Washington developing ‘action plan’ for flood mitigation
Officials from the city of Washington are working to develop and implement an “action plan” to clean up remaining damage and, hopefully, prevent future flooding, according to Mayor JoJo Burgess.
Burgess detailed ongoing efforts during a Thursday night City Council meeting following two months of intense flash floods that have devastated Southwestern Pennsylvania.
According to Burgess, city officials and county emergency management staff have surveyed waterways in and around the city to identify areas of concern.
This includes clogged storm drains, overgrown retention ponds and fallen trees that have impeded water flow.
City leaders have met with state elected officials and staff from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) following two severe floods that struck in early and mid-September.
Burgess said there is another meeting with PEMA representatives this coming week, and a planned trip to Harrisburg later in October to advocate for increased state support for Washington residents.
One measure the city is considering is using a combination of staff and local volunteers to clean built-up debris, sediment and vegetation that have clogged local streams and led to flooding.
In some locations, storm drains and culverts are blocked by over one foot of compacted sediment and flood debris.
“We’re underwater now, even without any rain,” he said.
Burgess said that while the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) heavily regulates mechanized stream and creek dredging operations to minimize harm to local wildlife, city officials are working with DEP to understand the limits of what they can accomplish without triggering the cumbersome permitting process.
Clearing out debris using simple hand tools without deploying large engine-powered equipment could be one solution.
Burgess said that some residents have reported tens of thousands of dollars of damage to their homes and property from recent floods, and that he is focused on preventing further flood risk.
In order to unlock PEMA and federal flood relief funding, the city must hit a minimum threshold of reported flood damage, Burgess said, so every resident is encouraged to report all relevant damage to both city and county authorities.
Some “predatory landlords” in the city have discouraged their tenants from reporting flood damage in order to avoid their properties being condemned and keep collecting rent payments, he said.
“I cannot understand why someone would be so cruel to prevent someone from reporting flood damage so they continue living in an unhealthy environment,” Burgess said.