Flood-prone areas along township waterways are focus.
By: Kara Fitzpatrick
MONTGOMERY A draft of a township flood-mitigation plan, the product of more than a year of research and preparation, has been completed.
The 122-page document is an "overall plan to deal with the flood hazard" in the township, said Township Engineer Gail Smith.
The plan’s key recommendations include flood-alleviation measures for private properties, the installation of electronic warning signs at key locations to direct traffic away from flooded areas and the incorporation of flood planning into local ordinances and master planning.
The draft document the township’s first official flood-mitigation plan, according to Ms. Smith is being conducted under the flood-mitigation assistance program administered by the state Office of Emergency Management.
The township received a $10,000 grant from the state for development of the plan, said Township Administrator Donato Nieman. A township Flood Mitigation Planning Committee, made up of township officials and residents, was formed more than a year ago.
Gregory Westfall, water resource planner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, assisted in the preparation of the document.
A survey to assess the severity of flooding was distributed to all residents within 200 feet of the Millstone River, Van Horn Brook, Bedens Brook and Cruser Brook, Rock Brook and Back Brook to Pike Run known flood-prone areas. More than 180 responses were received.
The plan, said Mr. Westfall, is largely aimed at reducing "repetitive flood loss structures" within the township, of which there are believed to be three. A repetitive flood loss is defined as two or more claims filed with the national flood insurance program by a homeowner. Mr. Westfall said repetitive-flood-loss properties make up more than 50 percent of all annual claims to the National Flood Insurance Program.
"That disproportionately raises all the other flood insurance rates," he said.
The plan’s suggested measures to deal with private property include elevation of a structure, relocation of the building to a non-flood-prone area or acquisition and demolition of the structure.
The federal government is targeting severe flood-loss properties in a couple of ways, said Mr. Westfall including increasing insurance rates for repetitive flood-loss homeowners who take no action to mitigate flood damage or reduce the potential for future damage. In addition, national funding for flood-mitigation programs has been doubled from $20 million to $40 million, said Mr. Westfall.
The draft has been submitted to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, neighboring municipalities and county and state officials for review. The Township Committee will review the plan after those comments have been received.