A Study of Flood Protection Systems in the Susquehanna River Basin

Levees are crucial for protecting communities from flooding, particularly in vulnerable areas such as the Susquehanna River Basin (SRB). Many levees in the SRB are aging, and as storms intensify due to climate change, the risks to nearby populations increase. This project had two goals: to develop a levee database for the SRB and to conduct a case study on the Forty Fort Levee in Pennsylvania, a site with a history of major flood events. The database compiled information on levee characteristics, including age, height, and construction history, into an ArcGIS geodatabase to support future analysis. The case study involved a review of newspaper archives to trace flood events and assess their impact on the levee and surrounding area. One recurring theme was national attention after severe floods. Together, the historical analysis and database stress the growing need to understand and address levee vulnerability in a changing climate.