Emergency Officials Concerned over Ice, River Levels

BRADFORD COUNTY -- A drastic change in temperatures with the potential of freezing rain, sleet, and snow has people in parts of our area watching for possible flooding.

Emergency services officials in Bradford County say while they are not too worried about what might happen this weekend, they do know as we have seen this week, it can be unpredictable, so they are keeping an eye on the river in case something should go wrong.

Although the recent stretch of warm temperatures has been pleasant for some, it could mean big problems for agencies like the Emergency Services in Bradford County.

Pictures taken by emergency services earlier this week in Towanda show a large buildup of ice in the Susquehanna River.

"I don't think we'll have much problem with the creeks and the streams, but then again, this weather is so crazy we don't know exactly what's going to happen," said Jo Ann Daly, Bradford County emergency management coordinator.

Daly said that areas where there is a bend in the river, followed by a bridge -- like in Towanda -- are especially at risk for flooding.

"If the ice jams against a bridge then anything else that's coming behind it is going to build up, and at some point, it's going to be enough pressure, the way I understand it, that it's just going to break through."

That could potentially flood the river banks.

Daly told Newswatch 16 their biggest threat will be the ice conditions farther north of Bradford County.

"We have the ice that is north of us in New York State that comes into the Susquehanna and the Chemung Rivers that's probably going to give us the ice flows tomorrow afternoon."

Colleen Pozzi lived in the area during flooding that occurred in September of 2011 and remembers a devastating scene.

"First flood I've ever seen, it came up into the Progress building and this who Merrel Parkway was just flooded," Pozzi recalled.

She hopes it doesn't happen again.

"I'm concerned for everybody else. I mean I feel like I'm OK because I'm up higher, but for anybody else, I mean that's sad to have to go through that again."

Should residents of Bradford County need to be alerted to any dangerous conditions or evacuations, emergency services with send out alerts through their Code Red communication system. If you have a landline, you’re already signed up, but if you want to be alerted on your mobile device, you can call emergency services or visit Bradford County’s website to get connected.

Get the latest forecast, river levels, interactive radar, and more from the Stormtracker 16 team.