"The Morning Call Inc., Copyright 2002"
Date: WEDNESDAY, May 30, 1984
FLOODING CLOSES ROADS; FARMERS FEAR FOR CROPS
by SCOTT BIEBER, The Morning Call
More than 3 1/2 inches of rain fell since Monday on ground already saturated from earlier rains, causing stream flooding, agricultural damage and the closing of several roads in Lehigh County yesterday.
Allentown had little or no flood damage, according to the city's Central Fire Station.
The Lehigh River rose to 21 1/2 feet at Allentown, 6 inches below flood stage, at about 6 p.m. Three hours later, the river was holding at 21 feet and was being watched by local Civil Defense officials, said CD Director Jerry Duckett.
Showers are forecast for the next day or two, with clearing and sunny skies possible by Saturday, according to Charles Giannetta of the National Weather Service at Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Airport.
A total of 3.62 inches of rain was recorded at the airport since Monday morning. A total of 9.85 inches has fallen this month, which is 6.25 above normal, Giannetta said.
A Lower Macungie Township boy was rescued yesterday afternoon from an island in the Little Lehigh Creek by the Wescosville Fire Department.
Twelve-year-old Gregory Myers of Sweet Briar Road in Millbrook Farms became stranded when the stream rose quickly and cut him off from the mainland near Mill Race Road, said Deputy Fire Chief Allen McNabb.
The boy's older brother, who was with him, crossed the stream and summoned aid. Fire fighters threw a rope to the boy, who tied it to a tree. Anchored with other ropes, a boat with two men was worked across the stream to the boy, and he was brought back safely.
Flood water from streams and run-off from fields and housing developments inundated and closed several roads throughout the county. Roads reported closed were Mill Race Road, Kressler Road, Spring Creek Road and Indian Creek Road in Lower Macungie, Keystone Avenue in Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania Road in South Whitehall Township and the 8th street underpass sections of Reading Road, St. Elmo and Union streets in Allentown.
Scattered calls were reported from homeowners around the county who needed basements pumped out, according to the county communications center. Central Fire Station reported only a couple of requests to pump out basements.
The frequent rains have been bad news for farmers, who are worried about soggy and eroding fields that could reduce harvests.
Robert Leiby of the Lehigh County Extension Service said the wet weather has delayed much corn planting. He said the western section of the county will need at least two weeks of sunny weather to dry out. Fields in the shale areas of northern Lehigh drain faster and will need less time to dry out, although they also have suffered erosion, Leiby said.
Also possible are seed rot and dilution of chemical weed killers, making them partly or wholly ineffective, Leiby said.
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