THE FLOOD OF '96 AND ITS SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS IN THE SUSQUEHANNA RWER BASIN1
B. Yarnal
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorD. L. Johnson
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorB. J. Frakes
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorG. I. Bowles
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorP. Pascale
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorB. Yarnal
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorD. L. Johnson
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorB. J. Frakes
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorG. I. Bowles
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorP. Pascale
Respectively, Associate Professor of Geography and Associate of the Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; Hydrologic Research Laboratory, National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University park, Pennsylvania 16802; Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural Science and Industrial Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geography and Earth System Science Center, 302 Walker Bldg., Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802.
Search for more papers by this authorPaper No. 96117 of the Journal of the American Water Resources Association (formerly Water Resources Bulletin). Discussions are open until August 1, 1998.
Abstract
ABSTRACT: The meteorology flood hydroclimatolog and socioeconomic impacts of the Flood of January 1996 in the Susquehanna River Basin are explored. The analysis explains how an unusual storm system brought high humidities, high temperatures, strong winds, and heavy rain to the basin. The rapid melt of the deep snowpack, combined with the heavy rainfall, produced the sudden release of large volumes of water. Because the ground surface was frozen or saturated, this water moved primarily as overland flow. Thus, the flood waters were not restricted to areas immediately adjacent to stream channels and, consequently, some of the largest impacts were on people, property, and infrastructure in areas not normally prone to flooding. Socioeconomic patterns of flooding over time and space are investigated to put this flood into context and to highlight its impacts. The analysis concludes that if such overland flooding is a more common feature of climate change, then the current vulnerability to this form of flooding and its economic implications must be considered carefully.
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