Cleanup efforts begin in Pittsburgh area after heavy rains leave behind flooding and debris
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - After a couple of days of heavy rainfall and flooding, cleanup efforts around the area have begun in our area.
Members of the Army Corps of Engineers teamed up to clean debris left behind from the recent flooding.
They were out at the Dasheields Lock and Dam in Moon Township this morning helping clear debris that had been washed down from the Ohio River.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works were working together to clean up Lake Elizabeth on the Northside.
That cleanup will continue on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and then again on Monday from 9 a.m. until noon.
On Friday around 11:30 p.m., the 10th Street Bypass reopened to traffic. Major flooding from this week's storm forced the roadway to close.
Cleanup in West Newton after flooding
This week has certainly left its mark with record-setting amounts of rain that caused widespread flooding.
While the water has certainly receded since it flooded homes in West Newton, it is still high above normal levels.
For Ricky Boyd, his house along the Youghiogheny River took on water during the deluges of rain we got earlier this week.
"You get pretty worried, but this is our fourth time, and we've lived here for 40 years," Boyd said on Friday.
Even now, the river is running several feet higher than normal. A dumpster sits outside Boyd's house to toss away whatever was ruined.
"A lot of muck to clean up. Had a lot of help. We got done really quickly. We're ready to move in here tomorrow," Boyd said.
While just down the street, yards are still swamps, and mild creeks like this return to their normal levels. Dennis Lattner had water come to within feet of his house.
There is some drainage backup for him to clean up as well.
"Very fortunate because the older you get, the harder it gets to clean it out," Lattner said.
While he has been here for decades, he's learned to not leave anything too valuable in low-lying areas.
"You make sure you keep everything on shelves and off the ground," Lattner said.
Even though this happens every so often to homes in this valley, the tranquility of the water keeps them here.
"It's beautiful here, except when the water's high. We love it here," Lattner said.
According to insurance companies, flooding is not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.
