Springfield Dems: Committee Takes Actions on Flood Remediation

Volunteer Springfield Flood Mitigation Committee formed to work with Environmental Commission.

The following update was posted on the Springfield Democrats' website.  ------------------- The 2013 Township Committee got right to work this past week taking up the matter of flood mitigation in Springfield. Flooding during Hurricane Irene and previous storms have left Springfield residents with major damage to their homes and belongings. In an effort to reduce the damage caused by future storms, Committeewoman Margaret Bandrowski introduced a resolution to create the Springfield Flood Mitigation Committee. The resolution was seconded by David Barnett. This important committee, made up of resident volunteers, will work at a local, county and state level to bring best practices in development and land use to Springfield. The resolution …

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Mayors Want to Use Reservation for Flood Control

Preliminary Army Corps of Engineers' study shows large reservoir on South Mountain could alleviate flooding downstream

After the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed on Thursday that a bigger reservoir on the South Mountain Reservation could alleviate flooding along the Rahway, the Mayors Council on Rahway River Flood Control set out to convince Essex County that it’s a project worth pursuing. If the river towns and Essex and Union Counties leave the project up to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it could be several years before work could begin. That is not palatable to mayors whose towns suffered a combined $75 million in damages. “This has to be done sooner rather than later. When’s the next big storm going to hit? We don’t know,” said Millburn Mayor Sandy Haimoff, who hosted two meetings of the Mayors' Council, the Corps of Engineers and county …

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St. Stephen's Still Recovering From Disaster

The Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society will join St. Stephen's Church in a Spring Tea and Tag Sale to raise money to support the church's repairs from Hurricane Irene flood.

When the Rahway River flooded much of Millburn during Tropical Storm Irene, Patch reported that St. Stephen’s Church “was one of the first hit as water rushed through, filling the pre-school with four to five feet of water...” The rector’s assistant, Betty Innemee, was the first to arrive and the first to see the condition of the Rectory. “I heard water rushing into the living room,” she said. “I went in there and part of the ceiling came down right in front of me. After that, I really had to sit on the front steps for bit and gather myself. We had just finished the restoration.” The Rev. Sheelagh Clarke would begin as rector of St. Stephen’s just two days after Irene. She had great difficulty getting to the church from her home because of…

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Rahway River in Springfield Hit Flood Levels

With heavy rains, river rose to over a foot above flood level.

According to the National Weather Service, the Rahway River rose to a peak level of six and a half feet last night. The National Weather Service monitors the river’s height in Springfield during periods of heavy rains. The flood plain for the river is five and a half feet. The service issued an Urban Flood Advisory for Union County and the surrounding area at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, May 18. Shortly after 6:30 p.m., the Service reported that the Rahway River was at 6.14 feet.  By 10 p.m., the Service reported that the river hit its peak height of 6.65 feet and had receded. At 11:24, the Service sent out a message saying that the river had crested and that moderate flooding was no longer a threat.

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Storm Victims: Beware Fradulent Inspectors

FEMA is offering free inspections of storm damaged properties.

Cranford homeowners, renters and business owners who have registered for disaster assistance through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should beware of fraudulent individuals attempting to charge for an inspection. Inspectors contracted by the FEMA are contacting New Jersey residents applying for disaster assistance following the storms and flooding of mid-March. The FEMA inspection is free. These inspectors have approved FEMA identification badges that include the inspector's name and photo, and the name of the company under contract with FEMA. They will ask for information to verify your name and address and registration with FEMA. They will not ask for a Social Security number nor ask …

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Disaster Assistance Available to Homeowners Affected by Storm

County offers help.

Union County homeowners, renters and business owners affected by the severe storms and flooding during the month of March can register for assistance through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of New Jersey to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas struck by severe storms and flooding that began  on March 12. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. "We encourage everyone affected by the storms and flooding caused by the heavy rains…

Photos: Springfield Submerged

Care for a swim?

Today was a perfect day for a nice walk in the part. Assuming, that is, you had waders or SCUBA gear. Meisel Ave. Park and other Springfield public spaces were submerged by the day's deluge. The Rahway river had crept over its banks, flooding out wide areas surrounding the river by Route 22 and elsewhere. Armed with battered umbrellas and outfitted in soaked clothes, scattered handfuls of people braved the weather to shop.  Hopefully, they were able to avoid getting splashed by passing cars. One Patch editor wasn't so lucky.

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