Valley spared of major flooding from Ida
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
The forecast for flooding due to remnants of Hurricane Ida changed dramatically for the better Wednesday as the National Weather Service now predicts the Monongahela River will crest at 28.7 feet today instead of the initial 36.9 feet that had been predicted at the Lock and Dam No. 4 in North Charleroi.
Flood stage at Lock and Dam No. 4 is 28 feet, so the impact of the 8 additional feet that was predicted Tuesday night would have been immense.
The river is now expected to crest at just 7 inches above flood stage at Lock and Dam No. 4 around noon today.
Elsewhere in the Mon Valley, backwater flooding along Pigeon Creek in Monongahela is expected to begin from the intersection of Park Way and Park Avenue.
By about 5 p.m. Wednesday, 2.3 inches of rain had fallen at the National Weather Service’s Pittsburgh office in Moon, according to the agency. Over the past 24 hours, that total is 3.3 inches.
The Monongahela River at the Elizabeth Lock and Dam No. 3 is expected to just reach its flood stage of 20 feet at 6 p.m. today.
The Youghiogheny River at Sutersville is expected to crest at 21 feet by 6 p.m. today. Flood stage is 20 feet, which is expected to hit around noon, according to the National Weather Service.
Locks and Dams
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District said water levels along the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers are expected to remain higher than normal throughout Labor Day weekend and declared a state of emergency due to flooding conditions impacting the Monongahela River and its tributaries.
This emergency declaration authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake support emergency response activities caused by the natural disaster.
The Pittsburgh District may provide support to local communities in need, and repair or rehabilitate flood control projects damaged during the state of emergency.
“If communities request support, we can provide assistance under this declaration,” said Al Coglio, the chief of emergency management for the Pittsburgh District.
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