Several days of heavy rain throughout the Delaware River Basin culminated with flash flooding of smaller streams during bursts of heavier rain during the night of the 27th and minor to moderate flooding along the Lehigh River. Sporadic periods of heavy rain started on the 23rd, but the most widespread and heaviest rain fell from the night of the 27th into the morning of the 28th. Event totals in Lehigh County averaged five to nine inches, but storm totals exceeded ten inches in the headwaters of the Lehigh River in the Poconos.Governor Ed Rendell declared a disaster emergency in the state on the 28th. In Eastern Pennsylvania approximately 5000 homes, apartments and businesses were damaged. Many homes had their basement appliances and furniture ruined. The disaster area declaration made individual and public assistance possible. Numerous roads were damaged and closed. Even the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Montgomery County was closed. Flooding damaged and forced the closure of twenty-two Pennsylvania State Parks. Emergency responders told people to not walk into flooded waters because it might contain sewage and other contaminants. Many homes also had oil in their basements from ruptured tanks. There was also concern about persons with individual wells having their drinking water compromised. An explosion of mold and mosquitoes was expected in the wake of the flood. Crops closest to the ground were also impacted by the flood and included cabbage, cucumbers, strawberries, spinach and squash. Lehigh County had less flood damage than its neighboring counties. About 300 homes and businesses were affected by the flooding. About half of them were damaged and about half of the damaged homes occurred on Adam's Island in the middle of the Lehigh River in Allentown. Residents from Adam's Island were evacuated. Houses were also damaged in Catasauqua, Coopersburg, Emmaus, Heidelberg, Lynn, Slatington, South Whitehall and Upper Saucon. Two men and a woman were rescued after capsizing while rafting on the Lehigh River in Whitehall Township. In Bethlehem, the Historic District and Johnston Park flooded. Flooding also damaged the parks within Allentown. Crops were damaged by the flood waters, especially, the wheat crop. The heavy rain caused the wheat kernels to sprout prematurely, reduced the grain quality and cut its value in half.  Actual storm rainfall totals included 5.98 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. It was the second wettest June on record at the Lehigh Valley International Airport as 9.13 inches of rain fell. The Lehigh River at Walnutport (Northampton County) was above its above its 8 foot flood stage from 645 a.m. EDT on the 27th through 300 a.m. EDT on the 29th. It crested at 12.49 feet 715 a.m. EDT on the 28th. Farther downstream in Bethlehem, the Lehigh River was above its 16 foot flood stage from 458 a.m. EDT through 418 p.m. EDT on the 28th. It crested at 17.74 feet at 11 a.m. EDT.

Flash Flood in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 27-JUN-06 20:30:00 to 27-JUN-06 22:30:00 (EST)
Location: WEST PORTION
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Flash Flood in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 28-JUN-06 03:00:00 to 28-JUN-06 06:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Flood in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 27-JUN-06 05:45:00 to 29-JUN-06 02:00:00 (EST)
Location: COPLAY
Property damage: 1M
Crop damage: 1M
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Flash Flood in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 27-JUN-06 16:11:00 to 27-JUN-06 18:00:00 (EST)
Location: NORTHWEST PORTION
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER