Living on the Susquehanna River provides one heck of a view, but it could come at a cost. That’s the fear of Karen Watkins from Marysville. She says it hasn’t flooded in a couple years, but that the ice jams and rain could create a perfect storm that may lead to flooding over the weekend. “We have markers in the yard to tell us how far it’s coming up and how quickly it’s coming up” said Watkins.
She lives near the Rockville Bridge where ice jams are forming. Harrisburg acting fire chief Brian Enterline said for now all they can do is watch and wait. “There’s absolutely nothing that can be done about the ice jams it’s just the natural flow of the river and it’s one of those things we have to constantly monitor” said Enterline.
Watkins and her neighbors are all too familiar with the danger they face. They’re already taking action. “You’ve got to take your furnace, your chest freezer if you have any equipment like that you’ve got to get it up on those cinder blocks to prevent the damage” said Watkins.
Raising the furnace means disconnecting her heat source. But she’s staying put. “It’s not the ideal way to spend the weekend but I guess part of that is the price you pay for living next to the river and having a beautiful view” said Watkins. She said the sunrises she gets to experience every morning more than make up for the dangers of flooding.