EMERSON—Flooding concerns are a regional problem requiring regional solutions, say the Pascack Valley’s mayors, but Emerson’s mayor and engineer say the time is near to help provide some short-term relief for high-priority flooding issues plaguing local neighborhoods.
The borough engineer said June 28 that he was “finalizing the list” of flooding problem areas townwide while the mayor said that officials had identified two local issues that can be fixed now though she declined to name them.
Given recent Pascack Valley flooding concerns — where even so-called minor rain events have caused flooding — Mayor Danielle DiPaola said two local issues that were soon to be remedied were “no-brainers.”
However, DiPaola said the flooding problem “is a work in progress” which includes efforts by the Pascack Valley Mayors Association to work with legislators, the state, and Veolia to address related issues, including lowering overall reservoir levels to absorb more rainfall from heavy summer storms.
The association’s 10 mayors recently urged Gov. Phil Murphy to issue an executive order mandating that Veolia’s Woodcliff Lake Reservoir be kept at a level of 91 feet versus its current capacity of 95 feet.
The lower level, mayors claim, would allow the reservoir to absorb small storms without overflowing its banks or releasing water that worsens downstream flooding.
The mayors did not specify what rainfall amounts might be absorbed, though some recent storms, lasting 24 hours or less, have dumped up to several inches on the watershed that feeds into reservoirs owned by Veolia (formerly Suez), which are kept at nearly full capacity. This allows no space to absorb runoff from summer storms.
With added runoff entering, the reservoirs overflow their banks, exacerbating downstream flooding. Also, Veolia may release additional water volume during severe storms to prevent structural damage to the reservoir, officials have said.
Pascack Press reached out to the borough administrator for additional details on local flooding hotspots but did not hear back by press time. Borough engineer Dave Atkinson did not say when a list of potential flooding problem areas might be available.
Atkinson said a list of flooding trouble spots was nearing completion and once complete and reviewed by council, “where possible” grants will be pursued for dealing with flooding impacts.
In “Arroyo: Lost in the flood: The role of the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir,” Pascack Press, April 27, 2022, Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo calls on Veolia to undertake flood mitigation in addition to water conservation.
Legislation moving through the Assembly and Senate sponsored by Senator Holly Schepisi and Assemblyman Robert Auth (39th District) would compel dam operators to take flood mitigation into account. The legislation requires the NJDEP and water companies to partner on efforts to mitigate flood control.
At the June 28 council meeting, administrator Rob Hermansen said that members met with Atkinson and homeowners on flooding concerns to determine what flood control aspects involve the borough and what mitigation/prevention efforts lie strictly with the homeowner.
Several towns have already passed council resolutions supporting the Schepisi-Auth legislation requiring dam operators to lower reservoir levels and manage reservoirs for flood control.
DiPaola said “everyone has to fix all of their issues to get relief everywhere” noting that the solutions involve flood mitigation in New York and New Jersey towns.
However, Atkinson also pointed out that he recalled a decade ago some parts of New York State near the Bergen County line were no longer required to put stormwater detention in and instead preferred “to get water out of New York and no worries about impacts on New Jersey.”
Councilman Brian Gordon asked whether the municipal Open Space referendum on the ballot this November might help with funding to alleviate local flooding concerns. Hermansen said a local Open Space fund could be used for purchasing open space, historic preservation, recreation fields, passive recreation, and flood mitigation.
Arroyo recently pressed for funding to elevate homes in specific floodplain areas. Local Open Space funds can be used in concert with state and county Open Space funds to buy out properties in floodplain areas with severe and recurrent flooding problems.
Hermansen said, “It’s another tool in your basket.”
