cleanup and paper work is all drawn out," said Delaware County supervisor Jeff Madlom,. But when the FEMA paperwork was completed, demolition crews got the green light.

"There are houses on top of houses. There are houses on top of vehicles," Madlom said.

"It's good to see it get cleaned up," said Gorman.

While the homes seemed like small pieces of a big rebuilding puzzle, many agreed it helped to see something being done, so the people of Lake Delhi can move forward.

"They've had to fight this mess, and that's what we are hoping to clean up so they can start over," said Madlom.

"It's been an adventure, it's truly been an adventure," said Gorman.

It's going to cost about $12 million to rebuild this area. A timeline on construction will depend on state assistance. 95 percent of voters in the area approved the $6.1 million in bond sales, hoping that will encourage the state to cover some of the cost.