Mid-Atlantic United States flood of 2006

Mid-Atlantic United States flood of 2006
	The Delaware River overspilled its banks and overtook U.S. Highway 46 in Columbia, N.J.
Date	June 25–July 5
Location	Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC
Deaths	16
Property damage	$1 billion [1]

Last updated April 24, 2019

The Mid-Atlantic United States flood of 2006 was a significant flood that affected much of the Mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States. The flooding was very widespread, affecting numerous rivers, lakes and communities from upstate New York to North Carolina. It was widely considered to be the worst flooding in the region since Hurricane David in 1979. It was also one of the worst floodings in the United States since Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. At least 16 deaths were related to the flooding.^[2]

Eastern United States Geographical region of the USA

The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East or simply the East, is the region of the United States lying to the north of the Ohio River and to the east of the Mississippi River.

Upstate New York region of the U.S. state of New York north of the core of the New York metropolitan area

Upstate New York is the portion of the American state of New York lying north of the New York metropolitan area. The Upstate region includes most of the state of New York, excluding New York City, the Lower Hudson Valley, and Long Island, although the precise boundary is debated. Major cities in Upstate New York include Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, and Syracuse.

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With an estimated 19.54 million residents in 2018, it is the fourth most populous state. In order to distinguish the state from the city with the same name, it is often times referred to as New York State.

Meteorological history

NOAA/USGS map of river flooding, June 29, 2006, around 1530 UTC. Note the purples and reds in the Northeastern United States. Click the image for a color key. River flooding in the United States, June 29, 2006 1530 UTC.png — NOAA/USGS map of river flooding, June 29, 2006, around 1530 UTC. Note the purples and reds in the Northeastern United States. Click the image for a color key.

The flooding was attributed to several weather factors that all came together over the region.

The primary factor was the stalling of the jet stream just to the west of the Appalachian Mountains. That, combined with the Bermuda High over the Atlantic Ocean, blocked any systems from moving inland or offshore. The influence of a tropical low (which nearly became a tropical storm but did not attain a full surface circulation) off the North Carolina coast allowed a constant stream of tropical moisture to enter the Mid-Atlantic region. The resulting heavy and prolonged rains overflowed the banks of many rivers, lakes, and streams, leading to the flooding.

Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow, meandering air currents in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. On Earth, the main jet streams are located near the altitude of the tropopause and are westerly winds. Their paths typically have a meandering shape. Jet streams may start, stop, split into two or more parts, combine into one stream, or flow in various directions including opposite to the direction of the remainder of the jet.

Appalachian Mountains mountain range in the eastern United States and Canada

The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They once reached elevations similar to those of the Alps and the Rocky Mountains before experiencing natural erosion. The Appalachian chain is a barrier to east–west travel, as it forms a series of alternating ridgelines and valleys oriented in opposition to most highways and railroads running east–west.

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's oceans, with an area of about 106,460,000 square kilometers. It covers approximately 20 percent of the Earth's surface and about 29 percent of its water surface area. It separates the "Old World" from the "New World".

A senior National Weather Service meteorologist declared that rain events of this size take place in the region only every 200 years.^[3]

The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the purposes of protection, safety, and general information. It is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) branch of the Department of Commerce, and is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, within the Washington metropolitan area. The agency was known as the United States Weather Bureau from 1890 until it adopted its current name in 1970.

Impact

Rainfall in the East, June 23-29, 2006 Hvyrainjun23282006rain.gif — Rainfall in the East, June 23–29, 2006

Delaware

Considerable flooding occurred in much of Delaware, particularly in Sussex County, where Governor Ruth Ann Minner declared a state of emergency. The hardest hit community was Seaford, where 40 families were temporarily homeless and many homes and businesses were damaged.^[4]

Delaware is one of the 50 states of the United States, in the South-Atlantic or Southern region. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, north by Pennsylvania, and east by New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor.

Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware, on the Delmarva Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the population was 197,145. The county seat is Georgetown.

Ruth Ann Minner is an American politician and businesswoman from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. She is a member of the Democratic Party who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, and the 72nd Governor of Delaware from 2001 to 2009.

District of Columbia

Significant street and river flooding was reported in Washington, D.C. Several important federal buildings, including the National Archives and Records Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Department of Justice and some of the Smithsonian Institution, were closed.^[5]

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington or D.C., is the capital of the United States. Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country, Washington was named after George Washington, first President of the United States and Founding Father. As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations, Washington is an important world political capital. The city is also one of the most visited cities in the world, with more than 20 million tourists annually.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also tasked with increasing public access to those documents which make up the National Archive. NARA is officially responsible for maintaining and publishing the legally authentic and authoritative copies of acts of Congress, presidential directives, and federal regulations. NARA also transmits votes of the Electoral College to Congress.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The government agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, who is appointed to a five-year term by the President of the United States. The IRS is responsible for collecting taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of federal statutory tax law of the United States. The duties of the IRS include providing tax assistance to taxpayers and pursuing and resolving instances of erroneous or fraudulent tax filings. The IRS has also overseen various benefits programs, and enforces portions of the Affordable Care Act.

Mayor Anthony A. Williams declared a state of emergency as a result of the flooding and the threat of power outages and other problems.^[6]

Anthony Allen Williams is an American politician who was the fourth person to serve as mayor of the District of Columbia, for two terms, from 1999 to 2007. He had previously served as chief financial officer for the District, managing to balance the budget and achieve a surplus within two years of appointment. He held a variety of executive posts in cities and states around the country prior to his service in the D.C. government. Since 2012, he has served as Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of the Federal City Council.

A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to perform actions that it would normally not be permitted to do. A government can declare such a state during a disaster, civil unrest, or armed conflict. Such declarations alert citizens to change their normal behavior and orders government agencies to implement emergency plans. Justitium is its equivalent in Roman law—a concept in which the senate could put forward a final decree that was not subject to dispute.

A power outage is a short-term or a long-term loss of the electric power to a particular area.

Sections of Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park were washed out. The road was closed for several months for repair and reinforcing. Beach Drive is the main north-south road through the park and is a major commuter artery.

Maryland

The most severe flooding took place in and around Montgomery County. Over 2,200 people had to be evacuated from the area south of Lake Needwood in Rockville due to concerns of a dam break there (the earthen dam was leaking). If the dam were to break, communities downstream could be under as much as 22 feet (6.7 m) of flood water.^[6] The dam did not break, however, and the evacuations ended on the evening of June 29. U.S. Route 29 (Colesville Road) in Silver Spring and Maryland Route 198 near Fort Meade were among the dozens of roadways closed due to high water. Parts of Laurel in Prince George's County were also evacuated after floodgates were opened to relieve pressure on a nearby dam.

In Frederick County, three people were killed when they attempted to cross the flood waters from Middle Creek.^[7] Also in Frederick County, a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy drowned while swimming in a swollen creek that feeds into the Monocacy River. On July 4 in Prince George's County, the body of a 22-year-old man was recovered. It was determined that his car was swept off U.S. 29 by the floodwaters nearly two weeks prior.^[8]

In Harford County, several inches of rain fell for several days. Parts of the Susquehanna River and Deer Creek flooded, and several rescues were performed.

Damage to roads and agriculture in the Eastern Shore region alone was estimated to be around $12 million.^[4]

On Friday, June 30, Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich requested federal disaster aid for five Maryland counties: Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, and Montgomery. However, Ehrlich stated in a letter requesting the aid to President George W. Bush that more counties could be included after damage assessments. Governor Ehrlich stated that damages in Maryland could exceed $10 million. Ehrlich also requested, in addition to federal disaster aid, funds for "hazard mitigation assistance", which is federal money used to help governments rebuild antiquated structures with modern structures. Ehrlich also obtained loans from the federal Small Business Administration to help private property owners, both residential and business, to rebuild or repair damaged buildings.^[8]

New Jersey

The heaviest flooding in New Jersey was along and near the Delaware River, on the border with Pennsylvania. Over 1,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Trenton, and some state government buildings were closed.

In addition, Trenton's water filtration system was shut down because of debris floating down the Delaware, and Mayor Douglas Palmer called for conservation, saying the city had only about two days of drinkable water.

The river was expected to crest Friday at nearly 8 feet (2.4 m) over flood stage, the fourth-highest level on record for Trenton.^[5]

Governor Jon Corzine had declared a state of emergency for the entire state as a result of the flooding.^[9]

New York

Significant flooding took place in the Southern Tier region, particularly around Binghamton and Waverly/Sayre (on the New York-Pennsylvania border). Riverside communities were severely flooded, and many evacuations took place in the region which stretched along the Susquehanna, Chenango, Delaware and Unadilla rivers.^[10] The Susquehanna River in Bainbridge crested at 27 feet (8.2 m), 14 feet (4.3 m) over the flood stage. This was the highest the river had ever reached in the Bainbridge area. In Broome County alone, over 5,000 people were forced to evacuate, particularly in the submerged town of Conklin.^[2]

Two people were killed when a section of Interstate 88 washed away and two trucks drove into the chasm created.^[5]

The Mohawk River valley also experienced significant flooding, with damage occurring to Lock 10 on the Erie Canal.

In Port Jervis, the Delaware River flooded low areas of the city that had barely recovered from the record flooding of April 2005. The Neversink River also swelled, prompting officials to close the Neversink bridge. The Mid-Delaware Bridge (carrying US 6 and 209) was also closed.

Governor George Pataki estimated that damage in the state could exceed $100 million.^[5] Many of the records levels during this flood would be topped five years later in 2011 when the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee struck the area.

Pennsylvania

The worst flooding in the state took place in the Susquehanna River valley and its tributaries. Over 200,000 residents in northeastern Pennsylvania had to be evacuated due to the rising floodwaters. Damage in Susquehanna County alone totaled over $100 million (2006 USD).^[11]

Extensive river flooding was reported in dozens of communities in eastern Pennsylvania. Over 70 people had to be rescued from rooftops by U.S. Coast Guard helicopters after being stranded by the floodwaters.^[2]

At the Wilkes-Barre flood protection levee, the river was at 41 feet (12 m), which was about the record level reached in Hurricane Agnes and at which point catastrophic flooding takes place. Forecasts predicted that the river would crest at above 39 feet (12 m), exceeding any other event other than Agnes and leading to significant flooding in other communities with less protection.^[12] Luzerne County officials said the large evacuations were precautionary, as there was a potential for the area to be isolated if the most severe predictions took hold.

In Reading, the Schuylkill River's flood stage is 13 feet (4.0 m), and the river was projected to crest at about 23 feet (7.0 m), resulting in the worst flooding in the area since Hurricane Agnes.

In Easton, the Delaware River crested at 17 feet (5.2 m) above flood stage. At Riegelsville, the river was at 14 feet (4.3 m) above flood level, and at New Hope it crested at 8 feet (2.4 m) above flood level.

In Harrisburg, a festival's start in the city was pushed back and cut down, due to the potential for the flood, and the Harrisburg Senators were forced to play 2 "home games" in Bowie, Maryland, due to flooding in Commerce Bank Park.

Philadelphia's Kelly Drive and West River Drive were closed.

The Knoebels amusement park in Elysburg was closed due to the flooding of local creeks and did not reopen until Friday afternoon.^[13]

The Manayunk neighborhood in Philadelphia issued a mandatory evacuation for the area between Main Street and Ridge and Levering.^[14]

Severe flooding of Swatara Creek near Hershey and Hummelstown closed many roads in the area and damaged a number of homes. The creek crested at 16.12 feet (4.91 m) around 7 am on June 29, breaking the previous official record of 15.37 feet (4.68 m), which was set September 27, 1975. However, this did not come close to the flooding after Hurricane Agnes, which caused the creek to crest at approximately 28 feet (8.5 m) on June 23, 1972. Hummelstown was flooded briefly (3–4 days), mainly across Duke and Water streets, as well as the railroad tracks.

In Pike County, the Delaware River caused extensive damage to Matamoras Borough and Westfall Township. The Delaware crested in the early hours of 29 June at 32.16 feet (9.80 m) at Milford (as per NOAA hydrograph ^[15]) The record level of the river at Milford is 35.5 feet (10.8 m), and flood stage is 25 feet (7.6 m).

On Friday, 30 June, U.S. Route 209 between Milford and the Monroe County line at Lehman Township was closed.

In Wayne County, the opening of the Lake Wallenpaupack spillway caused damage downstream.^[16] The Delaware River also caused damage on the eastern border of the county. Damage in Wayne County totaled about $50 million (2006 USD).

Of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania, 46 were under a state of emergency as declared by Governor Ed Rendell. Four deaths were confirmed in Pennsylvania; two in Luzerne County, one near Gettysburg, and one in rural Wayne County.^[17]

In Lackawaxen, the Zane Grey museum, part of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, sustained significant damage.^[18]

Virginia

Flooding occurred in many areas in Virginia, particularly in the north. A mudslide closed the Capital Beltway in Alexandria for several hours on Monday, June 26. Mudslides were also witnessed in the mountainous regions.^[19]

Governor Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency for the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.

Related Research Articles

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References

↑ "Dartmouth Flood Observatory" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.
1 2 3 Hurdle, Jon (June 28, 2006). "At least 16 die in floods". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2006-06-29. ^{[ dead link ]}
↑ MacGillis, Alec; Rucker, Philip (June 29, 2006). "After the Deluge, Death and Debris". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
1 2 "Victims of Flooding Seek State, Federal Help" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.
1 2 3 4 ^[dead link ]
1 2 "WUSA9.com". WUSA. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
↑ Three Killed When Washed Out Of Truck Bed - Baltimore News Story - WBAL Baltimore ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
1 2 "Page Not Found - Baltimore Sun" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.
↑ cbs3.com - Governor Declares State Of Emergency In New Jersey ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
↑ State Of Emergency Around Southern Tier | WBNG-TV Binghamton, NY | Local Top Stories Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine .
↑ "NCDC: Event Details" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.
↑ "'Story' Meets a Cow!". 18 August 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-07-06. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
↑ weatherplus.com - Weather News - News: Floods Cause Disaster Declarations ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
↑ "Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Binghamton: Delaware River at Montague". Archived from the original on 2006-10-07. Retrieved 2006-07-01.
↑ "Article 404 - News Eagle - Hawley, PA - Hawley, PA". News Eagle. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
↑ Feuer, Alan (June 29, 2006). "Mid-Atlantic States Reel Under Deluge; 10 Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
↑ "News (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
↑ ^[dead link ]

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[1] "Dartmouth Flood Observatory" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[weather_usa_dc-2] 1 2 3 Hurdle, Jon (June 28, 2006). "At least 16 die in floods". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2006-06-29. ^{[ dead link ]}

[3] MacGillis, Alec; Rucker, Philip (June 29, 2006). "After the Deluge, Death and Debris". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2010.

[S=5087000-4] 1 2 "Victims of Flooding Seek State, Federal Help" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[ap_on_re_us-5] 1 2 3 4 ^[dead link ]

[wusatv9-6] 1 2 "WUSA9.com". WUSA. Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[7] Three Killed When Washed Out Of Truck Bed - Baltimore News Story - WBAL Baltimore ^{[ permanent dead link ]}

[baltimoresun1-8] 1 2 "Page Not Found - Baltimore Sun" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[9] s3.com - Governor Declares State Of Emergency In New Jersey ^{[ permanent dead link ]}

[10] State Of Emergency Around Southern Tier | WBNG-TV Binghamton, NY | Local Top Stories Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine .

[11] "NCDC: Event Details" . Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[12] "'Story' Meets a Cow!". 18 August 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[13] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-07-06. Retrieved 2006-06-30.

[14] weatherplus.com - Weather News - News: Floods Cause Disaster Declarations ^{[ permanent dead link ]}

[15] "Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Binghamton: Delaware River at Montague". Archived from the original on 2006-10-07. Retrieved 2006-07-01.

[16] "Article 404 - News Eagle - Hawley, PA - Hawley, PA". News Eagle. Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[17] Feuer, Alan (June 29, 2006). "Mid-Atlantic States Reel Under Deluge; 10 Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2010.

[18] "News (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 29 May 2018.

[19] [dead link ]