Wydnor Lane Residents Tell Council of Runoff Problems

Excessive storm water runoff is causing the yards of Wydnor Lane residents to become water-logged breeding grounds for mosquitoes, Lower Saucon Township Council was told June 6.

Wydnor Lane is part of a small pocket community located off Black River Road, west of Old Philadelphia Pike and east of Fire Lane.

The neighborhood was first developed in the mid-1960s, longtime resident Gordon Gress told council.

In recent years, however, the drainage in the vicinity of Wydnor Lane "has gotten really bad," Gress said.

"Something needs to be done," he said. "Black River now is really a river and it's all collecting in the wrong place."

Gress's son, Jim Gress, told council much of the runoff seems to be funneling downhill from the area of Fire Lane.

Jim Gress said the water accumulates in the Wydnor Lane area, where "it causes a pretty serious problem."

The main area of concern is about 40 to 50 feet wide and is located where four or five backyards border each other, Jim Gress said.

"What's happening now is the neighbors can't use their backyards," he explained.

Another resident, Richard Shive, of Trotter Lane, told council that "this problem didn't exist" when he purchased his home in 1991.

"I have noticed over the past 10, 15 years my water in my backyard getting progressively worse," he said.

The drainage is so poor that ducks have invaded the area at times, Shive added.

"It's like a pond. It's not a yard," he said.

Shive said he was told by the township zoning officer that the installation of a French drain system would help with drainage, but that cost is a concern.

"I can't afford to pay someone to do that," he said, adding, "it's not a problem I created so it's not something I feel I should have to do."

After listening to the residents, council members were sympathetic to their concerns.

They noted that the township ordinance regulating the amount of impervious surface allowable on a property has been updated with storm water runoff in mind.

"Now you know why we've worked so hard to get these impervious coverage (limits) in place," council vice president Tom Maxfield said.