04/15/24 - 66 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/msuwtctm
| Share this: | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tropical Storm Leaves State Parks Awash In Central, Eastern PA
|
|
Several State Parks remain closed and cleanups and damage assessments continue in the wake of Tropical Storm Lee’s torrential rains and flooding in central and eastern Pennsylvania.
In Sullivan County, Worlds End State Park was closed after the Loyalsock Creek again surged over its banks, cutting the park off from routes 154 and 87. In January 2010, extensive flooding had washed out a bridge leading to the park’s campgrounds; heavy damage is again reported in that area where repairs had been made after earlier flooding.
Emergency road repairs immediately following Hurricane Irene late last month have been washed out. Approximately 20-22 tons of gravel were washed away. All safety signs installed after Irene were safely recovered before the water came up again.
Campers were safely evacuated at Worlds End, where phones and computers were knocked out of service, and undermining of bridges and roads was reported. All three day-use lots were flooded. The Loyalsock Creek surged quickly with levels south of the park dropping from 20.4 feet at 5 a.m. September 8 to 2.67 feet at 5:16 a.m. September 9.
Surrounding Worlds End State Park, the Loyalsock State Forest District again reported widespread damage along the Loyalsock Creek, with many state forest roads closed as a result of breaching and undermining. Severely damaged was a stretch of Route 87 near Loyalsockville, where flooding left the roadway impassable. Numerous state forest roads also remain closed.
Along the Susquehanna River, Shikellamy, Milton and Susquehanna state parks all were closed September 7, and Shikellamy marina customers were advised to remove their boats. On September 9, Shikellamy park reports listed the river at 21.45 feet above normal and falling from a crest of 31.6 feet. Located on an island, Shikellamy was evacuated. All three parks will remain closed through the rest of this week and coming weekend. Shikellamy’s overlook remains open.
Along Delaware Canal State Park stretching from Easton, Northampton County, to Bristol, Bucks County, the canal towpath was damaged in several areas, but park officials report “preliminary signs look good but we won’t know much until early next week as the Delaware River and canal are still one in many areas…”
Despite opening of canal gates, water overflowed in many areas and left some aquaducts and many roadways under water. Travel to park sites was difficult if not impossible.
The Canal Towpath is closed from Easton to Wy Hit Tuk Park. There is damage to the towpath from Smithtown to Center Bridge, and the surface is rocky and uneven making bicycle travel difficult. The section is posted as closed to bikes.
At Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County, a predicted 8 to 11 inches of rain Sept. 8 and 9 was expected to swell the park lake past levels of Hurricane Agnes of 1972. Park initiated closures of the modern campground, main park area and the nature inn, but the brunt of the storm passed to the east, and flooding was not as bad as expected.
Still, beach and several launches were closed, and high water forced closings of a sewage pumping station, bath house and restrooms. The beach which had been scheduled to close Sept. 18 will remain closed from now through the remainder of the season. Modern campground sites also were flooded and closed to future reservations.
At Marsh Creek State Park in Chester County, a mandatory 24-hour surveillance of the lake dam was enacted amid rising lake levels approaching the spillway. Heavy deluges were a lingering concern and hourly inspections were maintained during the height of the storm.
Other state parks reporting storm damage included:
-- Little Pine, Lycoming County: high lake water forced closing of beach and boat launch. Lake was 25 feet above normal pool at one point, forcing the closing of Little Pine Creek Road;
-- Frances Slocum, Luzerne County: high water temporarily displaced some campers and forced road closings;
-- Ricketts Glen, Luzerne County: temporary power outage; Falls Trail temporarily closed;
-- Beltzville, Carbon County: lake was closed to boating due to high water levels. Both the Preachers Camp and the Pine Run Boat launches were under water during the storm;
-- Ridley Creek in Delaware County and Hickory Run in Carbon County were without electricity and phone service;
-- Tyler, Bucks County: tree fell on the Mill Dam comfort station, demolishing the roof and stonework;
-- Swatara, Lebanon County: all roads leading to park were closed by flooding; park was closed;
-- Nescopeck, Luzerne County: pipes beneath gravel road below Lake Frances were washed out, along with a 15-foot wide section of road.
Check on the DCNR State Parks webpage for any advisories before visiting your favorite park.
(Reprinted from the DCNR's September 14 Resource online newsletter.)
|
|
9/19/2011 |
| Go To Preceding Article Go To Next Article |
