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3/12/2015 1:15 am  #1


2015 Ice Jam On the Susquehanna River

I visited Long Level along the Susquehanna River over the weekend and I was absolutely amazed at the lack of ice build up on the York county side of the Susquehanna River. There is practically no ice on the York county side - some very thin ice -- but nothing major. Considering we have just come through one of our coldest winters - February was the coldest February on record since records were kept in Harrisburg. February was also the 4th or 5th coldest month ever recorded since records were kept. January was also rather cold. Many nights the temperature was 0 or below. We should have some very thick ice because of the temperatures. I remember 25 years ago and before we would see ice sometimes two feet thick along the banks of Long Level when the ice would break -- sometimes it would wash up on the River Road along Long Level and have to be plowed away. Actually while I was thinking -- we had very thick ice about 8 years ago. I remember being fascinated by the thick pieces of ice and seeing streaks of blue color in the thick pieces. I may even have a photo or two showing this interesting coloration. There does appear to be more solid and thicker ice on the Lancaster County side of the river this year. 

Did anybody ever hear the loud cracking noise of ice breaking up on the river? My father used to tell me about that sound but I have never heard it. Speaking of ice build ups along the Susquehanna River - I remember about 35 - 40 years ago there was a tremendous ice jam on the river above the Safe Harbor Dam and authorities were considering calling in the U. S. Air Force and having jet planes fire missiles or drop bombs to disengage or break up the ice. To my knowledge that plan never materialized but it was being considered.

Of course ice jams were responsible in taking out the Columbia - Wrightsville Bridge on at least two occasions before the great cement bridges and piers were constructed.

We obviously do not seem to get the thick build up of ice that we once did. My father and mother used to tell me how the ice was so thick along Long Level during the 1920's and 1930's that people used to to drive their cars out on the river on top of the ice -- not a very smart thing to do but they did it. While I would be afraid to drive my car on the ice on the river - I wouldn't mind trying ice fishing. Has anyone on the Exchange ever done ice fishing on the Susquehanna River between York and Lancaster? What were your results? 

Last edited by JimmyBear (3/12/2015 1:18 am)

 

3/12/2015 10:53 am  #2


Re: 2015 Ice Jam On the Susquehanna River

Anyone know WHY the ice jams did NOT occur this year as they had in previous bad winters (especially since this was one of the worst cold streaks) ?? 

I DO remember some of the really bad ice jams years ago. Some people lost their bungalows that were in low lying areas there due to the ice jams. 




 


"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
 
 

3/13/2015 5:56 am  #3


Re: 2015 Ice Jam On the Susquehanna River

Ice jam, also called ice dam,  an accumulation of ice forming where the slope of a river changes from steeper to milder or where moving ice meets an intact ice cover—as in a large pool, at the point of outflow into a lake, or on the edge of a glacier or ice sheet. Ice jams can lead to localized and regional flooding in the area behind the blockage, and the sudden failure of an ice jam can release large quantities of water and ice that may cause damage to nearby structures, croplands, and wildlife habitat downstream. The phenomenon is commonly associated with blockages of ice that prevent the late winter or early spring drainage of rain and melting snows in colder regions or with the breakup of glaciers and ice sheets. There is ample evidence linking vast prehistoric ice jams to megafloods that shaped landforms seen today.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/281150/ice-jam


 “We hold these truths to be self-evident,”  former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”

 
 

3/13/2015 6:11 am  #4


Re: 2015 Ice Jam On the Susquehanna River

A few weeks ago I took photos of the frozen river. A very strange site to see.
I tried to post them here but the files were too big? It would not let me post them??
 


 “We hold these truths to be self-evident,”  former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”

 
 

3/13/2015 12:28 pm  #5


Re: 2015 Ice Jam On the Susquehanna River

tennyson wrote:

Anyone know WHY the ice jams did NOT occur this year as they had in previous bad winters (especially since this was one of the worst cold streaks) ?? 

I DO remember some of the really bad ice jams years ago. Some people lost their bungalows that were in low lying areas there due to the ice jams. 




 

I have no idea, but I'll throw one out there. Maybe all the runoff into the river from the heavily salted and treated roads are keeping the ice more 'melty' ?  Or, maybe not. It is a good question though.


 

Last edited by BYOB (3/13/2015 12:29 pm)

 

3/16/2015 5:17 pm  #6


Re: 2015 Ice Jam On the Susquehanna River

tennyson wrote:

I DO remember some of the really bad ice jams years ago. Some people lost their bungalows that were in low lying areas there due to the ice jams.
 

I remember driving through the Long Level area with my father after the ice jams and flooding that followed the winter of '96. Several bungalows were all but destroyed, and the image that sticks in my mind was a canoe that had been wrapped around a tree, bending it into a U-shape, by the encroaching ice and water.

 

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