Flood Plan - MISSING

9/7/09, Flood Plan has been reported missing which just goes to show you that I picked a terrible spot. It floated away - a lot of good it would have done if I had really needed it. Watch for Flood Plan II to be placed soon - hopefully in a spot safer from flooding!
Location: Reading, PA
Length of Hike: .5 mile round trip
Date Planted: July 30, 2006

We live a half mile from the Schuylkill River. It is a fairly nondescript river. I grew up playing on the mighty Susquehanna River and when I moved to Berks County many years ago, I remember looking at the Schuylkill rather scornfully and snorting to the locals "you think THAT is a river?" For many years it was nothing more than a large stream in my mind.

Then one day in June, 2006, it started raining. And it rained and it rained and it rained. And the paltry little Schuylkill grew and grew and grew. Soon it became a raging monster, flowing over its banks, destroying one of my employer's office buildings which was on its banks, closing roads. Fortunately, that half mile between our home and the river was sufficient enough for us to remain safe and sound, only minorly inconvenienced by the detours that we had to take to bypass the closed roads. But it made an impression and I decided that I had to take some action to prepare for a future similar episode.

I completed my plan and knew that I had to place it away from our house in an easily accessible spot. After all, I may not have the use of a car if something were to happen again. So I remembered a little trail that I had accidentally discovered when I wandered off from a family gathering one spring evening. This path begins in the Madison at Exeter apartment complex off of Lorane Road. Access this trail by walking between apartments 555 and 557 on Dover Court. The trail begins as a wood chip path and meanders a bit along a stream which is really quite pretty when the summer growth dies back. Wander along this path for a little while until the path widens and branches off to the right. If the water level is high enough you will see some pretty little waterfalls here. Continue on the main path until you see this spot (literally!).

Look towards the creek opposite this spot and you will see the perfect hiding spot for my flood plan.

Reported missing: July 13, 2008