Proposed Long Hill Flood Wall Worries Warren Officials

Warren officials are eyeing a proposed Army Corps of Engineers project aimed at preventing flooding in Gillette's Valley Road business district.

At the Oct. 28 Township Committee meeting, committee members expressed concern about the possible impact construction of the $10 million would have on Warren.

Mayor Gary DiNardo said he had received a letter from a local business asking if construction of the flood wall would create problems in other areas.

"Now, we know what happened in Bound Brook," he said, on the worsened flooding in Manville and Bridgewater that followed Hurricane Irene some have attributed to the new flood gates and levies in Bound Brook. "It's a great concern."

Committeeman Mal Plager said the Army Corps of Engineers estimated the flood wall could raise Passaic River levels by one inch, if installed.

"I don't believe it—but that is what they said," Plager added.

The flood wall proposed would be built behind the buildings lining the south side of Valley Road, between Sussex Avenue and Poplar Drive. The wall will include two gates to control flow on tributaries to the river, one east of Sussex Drive, and a second near the township's soccer field in Riverside Park.

The wall will be 4- to 5-feet in height, and follows a 3-foot rise in the topography in the area.

Township Administrator Mark Krane noted the Long Hill Township Committee defeated a proposal to issue $875,000 in bonds for the township's share of the project's cost.

But the committee members said the issue could return and is a concern for Warren because of the possible impact along the Passaic.

"If you put a flood wall up, how do you know you're not going to impact upstream, where the water just can't flow fast enough?" Plager asked. "How do you know Bernards won't suddenly become part of it?"  

The committee plans to request assistance from the Somerset County engineering department, and plans a letter to the Long Hill committee expressing the concerns.

Update: In October, Committeeman Vic Sordillo had written to the Long Hill Township Committee, expressing his concerns about the project. The letter is copied below:

To the Mayor Harrington and Committee of Long Hill Township,
I am writing to discuss the Army Corps of Engineers flood control project.  Some of the Warren Township residents and businesses located by the Long Hill Passaic River border have concerns that the project will impact their property.   This issue was considered several years ago by our Committee and we were told that calculations, made at that time, provided an opinion that they would not be impacted.  Due to the change in rainfall patterns, I now share their concern that we might have problems.
I would like to re-open discussions with the Army Corp and have recent historical events included in the future projections.
I hope you will support this concern and hold off the process until we have the data we need to feel comfortable with the initiative.
Victor J Sordillo