During every significant rainfall event since fall 2002, flood and emergency management officials in the Susquehanna basin have been on alert because of repeated above-normal stream flows.

The weekend of Sept. 19 proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back as Tropical Storm Ivan dumped anywhere from 1.5 to 9.5 inches of rain on the basin in a very brief amount of time. Small streams everywhere from New York to Maryland began flooding ¡ª some of them setting new flood records ¡ª and eventually the already-swollen Susquehanna River could no longer keep the flood waters within its banks.

This flood is being recorded as the fourth or fifth worst on record in the basin. As damage estimates continue to add up, we know with certainty that the damages would have been much, much worse were it not for the Susquehanna Basin Flood Forecast and Warning System. The National Weather Service used the data generated by the Susquehanna System to predict flood levels with remarkable accuracy many hours in advance ¡ª allowing people to secure their property and evacuate long before the flood waters threatened their personal safety.

Regrettably, despite the system's irrefutable benefits, Congress eliminated its direct funding in FY-04. If Congress does not restore the direct funding for it in FY-05, the Susquehanna System's identity could be lost forever.

The Susquehanna System uses radar and a network of stream and rain gauges to provide the data that are used to forecast river levels and issue more accurate early flood warnings. The system was initiated for this basin because our watershed is recognized as being one of the most flood prone areas in the entire county. It is an extremely cost-effective flood protection program, reducing the average annual flood damages in the Susquehanna basin by $32 million. That represents a 20-to-1 benefit-cost ratio; for every dollar invested by the federal government, the system saves $20 through reduced flood damages and reduced payouts through the federal flood insurance program.

Following Tropical Storm Ivan, many people throughout the basin are speaking out in support of the system, including emergency response officials, community leaders, business representatives and others. They agree with us that the Susquehanna System is well worth the $2 million recommended for the System by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

For example, in letters he wrote to Pennsylvania U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum, Randall Gockley, coordinator of Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency, said: "Thanks to the (Susquehanna) forecast and warning system, hundreds of thousands of dollars were saved in our county alone. What was saved in our county easily makes up 20 to 30 percent of the monies being requested to maintain the system. On top of the monetary savings, we had no injuries or lives lost from the flooding and I would like to think that this also was a direct result of the warning system."

Also, a business owner told us that he was able to prevent nearly $600,000 in damages because of the early warnings enabled by the Susquehanna System. That's just one business. Multiply that by the thousands of other businesses and communities in the Susquehanna basin that benefited from the early warnings.

As good as the current system is, Susquehanna System operators need to make vital upgrades to address system vulnerabilities in gauging, radar and data communications. These problems will go unaddressed if adequate funding is not restored, leaving the basin vulnerable to future flood damages that could have been prevented.

Members of Congress representing the Susquehanna basin have historically been ardent supporters of the Susquehanna System. We are counting on them again to have the funding restored for this program that safeguards public safety. At this late stage of the budget process, we are relying on members of the Senate, most notably Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania and Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes from Maryland.

In a time of tight budgets and with the country engaged in military action, everyone understands the need to curb spending. But eliminating direct funding for a proven system that protects lives and prevents countless millions in flood damages each year certainly does a disservice to the residents and businesses of the Susquehanna River Basin.¡õ

Paul O. Swartz is executive director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. The Susquehanna River is over 444 miles long, covers 27,510 square miles and contains more than 32,000 miles of waterways.

10/29/2004