The tendency is to think of the Raritan-Millstone Flood Commission as a political body, concerned only with laws, regulations, funding and mandates as answers to flood problems in the basin.
At its March 16 conference, the commission showed there’s work that can be done outside big government, particularly in education and local government.
The commission is to be commended for its effort in bringing together a broad look at how to deal with water. Speakers from academia, watershed associations and citizens’ groups showcased many ideas to help manage water short of major engineering projects.
There were audible murmurs when speakers talked about the absorptive power of trees, the wisdom of porous pavement and how road berms and out-of-the way public places can be turned into “rain gardens” that capture and soak up surface water.
A concerted effort to install hundreds — even thousands — of rain barrels to capture stormwater from roofs and downspouts could keep tens of thousands of gallons from entering tributaries at crucial points in a storm.
A few enlightened towns recognize this and have a program to sell discounted rain barrels to residents. It doesn’t have to mean tax dollars; an effort could be made to solicit donations from businesses, or raise money independently, to subsidize the cost for people willing to install them.
The conference also talked about leadership in local government. Some towns have passed land-use laws that give them greater review power over projects that mean more pavement, fewer trees or smaller stream buffers.
When it comes to water, we all depend on each other. Leaders who resolve to make changes to slow stormwater runoff might barely feel the effect in their town, but they could make a big difference for a downstream neighbor. Think of it as the hydrological equivalent of “paying it forward.”
The commission is focusing its political efforts on trying to pry about $3 million from state and federal governments to complete an Army Corps of Engineers study of alternatives to reduce or mitigate flood damage.
In the short term, though, there could be satisfaction in looking at local laws, imposing or cajoling developers to take small steps, clearing debris from streams and seeking smaller amounts of money to buy properties standing in a flood’s way.
It would be a lot less frustrating than hearing only about long-delayed studies and lack of government funding.

