Peckman River Clean Up Begins

In a time when the words "cooperation" and "government" are scarcely found in the same sentence, much less in practice, a joint effort by concerned local residents, state and federal officials is poised to get the Peckman River flowing freely once again.

Over the next three weeks, crews from the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission's River Restoration Department will break out the heavy equipment to de-snag the river of boulders, fallen trees and other detritus in an attempt to mitigate flooding problems. The work will be done at no cost to taxpayers.

The Peckman River is a windy tributary of the Passaic River, stretching nearly nine miles through five towns and two counties. Over the years, silt, boulders and other debris have built up in the bends of the river, narrowing the flow and afflicting neighboring communities with flooded yards and basements after a heavy rainfall.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, in coordination with U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ-8), and the Regional Flood Control Board, saw their efforts come to fruition on a bridge above the Peckman, just outside the Township Department of Public Works garage on Little Falls Road.

"We're a committee with no budget, but look at what was accomplished," said Regional Flood Control Board Chairman E. Romeo Longo, standing in the shadow of a towering 30-ton crane brought to the site to lift large trees that have fallen across the river.

Longo, along with fellow Cedar Grove Councilman Robert O'Toole, represent Cedar Grove on the nine-member volunteer Board, which annually rotates its chairperson. Little Falls and Woodland Park are equal partners in the organization's efforts.

"By remaining committed to advancing flood mitigation projects, Cedar Grove hopes to be able to minimize some of the flooding issues that plague this region. I thank PVSC for their efforts and hope that we can continue our joint partnership for many years to come," O'Toole said.

Though the heart for the project may come from the Regional Flood Control Board, the muscle comes from the PVSC and Pascrell, who has successfully lobbied for federal dollars to complete the project at a time when Washington's purse strings are pulled tight.

"Towns do not have the money in their budgets to take something on like this. We could have not done this without the PVSC and [Rep. Pascrell]," said Dorothy O'Haire, a Little Falls resident and founding member of the Regional Flood Control Board.

"The man is a miracle worker," she added.

Pascrell has secured more than $2 million in federal dollars for flood abatement efforts along the Peckman, and said similar undertakings are necessary for the health of the river and the residents living near it.

"These efforts can only be accomplished when every layer of government works together for the benefit of the people who live here," he said.

"This work is not cosmetic. It will save property and lives."

The work will be done at three separate sites in Cedar Grove along bends of the Peckman. Weather permitting, work will wrap by Aug. 15, and the PVSC will continue downstream to Little Falls before ending the job in Woodland Park. Traffic is not expected to be affected by the work.