Tyrone Borough has expressed concern about erosion in an area along the banks of the Little Juniata River owned by the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority, which lies in Snyder Township.
The issue has been brought to council’s attention after an inspection took place last year after September’s flooding. The area of concern is located south of Park Avenue and 7th Street. Tyrone Borough Code Enforcement officer Tom Lang said the erosion was discovered at the time of a DEP inspection after the flood, but it was not certain if the flood caused the erosion.
“If you are standing at the foot bridge at Logan Avenue and Ninth Street and you look up river and you walk up the river to approximately 7th Street, there is a section of the riverbank which obviously has been eroded,” said Lang.
He also noted, “Along that area it appears there used to be a railroad track or something, but it actually looks like a dike. No one is sure exactly when that was put in there, or who it was put in by. It’s really not sure if it was put in there for a dike.”
Lang reported to council on the issue in his May 2005 report after receiving a copy of letter from engineer John Conrad who had prepared information about the erosion issues for the joint rail authority.
In April, Conrad told the authority he inspected the area and made certain observations. He said the embankment area on the streamside has moderately eroded to expose tree roots. The erosion progresses nearly the height of the embankment. Conrad said the erosion didn’t undermine the embankment.
He also stated the top of the embankment is narrow in the area of the erosion on the landside more than the adjoining sections of the embankment on the landside. He said material might have been removed in this area.
Conrad said a segmental concrete storm pipe approximately two feet in diameter is protruding through the embankment within the erosion area. He said the pipe sections are open-jointed and misaligned near the stream edge. Conrad noted he did not inspect the residential yard area to locate the entrance manhole or grate to storm system.
Conrad told the joint-rail authority the embankment did not appear to be stable and doesn’t permit high water to escape the bank flow without overtopping the entire embankment. Conrad also gave photos of the area to the authority and Lang distributed copies of the pictures to council members as a follow-up to his report.
Lang said Snyder Township was informed of the concerns several months ago after DEP officials visited Tyrone to inspect problems caused by the flood. However, to date Snyder Township has yet to respond to the borough’s letter on the issue.
“Obviously, borough residents would be the ones that would be affected, if for some reason, we would have a very large storm and that bank would continue to erode, similar to what we have had in the past,” said Lang.
“(If) that bank would continue to erode where it could possibly break that high ground along the river that’s acting as a dike…and maybe cause some additional flooding, which we are trying to avoid, obviously. The flood waters could cross borough lines and obviously there (aren’t) any Snyder Township residents in that area that would be affected.
As of Friday, Lang said any further action would be up to council. He said the borough needs permission from not only the joint rail authority but also from Snyder Township to go into the area and do any work.
“I don’t really think we are going to hear back any further from either party,” said Lang. “SEDA-COG has addressed what they think through (the) letter. They have given permission verbally, through Mr. Conrad to myself; we have permission to enter onto their property to“bulk up that ‘dyke’”.
He said Snyder Township would still have to grant permission and then it would be up to the recommendation of the borough manager and council’s action as to who would do the work.
Lang summed things up by saying, “It’s been presented to council and council just has not made any decision on what to do with this issue yet.”
