“It was a heavy rain. it wouldn’t stop,” said Guy Costa, former Pittsburgh Public Works Director.
On Sept. 17, 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan moved into the Pittsburgh region.
By the time it was all done, more rain had fallen in the area in a 24-hour period than ever before.
“Six inches of rain is a lot of water in Pittsburgh and there was nowhere for it to go,” said Costa.
The rising Three Rivers flooded the Tenth Street Bypass, the Mon Wharf, the “Bathtub” section of the Parkway East and the relatively new North Shore Park just below PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“It was higher than six feet. We should have marked it on the light post,” said Costa.
There is a plaque just outside of PNC Park along the Allegheny River marking the high water line from Hurricane Ivan.
The water also covered the iconic fountain at Point State Park and crept close to the entrance bridge at the park.
Costa recalled watching runaway boats and docks floating down the river.
“Pitt was playing Nebraska over here at the stadium on national TV and you’re watching TV and watching the boats going down the river, docks going down the river, going up on Point State Park,” said Costa.