KNOEBELS AMUSEMENT RESORT -- The food and fun were interrupted by flooding and now the cleanup is underway at Knoebels Amusement Resort after a creek overflowed its banks.
It's not the biggest flood Knoebels has seen over the years, but Monday's flash flood at the amusement park near Elysburg still caused some damage and a big mess.
The creek was still high Tuesday morning as crews spent the morning pumping water and mud from the miniature golf course. The rest of the park opened on time Tuesday.
The sky was dark and within minutes, the creek at Knoebels Amusement Resort was overflowing. Knoebels employees took video of flash flooding before the park was evacuated.
"Just kind of noticed the trees starting to blow and within minutes it was a downpour," said Bill Schoener of Warminster.
A rain gauge at the park measured over five inches of water. The park closed at 7 p.m. Monday and shortly after that the water started receding.
After the water receded, employees were back to work cleaning up the mud on the miniature golf course among other places.
Water came over the top of the metal bridge which goes across the creek. Staff members took special precautions to remove the side panels on the covered bridge.
"If the water were to rush into the side boards, there's a possibility that the bridge could actually be lifted by the water and moved away," explained spokesperson Stacy Ososkie.
Lake Glory Campground, which is on Knoebels' property, also saw a lot of flooding.
"We got our animals and got our kids and got our vehicles and moved them to higher ground," said Ginger Beard of Port Matilda.
Beard and her family are staying at Lake Glory Campground for a week. The campground is about five miles away from Knoebels. Beard says they were worried they would lose their camper in the storm.
"The whole front of the hitch, up until about the ball, was underwater and it came to about this close to the bottom of the camper."
Campers are happy employees were able to get the park open on time.
"Back to normal," said Schoener. "That's why we got here right when it opened, so we could try and get a full day in."
Employees at Knoebels say they are thankful because as they know from the flood of 2011 the damage could have been much worse. There is some mud at the park but none of the rides were damaged.
