Worst Flooding since Agnes on Susquehanna in Pennsylvania

This flooding will be catastrophic for the Chesapeake Bay and likely make the EPA's "Chesapeake Bay Initiative" a futile exercise.


The worst flooding since Agnes in 1972 is just beginning in the valleys of the Susquehanna, forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes in Pennsylvania and New York.

Over a foot of rain has fallen in some areas. It appears most areas will stop short of levels reached in June of 1972, but there already have been some exceptions such as the Binghampton, N.Y. and in Meshoppen, Pa.

The fire hose of tropical downpours held steady Wednesday and Wednesday night, too steadily for the Susquehanna River, its tributaries and others to handle.

According to Expert Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews, "At peak, the flow of the Susquehanna River at Marietta, Pa will be almost two times that of the average flow of the lower Mississippi River at Vicksburg, Miss."

The flow of the Susquehanna is forecast at Marietta to reach 500,000 cubic feet per second during Friday.

Water levels on these rivers will challenge record heights, which include those of the first billion-dollar disaster for the U.S.: Hurricane Agnes. Lee and its remnants will be the latest.
These are the official National Weather Service Hydrological projected levels and current records for key points along the Susquehanna River:

Binghamton, N.Y.: 25.7 feet / 25.0 feet June 2006 Crest has occurred.
Wilkes-Barre, Pa: 39.5 feet / 40.9 feet June 1972 Crest appears to be occurring.
Danville, Pa.: 31.6 feet / 32.3 feet June 1972
Sunbury, Pa.: 32.7 feet / 35.8 feet June 1972
Harrisburg, Pa.: 28.7 feet / 32.6 feet June 1972
Conowingo Dam, Md.: With Gates Open 30 to 37 feet / 36.8 feet June 1972

Less water flow than originally expected from the Juniata River and the West Branch of the Susquehanna is impacting levels of the main stem Susquehanna River from just above Harrisburg on south. Crests have been lowered slightly as a result.
In Luzerne County, Pa. alone, 65,000 people have been evacuated.

Upstream and downstream on the Susquehanna from New York state to Maryland, it is the same story.

If you are told to leave, do so. Do not drive through flooded roadways. We have reports of people drowning in southeastern Pennsylvania this morning. One person was swept away by water only 1.5 feet deep. Another person was trapped inside a vehicle that was overtaken by rising waters.

The American Red Cross has opened multiple shelters in Luzerne, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Bradford and Sullivan counties in Pennsylvania for those displaced by the rising waters.

Massive levees along the Susquehanna in much of Wyoming Valley, Pa. protect cities including Wilkes-Barre, Kingston and Forty Fort from water levels up to 41 feet.

Other bands of rain will form tonight. Where they linger flooding can occur in yet more places that have escaped the worst of the situation thus far. This is most likely in portions of Virginia, Maryland and south-cenral Pennsylvania.

Getting to shelters or coming to the aid of friends and family could be difficult, as hundreds of roads, including major highways, were closed due to rising waters. If you cannot get to a shelter, seek out a friend or neighbor on high ground.

The flooding along the Susquehanna and other rivers has closed portions of interstates 80 and 81, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the Schuylkill Expressway, Route 322, and other main thoroughfares.

The possibility of many of these major roads remaining closed into the weekend is high, which will impact weekend travel plans, such as for football.

http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/54815/pennsylvania-susquehanna-flood.asp