FLOOD WARNINGS

                                                      FLOOD WARNINGS

    It's interesting that people set their priorities not on scripture and science, the two positives to guide us. Read this little bit of history to enable you to (maybe) come to a conclusion.

    In the late 50s, the Danville Area School Board voted to build a new high school on a field known as the Cinder Tip in Danville, PA. This area is flat, and while dry, it borders on Mahoning Creek. This creek floods now and then, usually without causing much trouble. When the Susquehanna River, into which the Mahoning empties just a short distance away, backs up, the combination of the Mahoning rapid flood flow and the Susquehanna's back-up spell big trouble.

    Although there had been no serious flooding in that particular era, a
serious look at a map indicated the Cinder Tip was in a flood plain. In fact,
that area was known as the CinderTip because its elevation had been raised
by cinders as landfill.

    The field was available at an affordable price, and the school district
needed a new and larger high school. This was a period with major school
district consolidations, and the Danville Area had brought several rural
districts into its jointure. There were 10 districts, including
Danville, although a few of these rural municipalities had no school, and were already joined
with a partner.

    When the time came for the Jointure Board to vote on the new school site,
there was only one director who opposed the location. Walter H. Loncosky,
the long-time Derry Township director, told the board the land wasn't good
for a major structure because of the fill, and the building would be subject to
serious future flooding. The board vote was 49-1. Other board members told
him 49 couldn't be wrong with only one opposed.

    Loncosky, a Christian and avid student of scripture, believed the bible told
them not to be swayed by their personal desires for a quick contract for the
school. He also pointed out the scientific facts on the maps, clearly
pointed out the new structure would be in an area likely to be damaged by floods.

     Everybody else wanted the new school, and claimed there was little likelihood
of a flooding problem. There was considerable growth in the area, and both
developers and contractors were eager to build. Some projects were proposed
for sites that were marginal flood plain areas. After major floods occur, it is
necessary to remap areas to determine changes in the landscape and water
courses. The Planning Commission held a public hearing to take comments
as they desired to make building sites friendlier to developers.

    A planning expert from Harrisburg was present at the hearing to take
comments from citizens and officials, as well as to explain changes the planners
wanted to make. There were few serious objections to the proposed changes,
except for the testimony from the Montour County Conservation District
director. That, friends, was me, the son of Walter H Loncosky, who warned
the school district prior to the construction on Cinder Tip.

    Having worked many years as a conservationist locally, the USDA, the
Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, and being a state certified
conservationist as well as an inspector of erosion and sediment, I had a lot
to say. I warned them they were courting disaster by giving in to big money
in the hands of developers and contractors. I pointed to flood damages in
previous years, such as 1935. I also listed the rapid increase of paving for
roads, parking lots and other uses. Every time a development goes in, there
is less land to absorb water. More and more trees are being removed. They
also are a main absorber of water and hold soil in place.

    The planner said serious floods only happened in 100 year intervals, and
it was unlikely we would see one anytime soon. He said they were taking
precautions that would be adequate. The planning commission would meet
in the near future to accept an updated plan.

    Now, fast forward to June, 1972. Agnes visited the area and brought record
flooding. There was little joy in noting the preliminary plans for the
county were in that planning expert's desk as it floated down the Susquehanna River.
Harrisburg was flooded, and our entire area was devastated. The school on
Cinder Tip was flooded, and so was the entire Fourth Ward of Danville. My
wife and I toured much of the flood area, taking notes and pictures of
the damage for newspapers.

    The entire planning commission resigned. Many prominent people were on
that commission, and I know I was not appreciated in their circles. The truth
always hurts. After the water receded, the Army sent a sprayer in a
deuce-and-a-half to spray for mosquitoes. I guided them around the county and viewed even more
damages than I had seen previously. We got a new planning commission with a
better attitude.

    People never seem to learn. The bible tells us over and over that we live in
roughly a cycle of four successions. We establish a building period; that brings
prosperity; next comes a period of good living when we believe we accomplished
all this prosperity without God's help, and we "fall away" from our Christian
fundamentals. Finally, we ignore God's warnings and are judged to fail.

    They fixed up the new high school and later used it as the junior high,
building yet another, bigger school for high school students. This one they
built on a hill, but still didn't escape water problems. The engineer who
installed a settlement pond to control runoff water installed the overflow
pipe upside down. When there was a heavy rainstorm, the water overflowed
the pond and caused damage to a residential area just below the school site.
Their resident inspector had a sideline job and didn't tend his resident inspector
duties very seriously.

    The school district and local officials realized they needed to shore up
protection for the now junior high, and levees and flood gates were installed.
Nothing is fail safe. When Lee paid his visit, the flood gates didn't hold, and
even sand bagging didn't stop the water. The junior high was flooded again.
This is the second 100-year flood to hit the area in 39 years. Worse yet, these
most recent floods have set new records.

    Several levees came within inches of being topped. Our planners are
constrained by money problems. Officials and many taxpayers do not want
to spend the money for floodwalls. The cost of recovering from floods is so
high--and in many cases heartbreaking--that steps must be accepted and
taken by officials to prevent as much as possible of this devastation.

    Local taxpayers only need to look at the cost of cleaning up after these
floods, and the repairs and restoration of land, roads and property. No matter
how much it hurts, precautions such as a floodwall must take place. There
is no room for leaders without guts at any level.

Rev. Walbear.