A 40-Year Memory: Water, Water, Water

First it came from the sky- inch upon inch falling over the hills and valleys of Pennsylvania. Then it came from the tributaries overflowing with all the water coming off the mountains into the narrow stream valleys. Finally it came from the Susquehanna River, the big eastern river that feeds Chesapeake Bay.

Sirens went off as my wife and I, 3 blocks west of high water, rolled over and I simply said to her, "The river is over the banks."

Water, water, water.

Tropical Storm Agnes turning square mile upon square mile of Pennsylvania into a Federally-declared disaster area.

Here's a link to a good summary of those days 40 years ago this week.

Here's a link to the NWS page on this 40th Anniversary.

SITE                RIVER OR TRIBUTARY  CREST     FLOOD STAGE
                                        (FEET)    (FEET)

BLOOMSBURG          SUSQUEHANNA         31.20     19.00
DANVILLE            SUSQUEHANNA         32.32     20.00
SUNBURY             SUSQUEHANNA         35.80     24.00
HARRISBURG          SUSQUEHANNA         32.57     17.00

RENOVO              WEST BRANCH SUSQ    26.56     16.00
LOCK HAVEN          WEST BRANCH SUSQ    31.30     21.00
JERSEY SHORE        WEST BRANCH SUSQ    38.40     26.00
WILLIAMSPORT        WEST BRANCH SUSQ    34.75     20.00
MILTON              WEST BRANCH SUSQ    34.55     19.00
LEWISBURG           WEST BRANCH SUSQ    34.23     18.00

CEDAR RUN           PINE CREEK          16.00     12.00

A Link to article in the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.

For many of us, the flood of a lifetime.