Threats Of Flooding Increase As County Sees More Rain

Pennsylvania had its wettest year on record in 2018.

In Bucks County, 66.2 inches of rain fell last year. It ended up being just over 18 inches more than the area usually sees, according to National Weather Service data.

So far in 2019, Bucks County has seen 1.2 inches more than normal.

“2018 was the wettest year on record for the state,” said Jeff Jumper, a meteorologist who works for the state. “We’re still seeing above-average precipitation so far for 2019, so even though the commonwealth is looking at a risk for minor river flooding this spring, we can’t let down our guard because localized flooding is still a very dangerous threat.”

With major waterways like the Neshaminy Creek and Delaware River running through the area, Lower Bucks County faces the regular threat of flooding. The area is also home to numerous other creeks and low-lying areas that are prone to flash flooding.

While largely spared in recent years, the Levittown area has previously seen major flooding events. Residents and officials often cite a mid-1800s Neshaminy Creek flood that ripped through tiny Hulmeville and major river and creek flooding in 1936, 1955, 1999, 2005, 2006, and 2011. Places like Bristol Borough have placed warning signs at the often-flooded Mill Street Parking Lot, while homes along the Neshaminy Creek have been elevated to avoid flooding.

In 2014, county and federal officials completed a $27.3 million project that led to 47 property buyouts and elevated 85 residences in the Neshaminy Creek Watershed that covers approximately 150,000 acres. The years-long project concentrated mainly on homes in the lower end of the county, including Bensalem, Bristol Township, Hulmeville, and Middletown.

Across Pennsylvania, more than 5,200 sustained homes damage during 2018 weather-related events, including flooding, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Deputy Director for Preparedness Stephen Bekanich said.

One major problem was that the damaged homes did not meet the threshold of at least 800 homes impacted to receive assistance from the federal government, causing aid to be delayed.

With increasing rainfall, flooding is commonly happening outside designated Federal Emergency Management Agency flood plains. In addition. changing federal standards are making it harder for homeowners to receive assistance.

The federal government-run National Flood Insurance Program released data that says 20 percent of claims come from outside of Special Flood Hazard Areas that are required by lenders to have flood insurance.

CoreLogic, a private firm that sells property information to banks and lenders, noted in a 2018 survey that 515,000 properties in Pennsylvania are outside of Special Flood Hazard Areas and are at moderate or high risk of flooding.

“Standard homeowners’ insurance typically does not cover flood damage,” said Pennsylvania Department of Insurance Consumer Liaison David Buono.

Buono added that renters should consider flood insurance for their possessions, which are not often covered by common  renters’ insurance or their landlord’s policy.

The state offers an assistance page with more information on federal government and private flood insurance.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Executive Deputy Secretary for Programs Ramez Ziadeh said that the changing climate threatens to make “storms more frequent and more intense, making flood preparation even more crucial.”

Ziadeh advised that the best preparation steps should take place before a single drop of rain falls.

Meteorologist Jumper offered the following tips for residents:

• Learn the difference between a weather watch and weather warning, since each requires different steps to stay safe:
  • A flood watch means that flooding may occur. Residents should stay alert, closely monitor rivers and streams, and be prepared to move to high ground quickly.
  • A flood warning means that there is actual flooding. Residents should act at once and move to high ground.
• Sign up to get weather alerts from a trusted source on your cell phone;
• Determine how you would leave your neighborhood if you needed to evacuate your home;
• Identify where you would meet up with your family (both in your town and an out-of-town location) in the event you were separated when the flooding started;
• Have important documents and essential supplies all in one place so they can be easily taken with you if you need to evacuate; and
• Purchase flood insurance, even if you don’t live in a federally-designated flood zone.