Posted on April 29, 2021
Coalition will create roadmap for reducing flood risk
Hoboken will join the Resilient Northeastern New Jersey initiative, which seeks to build upon ongoing resilience work and provide a clear roadmap for improving regional environmental and economic resiliency by reducing flood risk.
The coalition is composed of area stakeholders, including the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Jersey City, Newark, Bayonne, Hudson County, Ironbound Community Corporation, HOPES Community Assistance Partnership, and project consultant Arcadis.
The initiative will address flooding from coastal storms, high tides, heavy precipitation, and overflowing riverbanks.
“As a coastal community, Hoboken knows firsthand the impacts of storm surge and heavy flooding events,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “While we continue to make major strides in creating a more resilient city through our Rebuild by Design Project and comprehensive flood mitigation strategies, we are always striving to do more. The partnership we are entering into with key stakeholders and cities through Resilient Northeastern New Jersey will allow Hoboken to take a regional approach to adopt other best practices, and also share our successes with other communities as well. I encourage residents to provide their input through the Resilient NJ website.”
The project team is seeking input, information, and recommendations from residents, workers, businesses, and organizations regarding their experiences with flooding and storm events.
Community members interested in sharing their perspectives, recommendations, and experiences can contact the team in several ways.
FYI
Learn more at www.resilient.nj.gov/nenj or by downloading the IRYS app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
The project’s social media accounts include Twitter at @ResilientNENJ or Instagram at @Resilient_NENJ.
Feedback can also be left by voicemail on the multilingual project hotline: 201-275-0861, or by emailing ResilientNENJ@dep.nj.gov.
Virtual public meetings and focus groups will be held.
The project will be conducted in waves to accommodate public input.
Input from residents of flood-prone areas will be integrated into a risk assessment to evaluate future risks to critical infrastructure and valued community facilities.
Public has a say
Results of the risk assessment and public feedback will be used to develop solutions for addressing the risks.
The final plan will include strategies for the future implementation of these solutions.
“Anyone who lives or works in New Jersey has been, or knows someone who has been, affected by flooding,” said Carly Foster, project manager for Arcadis. “The people familiar with this area understand its strengths, limitations, and needs and are uniquely capable of helping identify what neighborhoods and streets are most susceptible to flooding. We are eager for input to make sure this plan effectively and impactfully protects these communities.”
The project is expected to be completed by May 2022.
Hoboken is no stranger to flooding and has implemented several initiatives to make the city more resilient.
This includes constructing the Southwest Resiliency Park, which includes an underground water detention system and has the capacity to retain up to 200,000 gallons of rainwater during storms, to reduce flooding.
An underground detention system at 7th and Jackson Resiliency Park, which opened in 2019, can store up to 450,000 gallons of rainwater using both an underground detentions system and above ground green infrastructure.
The city is in the midst of constructing the Northwest Resiliency Park which will withhold almost 2 million gallons of water to help mitigate flooding.
The city has worked with the North Hudson Sewerage Authority to install flood pumps and recently announced plans to construct a new pump station.
The city aims to erect a resist barrier as part of the Rebuild by Design project with the NJDEP to protect the city from flooding caused by storm surges.
Construction will soon begin on sewer separation modifications as part of the project.
For updates on this and other stories check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Marilyn Baer can be reached at Marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.
