Lewisburg Borough’s parks blend green and gray infrastructure to protect residents from possible floods.
In the 51-years since Hurricane Agnes, Lewisburg Borough took steps to protect itself from future flooding events. In 2021, the borough started remodeling its parks to make them natural buffers to heavy storms. The first was Kidsburg Park, where they created a riparian buffer out of shrubs and trees. Plants cushion the bordering Susquehanna River from flooding and possible runoff from nearby industrial areas.
Lewisburg Neighborhoods, an ecological and historical preservation organization, led the project. Director Taylor Lightman shared how widening waterways mitigates flooding damages.
“So, that gives floodwater…a place to go and slow down. It’s this really quick water that is often really deadly during flooding. And, we replaced this floodplain,” said Lightman. “We planted natural wildflowers, and meadows, and trees so it makes it a really nice, enjoyable place to be.”
Agnes was so devastating, in part, because of city infrastructure, explained Lightman.
“When Lewisburg was first founded and settled many centuries ago, we likely had a floodplain that looked more similar to how we have it now than what it did look like 50 years ago when Hurricane Agnes came in,” said Lightman. “There was a place for the water to go. We had riparian buffers and wetlands, and sort of a more naturalized streambank.”
Kidsburg Park was only the first step of the borough’s park management plan. In June 2023, they approved a Flood Mitigation Plan. It covers short, middle, and long-term goals for the borough to reach over the next ten years. Officials have not yet released which recommendations they will follow, but said they will add a ‘Flood Resilient Community Toolbox’ with safety information for residents.
The borough will also start at least two new park remodeling projects this year along the Bull Run Corridor: Kidsburg Park Phase II and Piers Art Park. Both are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) through their Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2). It funds park recreational or conservation projects.
The Kidsburg project will expand the original riparian buffer further downstream from the playground, while Piers Art Park is a new development. Using existing railroad infrastructure, Piers will feature several historical art installations around the park.
Besides borough improvements, Lightman listed ways residents can take flood protection into their own hands. They should know their risk – whether they live in a floodplain, get flood insurance, and make a plan that best suits their family’s needs.
For more information on flooding protections, go to the borough’s Flood Information page on their website: www.lewisburgborough.org. Non-Lewisburg residents can find their flood risk at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website: https://www.fema.gov/.
Lewisburg residents will also see non-flooding related developments in 2024. Borough Community Development and Grant Manager Shannon Berkey reported that the borough just got a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant, Safe Streets and Roads for All, helps municipalities improve road infrastructure.
“And what that is going to allow us to do, is work with a third-party consultant to come up with a safety action plan that encompasses the whole borough,” said Berkey.
Officials plan to work on a road safety plan over the next few months.
