Flood of studies yields little action on flooding

It seems chronic flooding is becoming more and more common in New Jersey.

To his credit, Gov. Jon Corzine recently proposed a set of important regulatory changes to address the problem. Until now, the state has produced a flood of studies and recommendations and a corresponding drought of real policy change.

The most recent report came from the Flood Mitigation Task Force formed in 2005 in response to spring flooding along the Delaware River that forced the evacuation of more than 5,500 people.

Following the report earlier this year, several environmental groups presented Gov. Corzine with a set of steps to reduce flooding. Building on these recommendations, Gov. Corzine proposes to update the rules implementing New Jersey's Flood Hazard Area Control Act.

The new regulations are expected to be formally introduced this month, followed by a public comment period and hearing process that will take several months.

Many of the updates are related to land use, which makes sense given our growing understanding of how sprawl contributes to flooding. Building in a floodplain not only leads to the obvious - buildings that are prone to flooding - but it also affects the way water flows through the natural system of watersheds and into streams and rivers. In general, we have seen that building upstream often means more flooding for folks downstream.

With this in mind, Gov. Corzine made some excellent proposals, including limiting development in flood plains, expanding stream buffers and instituting a policy of "no net fill," which forbids developers from filling in any portion of wetlands during development. Currently, an average of 20 percent of wetlands found on a given site may be filled if a permit is granted.

In addition to stronger regulations, the state will need stricter monitoring and enforcement. Even the strongest flood prevention rules in the nation would be doomed to failure if no one makes sure they're being followed. The state needs to ensure there are consequences for breaking the rules.

Another important component to Gov. Corzine's proposal is direct acquisition of flood prone land, building on New Jersey's successful "Blue Acres" program. Acquiring and preserving areas prone to floods creates lands that serve as floodplains, providing natural flood storage when rivers overflow.

It's long past time we got serious about implementing a comprehensive, statewide flood prevention plan.

"Flooding is not avoidable," said Delaware Riverkeeper Maya Van Rossum. "It's a natural and needed part of every waterway's lifecycle." Gov. Corzine's proposals are a great first step toward harnessing these natural cycles, rather than fighting them.

Michele S. Byers

executive director

New Jersey Conservation Foundation

Far Hills