Redstone Creek volunteer cleanup days scheduled for Uniontown
Iowa Street in Uniontown was completely submerged on July 28 after Redstone Creek flooded its banks. The storm dropped 3-5 inches of rain in the area.
In this July 29 file photo, letter carrier Penny Iams loads her vehicle behind the Uniontown post office, which was affected by flooding. Behind her, flood waters can still be seen on Iowa Street.
Uniontown experienced devastating déjà vu this summer, when rising waters from Redstone Creek flooded downtown sections of the city for the second time in 13 months, and officials are hopeful that volunteers will come forward to help prevent it from happening again.
The city and its engineering firm, K2 Engineering, are organizing cleanup days of the creek and its shoreline, slated for 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, and Thursday, Sept. 28. The cleanup days will be volunteer-supported, Mayor Bernie Kasievich said, urging people to come out to help however they can.
“We’d appreciate any type of help,” Kasievich said. “Even if it’s for an hour or two.”
Some residents and businesses are still grappling with insurance and cleanup-related issues stemming from the July 28-29 floodwaters, Kasievich said, emphasizing the importance of minimizing the impact of future flooding in the city.
Trash bags and gloves will be provided, K2 Engineering business and economic development specialist Dana Kendrick said, as well as water for volunteers provided by Uniontown Hospital. Kendrick encouraged volunteers to bring work gloves and wear thick-soled, closed shoes, long pants and long-sleeved shirts, as well as additional equipment such as rakes and shovels that may be useful.
The cleanup endeavors will hopefully address the debris that has built up in the creek over time, which Kasievich said includes tires, wood, metal, plastic and other garbage. Parts of the creek under the Uniontown’s city, county and state-owned bridges are especially problematic because of sediment accumulation, Kasievich said.
Volunteers will meet at Uniontown City Hall and receive information for cleanup locations as well as safety tips, Kendrick noted, adding that cleanup efforts will be concentrated near seven dumpsters that will be located throughout the downtown area. Team leaders and first-aid kits will be present near each dumpster, Kendrick said.
Volunteers can arrive to help anytime within the 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. time window, Kendrick and Kasievich said.
Cleanup sites will likely include areas near O.C. Cluss Lumber and along Iowa Street, Kendrick said.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has not permitted city residents or officials to dredge portions of Redstone Creek in Uniontown as was done there in the 1970s, Kasievich said.
Authorization from the DEP is not required for the removal of flood debris from a stream channel if the removal can be accomplished from the stream bank and is 50 feet or more up or downstream of a bridge, culvert, or other structure, according to DEP community relations coordinator Lauren Fraley. If construction equipment is necessary to remove debris, the party must contact the DEP’s Waterways and Wetlands program. In situations where there is an immediate threat to public health or safety, the DEP may issue an emergency permit.
K2 Engineering will assess what further work needs to be done regarding Redstone Creek following next week’s cleanup days, Kendrick said.
Uniontown City Hall can be reached for more information about the cleanup days at 724-430-2900.