Jasper-Troupsburg High School Flood Mitigation Study
Turning Flood Risk Into a Path Forward.
In August 2021, Tropical Storm Fred brought heavy rainfall to the region, causing nearby Tuscarora Creek to overflow and flood the Jasper-Troupsburg High School. To help protect the school from future flooding, the Jasper-Troupsburg Central School District received funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to explore and implement flood mitigation improvements.
Because the school is not located within a FEMA-mapped flood zone, additional analysis was needed to better understand how flooding could affect the building—both today and in the future. LaBella worked closely with the district and FEMA to assess the impacts of Tropical Storm Fred, evaluate future flood conditions, and identify practical strategies to reduce the risk of future damage.
LaBella developed detailed flood models to understand how water moves through the area surrounding the school and used observations from Tropical Storm Fred to help validate the results. The team also evaluated both current and projected future storm events to establish flood elevations for the school and guide the development of mitigation strategies.
Building on this analysis, LaBella designed a Floodplain Storage Area to help manage stormwater and reduce flood elevations at the school. By lowering the potential flood levels, the approach allows for more targeted mitigation measures within the school building itself.
The project provides the district with a clearer understanding of its flood risk and a path toward protecting the school from future catastrophic events. The findings and Floodplain Storage Area design will be implemented using FEMA funding, helping create a safer, more resilient school for the Jasper-Troupsburg community.
