Pocono News Section

Old Forge Residents Say Flooding Can be Prevented

Old Forge Residents Say Flooding Can be Prevented - Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 04:01AM EST

Reported by: Monica Madeja
Sunday June 13 2010

OLD FORGE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- The water is receding on Sibley Avenue in Old Forge. The rains from Mother Nature are to blame, but some people say Sundays extreme flood was worsened by rain water runoff from the closed top of the nearby Alliance Landfill and they want someone to step up and do something about it.

The water rushed in, trapping a car full of people. It is one of the worst floods the people on Sibley Avenue have seen and many have lived here for decades. They think part of the reason for the high water is because of development of a landfill that has removed barriers like trees and structures, causing water to flow right into peoples backyards. "I lived here all my life, said neighbor Charles Suchecki. We never had any flooding here until recently after they plowed everything back so you tell me where the problem is.

Old Forge borough officials have been historically opposed to the landfills development. "The more they take away from the forest, up on the mountain, the more rain and the more flooding we seem to get in Old Forge, said Old Forge councilman Tony Pero. This seems to be another example of how things as they expand get worse for Old Forge.

The family hit hardest by the high waters says they live in a flood plain and so they deal with the consequences. And Alliance Landfill has always helped them during a flood. Those residents in the flood plain say they have an easy fix to the runoff problem.

Theyd like to see the borough to open up the creek beds more to allow flood waters a place to go instead of in their yards.