SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Residents on Ingersoll Avenue in the Stockade neighborhood woke up to several inches of water on their street Wednesday morning.
The ice jam on the Mohawk River caused water levels to rise and spill into parks and neighborhoods along Schenectady County.
"It's kind of always on your mind being this close to the river," said Ryan Hutchinson, who has lived in the Stockade for about three years.
Throughout the day, sump pumps were being used in several homes as residents worked to get water out of their basement. Many in the Stockade neighborhood left voluntarily, while others chose to stay.
"I plan on staying until they shut the power off," said Susan Peek, who lives on Ingersoll Avenue.
"We're going to a hotel. We'll come back when it's all gone and cleaned up," said Selma Marley, a Stockade resident.
But by sunset, the Schenectady Fire Department issued a mandatory evacuation for at least six homes toward the end of Ingersoll Avenue. A pickup truck was even used to help some residents get to dry land.
Crystal Hall and her family left their home around 6 p.m. Wednesday. They tried to stay as long as possible until firefighters knocked on their door.
"We're just going to go somewhere and relax for the rest of the night and sleep in peace, knowing that we don't have to worry about any flooding," Hall said.