Schmidt, Megan, Water Resources, AKRF, 530 Walnut St, Suite 998, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, mschmidt@akrf.com; Paone, Carolyn, Water Resources, AKRF, 530 Walnut St, Suite 998, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, cpaone@akrf.com; Kramer, Betsy, Community Revitalization SEDA Council of Governments 201 Furnace Rd Lewisburg PA, 17837, bkramer@seda-cog.org; Cassidy, Alimara, Community Revitalization, SEDA Council of Governments, 201 Furnace Rd, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, alimara.cassidy@seda-cog.org; Martz, Lauren, Selinsgrove Borough, One North High Street, Selinsgrove, PA, 17870, lmartz@selinsgrove.org, Craig, Laura, Water Resources AKRF 530 Walnut St, Suite 998 Philadelphia PA
19106, lcraig@akrf.com; .
Communities along the Susquehanna River have always had a deep connection to the water, shaped by its beauty, economic value, and cultural importance. But as climate change accelerates and watershed urbanization continues, that relationship is being tested by more frequent and intense flooding. The increasing complexity of riverine and flash flooding underscores an urgent need for actionable, community-based resilience strategies.
The Borough of Selinsgrove is rising to that challenge. With grant support from the SEDA-Council of Governments, the Borough partnered with a multidisciplinary team led by AKRF to identify strategies that will improve preparation, response, and recovery efforts related to flooding. The study involved navigating a rich institutional knowledge of flooding in the Borough through stakeholder engagement with long-term residents, Borough officials, first responders, and members of the flood task force. The community’s prior research and lived experience were key drivers of the resiliency plan, which focuses on organizing and formalizing procedures, response roles, resources access, and partnerships. Community messaging and outreach are critical components of this plan as they aim to increase community awareness and preparedness, even when flooding is not imminent. A key focus of the study was the often-overlooked challenge of balancing historic preservation with flood adaptation. By exploring practical solutions and real-world examples, the plan identifies pathways to protect both Selinsgrove’s built heritage and its future resilience.
Studies like these highlight the urgent need for partnerships, research, and funding to protect riverfront communities from flooding and allow these areas to have a safe and prosperous relationship with the river. As flooding grows more severe across the U.S., efforts like Selinsgrove’s show what’s possible when resilience planning is both local and forward-looking.
Flooding, Resilience, Historic Preservation, Community Engagement