MANVILLE: Levee along river raises flood worries

   Residents in the flood-ravaged Lost Valley section are becoming increasingly worried about a levee that has risen across the Millstone River in Franklin Township.
   They fear the levee, which they say has risen significantly over the last few months, will keep future floodwater from spilling over its natural flood plain, and back up more water to flood Manville.
   Bob Kaminsky, a Liberty Street resident within 200 feet of the property, said the state Department of Environment Protection sent him a letter April 10 asking him for his thoughts about the application for “levee maintenance” on the property of Pillar of Fire, a Zarephath religious group.
   He called the letter a “non-truth,” because the levee sought to be built “is already there.”
   Mr. Kaminsky said he and others are concerned that it will worsen flood conditions in Manville. And, they don’t know what material went into making the levee, or how it was constructed.
   ”It went up without anyone knowing it,” he said, describing the levee as “behemoth.”
   In the official letter of notice to adjoining homeowners, Pillar of Fire said it was “restoring the existing levee to original conditions and constructing outfall structures and riprap aprons for erosion protection. Portions of the improvements are located within wetlands and wetlands transition areas.”
   Mr. Kaminsky said he asked specifically for at least five business days’ notice on any hearing on the application.