The Ambler Gazette

Flooding informatio­n gathered at meeting

- By Eric Devlin

The Center for Sustainabl­e Communitie­s at Temple University Ambler held a meeting Oct. 17 to announce it is developing a stormwater management plan for three urban watersheds in the Ambler Borough, Upper Dublin and Whitpain townships.

The plan will identify and prioritize storm-water improvemen­ts to mitigate wDWeU TuDOiWy DnG flRRGinJ issues that the municipali­ties have faced for many years. Residents had the opportunit­y to share their personal exSeUienFe­s wiWh flRRGinJ sR as to help develop a strategic SODn WR DGGUess Whe sSeFifiF issues they’ve been facing.

Flooding informatio­n collected during the meeting will be used in the storm-waWeU PDnDJePenW SURMeFW WhDW the center has undertaken, which has been funded by the U.S. Environmen­tal Protection Agency, Philadelph­ia Water Department, local municipali­ties, a Community Developmen­t Block Grant and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Jeffrey Feathersto­ne, di-

rector of the Center for Sustainabl­e Communitie­s at Temple University Ambler, said the meeting was to allow residents to provide feedback that could be used to help computer models have accurate informatio­n regarding which areas are impacted most heavily by flooding. He said the informatio­n would be also help to redefine floodplain maps and a develop new storm ordinance.

Feathersto­ne said multiple government agencies are involved in the study, including the Federal Emergency Management Administra­tion.

He said the research is part of a regional watershed study and that the Ambler area is part of the Wissahicko­n watershed, a primary watershed. There are three main tributarie­s to the Wissahicko­n Creek: Rose Valley Creek (near Temple Ambler’s campus running to Tennis Avenue), Tannery Run (running near Butler Pike meeting the Wissahicko­n at the BoRit Asbestos site) and Stuart Farm Creek (where the Loch Alsh Reservoir is located).

During Feathersto­ne’s presentati­on, he said Ambler is facing a number of flood issues including increase of flood frequency and damage, extensive floodplain developmen­t in downstream reaches, limited capacity of downstream culverts (infrastruc­ture), limited storage operations and unmapped reaches and problem areas.

He said the area’s culverts are undersized and don’t have the capacity to withstand the onslaught of water during larger flooding events. There are currently 20 sites that slow and infiltrate water with about 60 projects planned to help alleviate the issue by detaining water and buffering it several times as it travels down the region.

Among the areas excluded from current floodplain maps is the West Ambler area of Whitpain Township. Feathersto­ne said flooded areas not included on official flood plain maps aren’t eligible for buy-out programs.

Another reason the study is being done is to see what’s happening undergroun­d. Feathersto­ne gave the example of the area along Orange Avenue in Ambler Borough where a hidden undergroun­d stream consistent­ly flooded the area but wasn’t discovered until researcher­s were told to take a look. Feathersto­ne said the undergroun­d pipes in sewers are not big enough to handle the large amount of water and oftentimes there are streams and other waterways that are unknown until further study has been done.

He said that while there are a number of ways engineers can help “mitigate the problem,” they won’t be able to completely stop flooding, especially during major storms.

This was the first of two meetings that will take place regarding the issue. The second meeting will be held next fall, where the project team will present an inventory of storm-water management facilities, an assessment of storm-water improvemen­t recommenda­tions and a 10-year implementa­tion strategy.

Ambler resident Brian Quinn said he thought the meeting was good because it finally allowed residents to come out and discuss the issue. He said he wants the engineers to visit his house because he’s been living with flooding problems for the past 10 years and it has been challengin­g.

“Sometimes it goes well; sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.

He said he still has some unanswered questions but the meeting gave people a chance to be heard.

In order for the public to provide input that was not collected at the meeting, Feathersto­ne said to visit www.amblerwate­rshed. wordpress.com.

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