The final reports for the West End and Fishing Creek Flood Mitigation Studies are now posted online.

With the support of Representative Millard and Senator Gordner, funding was secured for these pioneering studies. The Columbia County Board of Commissioners, working with SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG), engaged Borton-Lawson to develop the West End Flood Mitigation Study and Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) to develop the Fishing Creek Flood Mitigation Study. The goals of the studies were to:

• detect flooding problem areas within the County’s 18 municipalities/West End of the Town of Bloomsburg,

• identify best approaches that can be implemented by the County to mitigate flood impacts, reduce flood risk and improve residents’ quality of life,

• highlight mitigation options for the problems identified and implementable projects offered as a solution to those problems.

Both final reports can be found on the County’s Resiliency Office website, http://columbiapa.org/resiliency/index.php  and also on SEDA-COG’s website, https://seda-cog.org/departments/flood-resiliency/columbia-county-flood-mitigation-studies/ . The Columbia County Board of Commissioners have already begun the next steps and will continue to implement resiliency measures as a result of the studies.

The study kicked off with a combined public meeting in July 2021, two separate follow up public meetings held at the end of November and beginning of December 2021, and final meetings held in March 2022. Presentation slides and other materials can also be found at the website links above.

SEDA-COG assisted Columbia County in the grant administration of the studies. The studies were financed by grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.