floodplain restoration in residential neighborhoods ... · floodplain restoration in residential...
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RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
STATEN ISLAND
JERSEY CITY
BROOKLYN
NEWARK
ELIZABETH
MANHATTAN
SAYREVILLE
KEYPORT
MIDDLETOWN
Arthur KillRaritan River
Raritan Bay
New York Bay
Jamaica Bay
Sandy Hook
LINDEN
WOODBRIDGE
BUY-OUT AREA INWOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP
WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP
IN THE FLOOD ZONE:F L O O D P L A I N R E S T O R A T I O N I N R E S I D E N T I A L N E I G H B O R H O O D S D A M A G E D B Y S U P E R S T O R M S A N D Y
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
STATEN ISLAND
JERSEY CITY
BROOKLYN
NEWARK
ELIZABETH
MANHATTAN
SAYREVILLE
KEYPORT
MIDDLETOWN
Arthur KillRaritan River
Raritan Bay
New York Bay
Jamaica Bay
Sandy Hook
LINDEN
WOODBRIDGE
LOCATION OF BLUE ACRES PROPERTIES
Woodbridge Township
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
SEWAREN NEIGHBORHOOD
New
Jers
ey T
urnp
ike
North Jersey Coast Train Line
Rahw
ay A
venu
e
Avenel Street
Arthur Kill
Woodbridge Creek
Woodbridge Avenue
East Summit Avenue
Sew
aren
Ave
nue
South Robert Street
Dunlop Drive
Arbor Street
Vernon Street
Crampton Avenue
Trinity Lane
Bam
ford
Ave
nue
Von Vetchen Avenue
Claire Avenue
Port Reading Avenue
Homestead Avenue
Edgerton Boulevard
Rah
way
Ave
nue
Tha
yer
Ave
nue
Matthew Jago School
Woodbridge Creek Tributary
Smith Creek
Heards Brook
AVENEL NEIGHBORHOOD
100 YEAR FLOOD ZONE500 YEAR FLOOD ZONE
BLUE ACRES BUY-OUT PROPERTIESBUILDINGS REMAINING IN THE FLOODPLAIN
WATSON-CRAMPTONNEIGHBORHOOD
W O O D B R I D G E T O W N S H I P :
• 5 neighborhoods in the 100 year f lood hazard zone
• ~198 Blue Acres propert ies
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• Voluntar y part ic ipat ion by those res idents who wish to leave the f loodplain
• State purchases f lood-prone res ident ia l propert ies at fa i r market value
• Property becomes publ ic open space , with a l l permanent structures removed
B L U E A C R E S P R O G R A M
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• State-owned land
• But municipal i t ies responsible for maintenance and management
• Often located adjacent to and within remaining res ident ia l neighborhoods
• Often maintained as lawn
• Municipal i t ies need a way to maintain Blue Acres propert ies whi le reducing mowing manhours and increas ing ecosystem ser v ices
B L U E A C R E S P R O P E R T I E S :M A I N T E N A N C E A N D M A N A G E M E N T R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• Protect safety and health of res idents
• Increase res i l iency to severe storm events by restor ing the natural f unct ion of the f loodplain
• Reduce mowing manhours for the municipal i ty
• Improve wi ldl i fe habitat and increase biodivers i ty
• Promote storage and inf i l t rat ion of stormwater
• Enhance recreat ional opportunit ies
F L O O D P L A I N R E S T O R A T I O N G O A L S
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• 549 of the state ’s 565 municipal i t ies af fected (2013 Nat ional F lood Insurance Program Pol ic ies and Cla ims Stat ist ics for New Jersey)
• often in res ident ia l neighborhoods
• 1 ,582 f lood events in NJ between 1950 - 2012 (NOAA)
• Hurr icane F loyd ( 1999) , Hurr icane Ivan (2004) , Hurr icane I rene (2011 ) and Superstorm Sandy (2012) among many others
• but a lso s imply prolonged per iods of ra in ( 1996 , 1997 , 2000, 2004, 2005, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2010 , 2011 , 2011 , 2011 , 2012 etc . )
• $29.4 bi l l ion in damages and 30,000 propert ies damaged or destroyed in Superstorm Sandy alone
F L O O D D A M A G E
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• Many res ident ia l neighborhoods bui l t over wetlands and f loodplains
• Many wetlands converted to farmland (an est imated 90% of human-caused wetland destruct ion in the U.S . ) (T iner 2005)
• Increased imper vious cover and stormwater runof f cause addit ional stream and wetland degradat ion
• Reduced inf i l t rat ion and groundwater recharge due to development
• Water st i l l needs somewhere to go
F L O O D I N G I N T H E C O N T E X T O F W E T L A N D D E S T R U C T I O N
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Hurr icane I rene , News 12 New Jersey
Crampton Avenue
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• Increas ing extremes :
• More f requent large storm events
• More f looding
• Yet a lso more drought
• Changing plant ranges
• Disturbance and stress = More opportunit ies for invas ive species
• Sea level r i se
• Changes to wetland and f loodplain extents and character ist ics
C L I M A T E C H A N G E
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
KAYAK LAUNCH AND EAST HEARDS BROOK PARK
SALT MARSH
FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION:
RECREATION:
HIGH MARSH EDGE
FLOOD STORAGE AND STORMWATER WETLANDS
SCRUB SHRUB
FLOODPLAIN FOREST
BIOSWALES
POCKET PARKS
BORDER PLANTING
MEADOW
Claire Avenue
Brookfield Avenue
Heards Brook
Woo
dbri
dge
Cre
ek
Crampton Avenue
Wat
son
Aven
ue
Wat
son
Aven
ue
Bam
ford
Ave
nue
Gar
den
Aven
ue
Alm
on A
venu
e
Ald
en S
tree
t
Rah
way
Ave
nue
Bam
ford
Ave
nue
Lew
is Street
Vesp
er A
venu
e
Pear
l Ave
nue
Hei
delb
erg
Ave.
Von Vetchen Avenue
Trinity Lane
Port Reading Avenue
Restoring the Heards Brook riverbank allows existing park space to be expanded. A kayak launch can also provide new ways of enjoying Woodbridge open space.
A unique hilltop within the Watson-Crampton neighborhood can be augmented with small trees and shrubs while providing an elevated pathway and look-out opportunity across the salt marsh.
Forested areas can provide shaded pathways and flood and wind protection while acting as a sound and sight buffer from the nearby New Jersey Turnpike.
Existing swales and concrete channels that convey stormwater runoff can be converted into bioswales to treat stormwater as part of the open space network.
Individual buy-out properties can be converted into park space to increase public amenities in each neighborhood. A variety of designs are available to community members.
A formal tree border frames remaining residential properties while creating entraceways into the restoration zone.
A system of small berms and depressions within meadow open space can store flood water and treat stormwater runoff.
Flowering meadows provide a low-maintenance management strategy for the Township while creating open sight lines that integrate with residential properties.
Transitional areas between forested and salt marsh habitats can be planted with salt-tolerant high marsh plants to manage invasive species and erosion.
Saline marsh areas provide flood protection while enhancing tidal habitats in Woodbridge Township and allowing residents an opportunity to enjoy nature.
BOARDWALKS AND TRAILSTrails and boardwalks connect park space and residential areas while providing walking opportunities through flowering meadows and a variety of natural habitats.
New Jers
ey T
urnpik
e
East Heards Brook Park
Kayak Launch
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
BEFORE: AFTER:
Warm-season meadow
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
PRIVATE PROPERTY FLOOD STORAGEAND STORMWATERWETLAND
MOWN BUFFER MEADOW TRAIL BIOSWALE FLOODPLAIN FOREST
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
BEFORE: AFTER:
Pocket Parks
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
• Blue Acres Propert ies are an emergent opportunity for urban forestr y and modif ied f loodplain forest establ ishment
• Dead trees in urban contexts = Previously unavai lable habitat opportunit ies for wi ldl i fe
• Blue Acres s i tes throughout NJ are in need of long-term management plans
F U T U R E M A N A G E M E N T N E E D S
RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Woodbridge Township :
• John E . McCormac - Mayor
U.S . F ish and Wildl i fe Ser v ice
Rutgers Cooperat ive Extension:
• Brooke Maslo , Ph .D - Wi ldl i fe Extension Special ist
• Jeremiah Bergstrom, LLA - Senior Project Manager
• Tekla Pont ius-Courtney - Staf f Designer
P R O J E C T T E A M A N D P A R T N E R S