Blue Marsh Release Could Raise Schuylkill River More

Though Phoenixville Borough Manager Jean Krack said it’s likely a release at Blue Marsh Lake could raise already high the Schuylkill River a few inches, it’s also a possibility the river could jump up to five feet.

On Thursday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District declared an emergency at Blue Marsh Lake, located four miles north of Reading on the Tulpehocken Creek, which feeds into the Schuylkill.

According to a news release:

The outflow from the dam is 5,400-cubic feet per second (gates fully open) and is meant to minimize continued elevation of the reservoir. This outflow rate will continue as needed to pass inflows and maintain pool levels below the spillway.

These large releases of water from the dam are being made to control the lake level. Residents in downstream areas should be alert to possible flooding and communicate with local officials about any evacuation guidance.

The reservoir has been functioning as designed, storing significant volumes of water over the past several days and thus reducing downstream flows and delaying possible flooding. However, continued heavy rains have taken the reservoir up to its flood storage capacity.

Krack said he’s been in contact with officials regarding the release, and he said though more flooding may occur, the river dropped about a foot during the morning and early afternoon hours and would likely be OK if the release caused a rise of a few more inches.

“We are going to expect some water later on,” Krack said, noting that the river could rise as much as five feet, though he said that was less likely.

He’s monitoring the river levels at Pottstown and Norristown, where there are stations to measure set up, and he said borough staff will continue to keep an eye on the rising river.

“We’ll be monitoring this all night,” Krack said.

In Reading, firefighters were going door-to-door to suggest that residents evacuate. No mandatory evacuations were called for, and the area of concern was limited to a neighborhood near Reading Community College, according to the Reading Eagle.

Though no roads were closed in the borough as of this morning, Pawlings Road in Schuylkill Township was reportedly closed and a state road in Charlestown is closed. Here's the full, and very extensive, list, as of 6:10 p.m. on Sept. 8:

Chester County

PA 724 between Scholl Road and Laurelwood Road in North Coventry Township. Flooding.

Bethel Church Road between PA 724 and Montgomery County line in East Coventry Township. Flooding. 

Foster Road between Green Lane Road and Yellow Springs Road in Charlestown Township. Drainage pipe and pavement damage.

Bucks County

Route 32 between Cafferty Road and Dark Hollow Road in Tinicum and Bridgeton twps. Downed utility wires. 

Route 32 between Lodi Hill Road and Bridgeton Hill Road in Tinicum and Bridgeton townships. Flooding. 

Route 32 between Trenton Avenue and Taylorsville Road in Lower Makefield and Upper Makefield townships and Morrisville Borough. Flooding.

Route 32 between Headquarters Road and Uhlerstown Road in Tinicum Township. Flooding.

Route 32 between Bridgeton Hill Road and Narrows Hill Road in Bridgeton Township. Downed tree and utility wires.

Route 32 between Aquetong Road and Danboro Point Pleasant Pike in Solebury and Plumstead townships. Flooding.

Route 263 between Center Bridge Road and Route 32 in Solebury Township. Pavement damage.

Route 611 between Durham Road in Riegelsville Borough and South Third Street in Easton, Northampton County. Flooding.

Cedar Avenue between State Road and Bristol Pike in Bristol Township. Flooding.

Otter Street between Tennis Avenue and Street Road in Bensalem Township. Flooding.

Newportville Road between New Falls Road and Hulmeville Road in Bristol Township. Flooding. 

Bristol Road between Brownsville Road and Old Lincoln Highway in Lower Southampton and Bensalem Township. Flooding.

Aquetong Road North between Lower Mountain Road and Route 202 in Solebury Township. Shoulder washout and pavement damage.

Geigel Hill Road between Upper Tinicum Church Road and Swamp Creek Road in Tinicum Twp. Downed tree and utility wires.

Tohickon Hill Road between Point Pleasant Pike and State Park Road in Plumstead Twp. Bridge damage.

Delaware County

Route 291West between Saville Avenue and Stewart Road in Eddystone Borough. Flooding.

Route 252 between Route 3 (West Chester Pike) and Media Line Road in Newtown Township. Collapsed drainage pipe and pavement damage.

Creek Road between Bridgewater Road and Dutton Mill Road in Brookhaven Borough and Middletown Township. Downed utility wires.

Montgomery County

Linfield Trappe Road between Lewis Road and Limerick Road in Limerick Township. Flooding.

Park Avenue between Pawlings Road and Audubon Road in Lower Providence Township.  Flooding and pavement damage.

Philadelphia

Kelly Drive between Midvale Avenue and 25th Street. Flooding.