Lawmakers seek North Jersey flood solutions

Uncertainty remains about long-term fixes

By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... While recent flooding that brought North Jersey to a standstill and forced people out of their homes may be historic, it isn't exactly unprecedented.
..... And with climate change leading to the increase in frequency and intensity of storms, some are looking to Trenton lawmakers to help find ways to help those most impacted.
..... Assemblywoman Kristin Corrado said that she has been in touch with the mayors in her district, which includes flood-prone areas in Little Falls and Wayne, and that they are asking for floodgates to be raised, a message she has relayed to Governor Phil Murphy's administration as well as the Department of environmental Protection.
..... "Everyone is really concerned about how often this is happening now," she said. "There is no easy way to fix this." She said that she has talked to the governor's office about sate of emergency declarations to ensure that residents and municipalities can claim all of the aid funding and resources they are entitled to.
..... That can help in the short term, but as for long-term fixes, there is more uncertainty as to what should be done.
..... State Senator Joseph Lagana, who represents parts of Bergen County including Lodi and Saddle Brook, said that his office is working with sate and county officials to development short- and long-term plans like cleaning rives of debris and vegetation, as well as Blue Acres funding to allow for the state to buy homes in flood-prone areas and tear them down, crating open green space. He noted that long-term plans include dredging and promoting smart development with better water retention systems.
..... "Many of these plans have already begun implementation. Unfortunately, some can take years to develop, and storm events are happening with such intensity and consistency it;s making it difficult to see progress," Lagana said.
..... Though he's not a fan of the idea of a "new normal,"State climatologist David Robinson said that "we don't know how things are going to proceed but the evidence suggests that with a warming climate, when should see more in the way of extremes and that includes extreme of precipitation.
..... And with more rainfall, that water needs somewhere to go, but development in river basins has left it with limited options.
..... "It's often a major event, or a series of events that, provide the impetus for change," he said. "There's going to be greater restrictions on development in flood-prone areas, and these flood-prone areas are being redefined. They are increasing the footprint of these flood-prone areas."
..... Robinson noted that flooding in the Raritan River basin area in December [2023 and January [2024] were the ninth p and 10th-highest floods on record, so while the intensity may have increased there has to be an "effort to recognizing that this is nothing uncommon.
..... "Steps need to be made to addresses, or people are going to be faced with this issue time and time again. Strike while the iron is to and try to do something while this is firm in people's memories," he said. "The fact is, nowadays, it;s happening so often it doesn't fade. it doesn't fade to fas from memories."

The US Army Corps may play a role

..... As for what specifically should be done, Robinson said that is something the U.S. Army Corps of engineers would help with because they do assessments in communities and they look at the value of the rateable within the flood prone area versus the cost to build mitigative structures such as flood walls and floodgates and levees surrounding boundaries.
..... Calling in the corps is exactly what Representative Bill Pascrell Jr. is looking to do. On Thursday, [01/11/2024] Pascrell called for the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment to send more federal resources to the area to address long-term flooding problems in the Garden State.
..... "Flooding is a recurring problem in my state, with severe consequences for communities in the Passive River Basin," Pascrell said during testimony. "My hometown of Paternoster recently declared a state of emergency, and residents were evacuated after heavy rainfall caused the river to overflow. and the river is avians in flood state."
..... Pascrell wants a study by the U.S. Army Corps of engineers through the Water Resources Development Act to look at the impact of flooding form the Passaic River, Paterson Great falls Park water raceway system, Fleischer's Brook near Garfield, Berry's Creek near Hasbrouck Heights, and the lower Saddle River basin impacting Saddle Rive and Lodi.

..... Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersy.com.

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