Our Mission

View the hydrograph at the Wilkes-Barre stream gauge • FEMA Updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Luzerne County • Hanover, PA Live Streaming Bald Eagle Nest Webcam • SBA Disaster Loans & Disaster Declaration • View the hydrograph at the Wilkes-Barre stream gauge • FEMA Updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Luzerne County • Hanover, PA Live Streaming Bald Eagle Nest Webcam • SBA Disaster Loans & Disaster Declaration • View the hydrograph at the Wilkes-Barre stream gauge • FEMA Updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Luzerne County • Hanover, PA Live Streaming Bald Eagle Nest Webcam • SBA Disaster Loans & Disaster Declaration

Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority Mission Statement

To protect the community from loss of lives, property and infrastructure due to high water events along the Susquehanna River, through the maintenance and operation of the Wyoming Valley Flood Risk Management Project.

What is your Flood Risk?

Using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, enter your home address and see what flood zone you’re in.

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Our Mission Defined

Tropical Storm Agnes Promotes Levee Raising

In June 1972, Susquehanna River flooding from Tropical Storm Agnes crested at 40.91 feet and overtopped the existing level of protection in the Wyoming Valley. The widespread flooding and its aftermath was an absolute catastrophe. The flood inundation area covered 48 square miles and caused over $1 billion in damages (1980 dollars). Over 25,000 homes and apartments were damaged, 80,000 citizens were rendered homeless, 30,000 citizens were housed in relocation centers, 5 major bridges were destroyed or significantly damaged, over 2,700 commercial establishments were damaged, 11,000 people were out of work and over 1 million tons of debris was required for disposal. Several deaths were attributed to the flood and its after effects.

Mission Responsibilities

The mission of the LCFPA is to protect the community from loss of lives, property and infrastructure due to high water events along the Susquehanna River. The success of this mission is dependent upon the LCFPA’s continued maintenance, operation and repair of the WVFRMP in accordance with established Federal standards. These standards are documents in the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published Operation and Maintenance Manuals (O&MM) in which the Authority is contractually obligated to adhere to. Annually, the USACE performs an evaluation of the maintenance and operation of the flood risk reduction system. This information is shared with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a levee certification determination for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) purposes.

The Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project Protects

The Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project (WVLRP), which occurred from the mid-1990’s to the early 2000’s, raised the level of protection 3 to 5 feet and was undertaken to prevent a recurrence of an Agnes-level flood event. In the Agnes floodplain, there are currently a total of 14,153 properties which consists of 12,403 residential properties and 1,750 commercial, industrial and tax exempt properties. The total assessed value of these properties is $1,919,644,900 or nearly $2 billion dollars. In the protected communities the estimated total population is nearly 95,000 residents. The WVFRMP provides flood protection to some of the largest employers in the area and includes Luzerne County Government, Commonwealth Health First Hospital, Geisinger Medical Group, Diamond Manufacturing, Wyoming Valley West School District, Wilkes-Barre Area School District, Wyoming Seminary, Wilkes University, Kings College and many others. In addition, dozens of churches, synagogues and other houses of worship are located behind the flood protection system. The WVFRMP helps preserve the health, safety and quality of life in the protected communities, the continued economic viability of the area and the sustained prosperity and wellness of Luzerne County.

Exeter Reach

  • 0.5 miles of earthen levee and steel sheetpile floodwall
  • 2 relief walls
  • 3 drainage structures
  • 1 sandbag closure at Wilkern Street
  • 1 aluminum stoplog closure at Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) Rail Road opening along Route 92

Forty-Fort-Swoyersville Reach

  • 3.2 miles of earthen levee
  • 0.6 miles of steel sheetpile floodwall.
  • 6 drainage structures.
  • 1 sandbag closure at abandoned LCRA RR opening
  • 1 aluminum closure structure at active LCRA RR opening off of Swetland Lane
  • Abrahams Creek Diversion Channel

Kingston-Edwardsville Reach

  • 3.5 of earthen levee
  • 150ft. of concrete and steel sheetpile floodwall
  • 3 Pump stations
  • 3.1 miles of electric transmission lines and two transformer substations
  • 8 drainage structures
  • 1 sandbag closure at Black Diamond RR opening
  • 2 aluminum closure structures: at Market Street Bridge and Wyoming Avenue openings.
  • 81 relief wells

Wilkes-Barre-Hanover Reach

  • 4.6 miles of earthen levee and 0.8 miles of concrete & steel sheetpile floodwall.
  • 8 pump stations: Union, Market, Ross, Old River Road, D&H, Horton, Delaney & Solomons Creek
  • 3.4 mi. of electric transmission lines and four transformer substations.
  • 9 drainage structures.
  • 1 sandbag closure at Black Diamond RR opening.
  • 4 aluminum closure structures: at Market Street Bridge, Courthouse, Solomons Creek & pedestrian openings.
  • 40 relief wells.

 

Plymouth Reach

  • 1.7 miles of earthen levee.
  • 2 pump stations: Brown Creek & Wadham Creek.
  • 1.9 miles of electric transmission lines and two transformer substation to furnish power to the pump stations.
  • 5 drainage structures.
  • 3 ponding areas: Coal, Brown & Wadham Creeks.
  • 2 sandbag closures: at the north ends of Beade Street and E. Railroad Street.
  • 4 relief wells