Apr 27, 2018 2 min read

There was much discussion but no concrete decisions from the first meeting of a task force convened to address widespread flooding problems within the Chartiers Creek watershed.

A particularly rainy February capped off a series of floods since last year that many throughout Washington County described as the worst in living memory. Officials met last month for a “summit” organized by city officials and Washington County Commissioner Harlan Shober.

Like that meeting, the one held at Washington City Hall Thursday drew representatives from most of the dozen towns within the watershed, plus the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, state Department of Environmental Protection and Washington-East Washington Joint Authority.

Little had changed since last month, except municipalities had selected representatives and passed information about problem areas along to the Army Corps. The agency is reviewing that information.

Topics raised during the freewheeling discussion included DEP’s permitting process.

“You know where the people are getting flooded. … We need to hear your proposals on what you want to do, and I will gladly help shepherd it through our process,” said Brian Schimmel, a DEP representative.

Shober, who lives in Chartiers and previously served as a supervisor there, said similar efforts following severe flooding in 2004 generated a lot of initial interest, but “two years later, no one cared.”

“If we want to keep doing something before the next floods, we’ve got to keep working on it,” Shober said. “So I’m asking you guys to stay engaged, and we’ll see how this goes.”

A date has not been set for the next meeting.