Can Green Infrastructure Help Control Flooding In Hoboken?

Do you think that nature-based, “green infrastructure” help to relieve chronic flooding in Hoboken?

If so, Rutgers wants to hear what you have to say.

Researchers at Rutgers are seeking residents to participate in their “Hoboken Resident Community Health and Resilience Survey,” an effort to gather input about the effects of chronic flooding on health. Respondents will also have the chance to share their opinions on potential solutions to limit future flooding.

• Participate in the online survey here.

According to a release, as part of post-Sandy recovery, the City of Hoboken is working on strategies to better manage stormwater throughout the city, a major cause of water pollution and flooding.

“When the rain falls on roofs, streets and parking lots, the water cannot soak into the ground,” the study’s organizers claim. “This causes flooding throughout the city, as well as pollution of nearby waterbodies.”

• See related article: WATCH: Hoboken Deals With Flood Damage After Sunday Storm

Hoboken is served by a combined sewer system, which collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater in the same pipes. Sometimes, heavy rainfall exceeds the system’s capacity, resulting in overflows that carry diluted human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and debris into streets, basements and waterways.

“The city’s flooding and combined sewer overflows can seriously impact residents’ health,” the study’s organizers say.

• See related article: This Is Why Hoboken Smells Like Sewage

To better manage stormwater runoff, the city officials are proposing “green infrastructure” as part of its updated stormwater management plan, which uses plants, soil and natural systems to manage water and reduce flooding.

Using data from the survey, a team of Rutgers researchers will produce a Health Impact Assessment of the proposed changes to the Hoboken Stormwater Management Plan and make recommendations to the Hoboken Planning Board and City Council.

Results of the survey will be presented at a public forum in the fall.

The project is supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The project is being conducted by Rutgers University and New Jersey Future, under the umbrella of the New Jersey Health Impact Collaborative, a network of organizations that are working to promote the consideration of health outcomes as part of planning and decision-making in New Jersey.

For more information, contact Miriam Salerno, senior public relations specialist, at 848-932-2876, or Miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu, or Teri Jover at New Jersey Future, 609-393-0008, ext.113, or tjover@njfuture.org

Send Hoboken news tips and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com