Addition of 1,000 Rain Gardens Could Help Alleviate Flooding

The following press release was submitted by the Rahway River Watershed Stormwater Advisory Board.

A plan to establish 1,000 rain gardens in the Rahway River Watershed took a step forward with plans for a major campaign in the communities from Essex County to Union County that the Rahway River travels through.

At the April 11 meeting of the Rahway River Watershed Stormwater Advisory Board, plans were finalized to provide outreach on rain gardens through development of  a facebook page; local access TV presentations, and handing out flyers provided by the Association of New Jersey Association of Environmental Commissions. Outreach to Boy Scout troops interested in a community project; possible discounts on materials from partners and plans to ask the largest property owners in the two counties to establish a rain garden were considered.   

Rain gardens, besides providing beneficial aspects to water quality, will help to increase the time of concentration on a regional basis providing flood waters "time to peak" which will then reduce the depth of water elevation in the river channels and then also reduce the width of over-the bank flows. 

Faced with the extreme prospects of a next storm, the advisory board has taken a major step to make this objective of reducing peak flow damage and will be working with private and public partners to encourage homeowners and commercial property owners to act on their own and to get municipal governments and school boards to implement a regional plan. 

The two other significant objectives of the new advisory board are making progress including the establishment of a plan to restore flood plains in the watershed and to advocate for open space purchase to regional policymakers.

In addition, a review of the storm water management ordinances has been done and a plan to develop planning and zoning board training material on best storm water management practices is underway. All 24 municipalities in the Rahway River Watershed will be requested to consider stepping up their management of peak storm conditions. 

The advisory board has a unique role in advising the Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control on ways the region can better handle run off and flooding that resulted in over $100 million damages in the region.  The advisory board has also entertained discussions on whether it should become a more formal structure through state legislation.  

The Advisory Board's next meeting is May 9.  For more information contact 908-468-8806.