Downpours flood region

Several roads closed after rain, melting snow send creeks over banks

By Anne Danahy

Heavy rains that started Tuesday night swamped roads and basements in Centre County and prompted a boil water advisory on the University Park campus, but those dealing with the flooding said it wasn’t the worst they’ve seen.

“Basically we got off lucky with this one,” said Doug Young, chief of the Gregg Township Fire Company.

He and other volunteers were getting ready to take a break midmorning Wednesday after a long night that started at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

“If it would have kept pouring like it was a couple times last night, we wouldn’t be so lucky,” Young said.

According to the National Weather Service, about 2.5 inches of rain fell in much of Centre County between Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Centre County Emergency Services said rain and melting snow led to road closings in Coburn, Milesburg and Boggs, College, Liberty, Gregg and Penn townships.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Penns Creek until this afternoon. Floodwaters there could affect several homes and cottages, and several secondary roads near the creek have been closed, according to the National Weather Service Web site.

Flooding also led Penn State to advise those on the University Park campus to boil water or use bottled water, after cloudy water was traced to a supply well affected by the rains and flooding. The well was removed from service, the system was being flushed and water samples collected for testing.

More familiar effects of flooding were evident in Gregg Township, where Board of Supervisors Chairman Pat Leary and volunteer Gil Morrison were pumping out the flooded basement of the community center. The water, Leary said, comes up through the floor drains.

Branches floated along a swelling Sinking Creek, a section of Sinking Creek Road was closed, and yards flooded.

“We dubbed it Lake Spring Mills,” Morrison joked.

“He did,” Leary replied. “I just called it a nuisance.”

Still, Morrison said, it was a “manageable” flood. They were able to keep water out of the community center’s boiler, and day care and other meetings continued to be held.

Nearby, Coburn Road was closed. Randy Hauger and Harry Page, with the Decorating Center in Mifflinburg, discovered that when they were on their way to install carpeting in a home near Coburn.

“Yeah, it’s flooded,” Hauger said of the road along Elk Creek.

They planned to try to reach their destination by going through Woodward.

“I’m lost after that,” Hauger said.

According to county emergency services, high water prevented people from getting in or out of Coburn.

In neighboring Huntingdon County, dozens of road were closed by flooding, including a section of U.S. Route 522 in Shirley Township. Flooding of the District Court building in Mount Union was reported, as was early dismissal of Mount Union Area School District. Inspectors also were dispatched to check the structural integrity of the Moore Street Bridge in Mount Union.

The rainy weather did not hit Bellefonte and Centre Region municipalities as hard.

College Township manager Adam Brumbaugh said the state closed Puddintown Road so the township also closed connecting Balmoral Way. Puddintown Road reopened shortly before 5 p.m.

Brumbaugh said part of Spring Creek was over its banks as was Slab Cabin Run, but the township has seen worse flooding there.

In Ferguson Township, water was crossing roads in some areas Tuesday night, but by Wednesday all roads were open, according to the township.

Bellefonte Borough Manager Ralph Stewart said staff were keeping an eye on Spring Creek but hadn’t seen flooding problems.

“The newer section of Talleyrand Park has some standing water areas,” Stewart said, “but fortunately we haven’t had any flooding from Spring Creek going over the stone wall that follows the stream through the older areas of Talleyrand Park.”

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648.