We love to forget it, and for some young residents of the Wyoming Valley it may not even be a memory. But the Susquehanna River looms relentlessly as both raison d’etre and fait accompli. The mighty river prompted people to move here, giving countless benefits to agriculture and a variety of industries that spurred our development. But like most waterways, it has been and inevitably remains capable of mass destruction, ending and upending lives.
For a good stretch as it winds through Luzerne County, the Susquehanna has been penned in by thick, high levees, making the danger seem even more remote. Most people in those protected areas have never seen the harm it can inflict by simply reaching natural flood stage. And even well above that, residents have to walk to the top of the levee to notice how high the river gets.
There are other signs when real danger develops. In Wilkes-Barre, the two portals installed in the last levee upgrade get sealed with the relative ease of sliding giant “doors” closed. If the threat is really serious, the Market Street Bridge is closed off with a more laborious installation of flood gate assemblies on each side.
The portal gates were recently closed, and as a Wednesday story noted, the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority is expected to conduct a trial partial installation of the bridge gate on the Kingston side today (Thursday — keep this in mind if you have travel plans involving the Market Street span).
Unfortunately, many communities from one end of the county to the other where the Susquehanna passes remain unprotected, or at least under-protected. Solutions for property owners in those areas remain slim. If a government entity arranges a buyout to clear chronically-flooded areas, they get the chance to move, but such money is rare. If a government entity deems the risk substantial enough to justify building more levee that protects their homes, they may breathe a sigh of relief. Otherwise, it’s a matter of keeping flood insurance up to date and planning to minimize damage when the inevitable happens.
As has been reported over the years, including an update in Wednesday’s paper, West Pittston has been aggressively looking for a solution beyond those scant options. Since flooding in 2011 hit 880 residences, 26 business, four churches and four other public buildings — combined, causing about $98 million — borough residents and officials have decided that accepting a “no levee” determination from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is, well, unacceptable.
From the start, they faced a staggering uphill battle. Estimates for a levee have run as high as $55 million. In a borough where the annual budget hovers near $4 million, that’s an extremely heavy lift — and doubtless the longer it is delayed, the bigger the bill will be.
Dogged determination has inched the plan forward enough to merit (very) cautious optimism. The most recent success, as reported Wednesday, is Luzerne County Community Development Executive Director Catherine Hilsher announcing $187,500 available to fill a required local match for a federal flood mitigation grant of $562,550. The borough also has a $1.5 million federal Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant available if it can muster a $500,000 match.
To be sure, despite the sizable amounts, these are at best baby steps in the costly journey to levee protection. but it is also real, measurable progress. And it gives credence to the promise borough Council President Ellen Quinn made.
“We are absolutely determined to keep this going. We need protection, and we deserve protection.”
Perhaps just as importantly, by lining up the resources despite the formidable task, the borough is also earning protection.
— Times Leader
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