BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM -- The section of Pine Street, including Pine Street Arena and Sandstoner Park, closed Tuesday morning due to flooding caused when a beaver dam burst is now open.

Pine Street was closed for most of Tuesday morning as village Department of Public Works crews and the fire department pumped out yards, basements and other spots after a flash flood in the early hours.

Greg Thompson, village DPW supervisor, said a beaver dam behind Clarkson University burst early in the morning hours before sunrise.

The water flowed downstream and flooded the section of Pine Street and several neighboring residences near Sandstoner Park.

The area was inundated with several feet of water.

Thompson said several basements were flooded from the flow, and cars were in a couple feet of standing water when he arrived early that morning. Thompson said some residents in the area, opening their doors in the morning, were met with water flooding into their house.

Potsdam Village Police blocked off the street to thru traffic as DPW crews set up pumps and spent the morning redirecting the water towards the river by way of Sandstoner Beach Park.

Village police were advising the public on their Facebook page to avoid the street and use other routes as the DPW continued to clear out the water.