In downtown Pittsburgh, the place where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers meet is called The Point. On St. Patrick’s Day in 1936, those two rivers overflowed and flooded much of downtown Pittsburgh.
Water at the Point that day rose to about 46 ft. More than half of the businesses downtown were underwater. And if you look real carefully, some of the older buildings in the city still carry the high water marks from that day.
What the 1936 Flood Set in Motion in PA
Congress had been sitting on flood control legislation for decades. The Great St. Patrick’s Day flood forced them into action. The activity that followed that flood saw the Army Corps of Engineers building 16 dams and reservoirs across its Pittsburgh district.
It’s a system that works. The Point has come nowhere near 46 ft since then. But nothing upstream is going to stop rain from landing on your roof and running down your street.
Why Flood Insurance in PA Is a Separate Policy
Homeowners policies don’t pay for flood damage. And that’s not just a Pennsylvania thing. At Daniel Carinici Agency LLC, we talk to people all the time who are caught off guard when their basement gets flooded.
You can buy a private flood insurance policy through a private insurer. The federal government also has the National Flood Insurance Program.
The Flooding Pittsburgh Deals With Now
Saw Mill Run Boulevard has seen flooding more than 20 times in the past 10 years. With water running fast enough to shove vehicles sideways. In Greenfield, there’s a low stretch locals call the run. It funnels stormwater off Oakland and Squirrel Hill through one single choke point.
You may look at a flood zone map and see that your property is nowhere near any of these high-risk areas. But FEMA reports that about 20% of flood claims come in from properties that aren’t in designated flood zones.
Check Your Flood Insurance Policy Before Storm Season
It takes 30 days for an NFIP policy to take effect. Buying one when you see storms coming in on the radar won’t help you. The rivers are a lot calmer than they were in 1936. But the creeks aren’t. Get in touch with Daniel Carinici Agency LLC to review your risks and figure out if flood insurance makes sense for you.
