If you live in this area, you probably already know they are watching the west branch of the Susquehanna closely and preparing for the expected flooding with 5" - 7" more rain the next two days and river expected to crest at flood stage Thursday. Ground is already saturated from remnants of Irene that passed this way and also rain the last couple days. Here in Danville (north branch of Susquehanna)the highest amount of rain is expected, 8", so I would be afraid Bloomsburg Fairgrounds might be flooded as it sits between Fishing Creek and the Susquehanna (some of you are probably familiar with the beautiful fair grounds from having shown there at July and November shows).

Please, everyone, don't take any chances. It breaks my heart reading on the one horse forum about people looking for their horses, foals and ponies swept away in the New England states during Irene, not to mention their homes gone. We are high and dry with our home here literally built on a ridge of shale 6 miles from the river. Horse stable may get some run off from the mountain but I've got diversion ditches cleaned and open, and so far no water in the stable.

http://www.facebook.com/agnes72?sk=app_2392950137#!/agnes72?sk=wall

They are saying that the Susquehana is going to come very close to Agnes' level, in the Wyoming Valley, where there are no dikes, they are in big doodoo. I am way high up near no streams , but I fear for those below.......Stay safe Val

Thanks, our house is safe on the hill here. Going to work though today, I saw roads flooded and closed which I've never seen in the 37 years I've lived in this area. Good I knew how to pick my way over the hill on the back roads. Had to cut the work day short though as power went out an hour after I got there. Then I got home and it went out there too a couple hours later! Now we're back on.

Watching the news. Says if river crests at 30' in Bloomsburg, 25% of the town will be flooded (including parts of the Fairgrounds, usually the racetrack area floods first).

I see there are mandatory evacuations in some areas.

Yep, lots of talk on the news comparing this storm to Agnes.

This is one of those times I'm hoping the weatherman is wrong.

Been checking the ditch behind the stable every couple hours and I dig it a little deeper every time I'm out there to keep water running away. So much water coming off the mountain.

How are you doing today, Val? Hope everyone is okay....

Hi Mary, thanks for asking about us! Thank goodness the rain finally stopped. Gosh, I think it was over 7 days of rain, may even have been 9 days. Power went out late Wednesday night and just back on about 1/2 hour ago (Friday 7:30 p.m.). Internet and phone went out, but we have cell phones so we were charging with the car charger and able to keep in touch with family. So we had minor inconveniences compared to what so many are dealing with. Yesterday there was only a McDonald's and a Friendly's resturant open within a 14 mile stretch and we hit McDonald's for a cup of coffee and Friendlys for dinner. I think everyone that could drive had the same idea... and didn't help that they sit along the Danville exit of I-80.

I-80 was closed for a time but is open now.

Bloomsburg got hit pretty bad (of course the fairgrounds is flooded since it sits between the river and Fishing Creek). I know part of downtown Danville has taken on water. I only know this from word of mouth, because we haven't had TV or radio. I don't think river has crested at Bloomsburg yet and it's said it's supposed to exceed Agnes' level. West end of Bloomsburg is flooded and additional areas evacuated due to something about an ammonia smell in the air. My brother lives about a mile up Rt. 11 from the fair grounds and I quess they hiked down as far as they could go and stopped at the overpass of Rt. 11 and 42 and were watching the Blackhawk helicopter (which got called in when the local rescue helicopter couldn't do the job) trying to rescue people from the 2nd floors of their homes. I think they got them out ok.

My relatives around Philly know more about what's going on up here than we actually do as they've seen stories on the news. Only communication we've had with anyone is by cell phone or what we heard at the restuarants near the interchange. I have the TV on now and waiting for tonight's newsbroadcast to catch up.

Haven't heard how Wilkes-Barre is doing or any towns further north up the river.

Filling water jugs back up just in case we loose power again. Also filling the tub this time too!!

I wonder how Ellie and Traci are doing further down near Harrisburg. The Susquehanna runs down there too.

Here's a pic of the overpass at Rt. 11 & Rt. 42 at the lower end of the fairgrounds in Bloomsburg where the helicopter rescue was going on.

http://www.chron.com/news/article/Homes-and-businesses-swamped-in-Pa-NY-2162400.php

I am glad you are okay, Val. Is your stable dry and your animals okay as well?

No flooding in stable, just everything is a muddy mess outside there from all the run off from the mountain. Horses are happy to be get out again though. Now that we have power, time to catch up doing laundry and all the towels from drying dogs off after every time they went out to potty. Watching news and seeing all the widespread flooding up and down the Susquehanna and creeks.

Saw footage of the fairgrounds under water. The huge Bloomsburg Fair (I think the largest county fair on the East coast) would have been just 2 weeks away. I don't know if they could possibly be cleaned up in time.