A Vision for Milltown

Milltown: New Opportunities in Flood Mitigation

Environmental Planning Studio Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy December 18, 2012

Why are we here?

• Flooding • Present mitigation of flooding • Enhancement of Milltown

Presentation Outline 1. Floodplain Management 2. Stormwater Management 3. Transportation 4. Economic Development 5. Selected Funding Opportunities

Past Flood Damage • Large Flood Events in 1927, 1975, 2011 • Roadways, substation, businesses and residences affected • Direct effects • Indirect Effects • 2011, 20-50% of county was without power

Floodplain Management Mitigation Strategies • Losses account for more than just costs • Understanding losses helps to provide a framework for mitigation strategies • Moving infrastructure and buildings out of floodplain • Removing barriers from the path of the river • Plan ahead and educate

River Bottom Cross Sections

FIS Profile: Diagram of Flooding Factors Dam Â

Illustration of FIS Profile

Controlled Breach of a Dam • May be necessary if considered historic • Removal of a section of a dam to allow increased water flow and lower upstream levels • Often used to relieve pressure on dams, usually considered emergency situations • What is involved in a breach?

Dam Removal • Motivation for dam removal can include: o Liability o Poor condition o Ecological benefits • Dam removal can lead to: o Reduced flooding o Better fish passage o More recreational opportunities

Effect on Flood Extents

• In Baraboo, WI, dam removal led to dramatic reduction in flood extents • • Due Due to to natural natural floodplain restoration floodplain restoration

Removal of Calco Dam in Bridgewater, NJ

Before After

Current Floodplain

Redesign Vision Central focus New post office/retail

Public park

Recreational trail Smaller streambed

Stormwater Management

Photo Sources: Lake County, Illinois, UCSB Dept. of Environmental Health and Safety, and lowimpactdevelopment.org

Stormwater Management • Hydrology of Flooding • Based on the water cycle o Precipitation, interception, infiltration, runoff, evaporation, transpiration • Problem of surface runoff o Flooding o Pollutants • Factors affecting runoff o Storm factors: magnitude, intensity, spatial distribution o Surface factors: interception rate, surface storage capacity, surface porosity, antecedent conditions

Photo Source: http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/mitchemh/502/webquest/intro.html

Stormwater Management • Development leads to impervious surfaces in town • Drastically affects water distribution throughout town and region • Influences flooding levels • Simulating natural designs and techniques to limit runoff offer best solution (Low Impact Design - LID)

Water Distribution After Rainfall Surface Runoff Interflow

Pre-Developed Site <1% 20-30%

Developed Site 20-30% 0-30%

Groundwater Evapo-Transpiration

10-40% 40-50%

10-20% 20-30%

!

Source: LID Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound (2005)

Impervious Surface in Milltown • Over 60% of Milltown is impervious surface.

• From rooftops, parking lots, sidewalks, streets, and other elements of the built environment • Lawrence Brook is considered pervious surface • Space for change

Calculation of impervious surface in Milltown using AutoCAD 2013

Stormwater Management

• Stormwater Management techniques applicable to Milltown o o o o o o

Vegetated Swales Flow-Through Planters Infiltration Basins (Rain Gardens) Pervious Pavement Street Trees Rain Barrels

Vegetated Swale

Rain Garden

Flow-Through Planter

Photo Sources: Flickr Creative Commons – Soggydan, Roger Soh, Natalie Blackburn

Pervious Pavement Demonstration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BREd1TbF_MQ

Stormwater Management

Sources: EPA Edison, New Jersey

Street Trees • Trees capture water in leaves and store water in limbs, trunks, and surrounding soil • Provide other environmental benefits • Large Storage Capacity § 100 mature trees can retain 100,000 gallons of water annually

Photo Source: Flickr Creative Commons – blmurch

Benefits of LID to Runoff in Milltown •

48.9 inches of annual rainfall in Milltown

•

Approximately 234,320 gallons of rainwater per year

•

50 Mature Street Trees = 50,000 gallons annually

•

5000 sq. ft. of LID = 3,500 gallons of water per rain event.

Street Trees

Street Trees

Street Trees

Street Trees

Vegetated Swale

Current

Vegetated Swale

With Vegetated Swale

Rain Garden

Current

Rain Garden

With Rain Garden

Flow-Through Planter

Current

Flow-Through Planter

With Flow-Through Planter

Transportation

Ford Avenue Redesign

BEFORE

Ford Avenue Redesign

BEFORE A OPTION

Ford Avenue Redesign

OPTION B

Main Street Bridge

BEFORE

Main Street Bridge

AFTER

Ford Avenue Currently

Ford Avenue 11â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Median

Ford Avenue 13â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Median

Ford Avenue 13â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Median

Ford Avenue 13â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Median with Vegetated (Bio) Swale

Ford Avenue 13â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Median with Vegetated (Bio) Swale

Ford Avenue 13â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Median with Vegetated (Bio) Swale

Ford Avenue 10’ Multi-Use Path and 3’ Buffer

Ford Avenue 10’ Multi-Use Path and 3’ Buffer

Main Street Bridge Currently

Main Street Bridge With Lane Reduction

Economic Development and Brook Park

Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) • • • • • • •

Public/Private Collaboration Organizing and Financing mechanism Voluntary Collective Responsibility Investment State enabling legislation 1984 82 BIDs in sixty-seven municipalities in New Jersey Rarely disbanded

Business Improvement District (B.I.D.)

• Step 1: Create a Feasibility Plan • Step 2: Form a Steering Committee • Step 3: Determine BID implementation • Step 4: Obtain a Certificate of Incorporation • Step 5: Assess current conditions • Step 6: Draft Ordinance • Step 7: Finalize Ordinance • Step 8: Establish the District Management Corp. and Board of Directors

BID

Funding • Economic Development Grants • Donations • Low-interest loans • Special Assessments • Property-owners and tenants • Several methods of assessment • Can include churches or residents

Total Budget

Business Contributions to Business BID Contributions % of Budget

Audubon

$46,660

$46,660

100%

Bloomfield

$630,000

$210,000

33.33%

Botany, Village, Clifton

$252,000

$79,550

31%

Central Ave/ Jersey City

$202,160

$78,380

39%

Jersey City, Historic Downtown

$340,000

$140,000

41%

$1,400,000

$678,000

48%

Maplewood, Springfield Avenue

$162,000

$152,000

93.82%

Maplewood, Maplewood Village

$61,095

$38,708

63.30%

Millburn

$240,000

$160,000

66.66%

Montclair

$366,000

$366,000

100%

Newark, Downtown

$1,600,000

$1,400,000

88%

Newark, Ironbound

$900,000

$405,000

45%

New Brunswick

$689,608

$471,858

68.40%

Rahway

$383,300

$89,400

23.32%

Red Bank

$559,752

$434,000

77.53%

River Road, Fair Lawn

$178,000

$120,000

67%

Rutherford, Downtown

$152,000

$132,000

86.84%

Washington Borough

$210,000

$200,000

95.23%

Westfield, Downtown

$377,500

$377,500

100%

$1,300,000

$115,000

9%

$247,000

$247,000

100%

Jersey City, Journal Square

Wildwood, Boardwalk BID Wildwood, Downtown

Additional Resources: Community Rating System 10 CRS classes, with each class corresponding to a 5% increase in NFI Premium Discounts • Process • Contact IOS/CRS coordinator • Submit application • Verification Visit • Annual Recertification • 18 established point activities • Acquisition and Relocation • Inquire about specific improvements

Selected Funding Sources: Dam Removal • State and Federal Sources • US Forestry Service • Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Agreement Authority: Wyden Amendment

• US Department of the Interior: •

Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance

Selected Funding Sources: Dam Removal Continued

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) • Open Rivers Initiative • American Rivers

Selected Funding Sources: Floodplain Mitigation • FEMA • Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) • Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program

• Sustainable Jersey

Reason: Flooding Solutions: • Dam Removal • Stormwater Management Opportunities: • Transportation • Economic Improvement

Result: A Community Centered Around “Brook Park”

Check out our website: http://www.raritan.rutgers.edu/milltown