Risk, opportunities,

AND CHALLENGES

Right now, Resilient Northeastern NJ is in the visioning process. Visioning involves gathering information and input from you to help with the next step: risk assessment. We will share results of the risk assessment when they become available, and information in this section of the website will evolve as we learn more.

What is Risk?

Risk is the potential for a hazard to have negative impacts. In terms of flooding, risk means the potential for water to damage and / or disrupt our communities. Risk increases when the hazard increases. Hazard can be increased by the impact of climate change, for instance, or when more people and their property are in harm’s way. The more people affected or the more critical a system is, the higher the risk.

What Types of Flood Hazards Should We Be Concerned About?

The Northeastern New Jersey region is exposed to a variety of flood hazards. These hazards vary in terms of the source of flooding, affect different areas, and require different strategies to address them.

Tidal Flooding:

Low-lying coastal areas flood when high tides cause water levels to rise above ground elevation. Although today only limited areas in the region face this hazard, the lowest-lying coastal areas along the Hudson, Hackensack, and Passaic Rivers will be impacted in the future if nothing is done to address sea level rise.

Coastal Storms:

Coastal storms create flooding due to waves and storm surge—a rise in water levels due to storm pressure and winds—which can also cause coastal erosion. Coastal storms can also bring high winds and heavy rains. As we saw during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, much of the region is threatened by coastal storms.

Rainfall Flooding:

Lower lying areas, both along waterways and inland, can flood when heavy rain overwhelms drainage infrastructure. This is an issue across the region today.

Riverine Flooding:

This type of flooding occurs when rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, or canals overflow due to extreme rainfall or rapid snowmelt. While coastal flooding along the Hudson River is largely controlled in this area, riverine flooding is an issue along the Hackensack and the Passaic Rivers.

Joint Flooding:

Joint flooding is a combination of riverine and coastal flooding along tidally influenced rivers. While joint flooding along the Hudson River is largely controlled in this area, joint flooding is an issue for the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers.

How Will Climate Change Increase Flood Hazards?

The Northeastern NJ region will be impacted by climate change in a variety of ways. This includes changes in everyday conditions, such as tides and average temperatures, as well as more frequent and severe coastal storms, severe rain events, and heat waves.

Sea Level Rise:

Sea level rise will increase the height of tides, leading to more tidal flooding and increasing water levels during a coastal storm. While climate research indicates that changes in ocean temperatures may lead to more frequent and stronger tropical storms, this impact is less predictable and harder to project.

Increased Precipitation:

Increased precipitation will lead to increased rainfall flooding and riverine flooding.

How Can We Affect These Risks?

Each individual can have an impact on the level of risk in his or her community.

Click here to get involved

Community planning decisions that determine how land is used within the floodplain can affect flood risk.

Importantly, the everyday actions of people also can help reduce flood risk. Knowing the risk you face and developing a plan for what to do in a flood is an easy step that you and all the people in your community can take to reduce risk. Talking to your friends and neighbors and spreading information about flood risk can also make your community better prepared.

For More Information:

on what you can do and what we are looking to do together through Resilient Northeastern NJ.

GO HERE

What Types of Areas Are at Risk?

The region has different types of areas exposed to flood hazards that we will address together through the Resilient Northeastern NJ process.

Please click on any of the four types of areas below to see some examples of what our communities look like today.



INDUSTRIAL AREAS AND UTILITIES



RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS



OPEN AND GREEN SPACE



TRANSPORTATION

INDUSTRIAL AREAS AND UTILITIES

INDUSTRY

INDUSTRIAL ZONE
JERSEY CITY / BAYONNE

INDUSTRY

INDUSTRIAL ZONE
NEWARK

UTILITIES

PSE&G HUDSON STATION
JERSEY CITY

UTILITIES

SOLAR ARRAY
KEARNY

UTILITIES

PASSAIC VALLEY SEWERAGE COMMISSION
NEWARK

PORTS

PORT NEWARK
NEWARK

TRANSFORMED LAND

BARREN LAND
KEARNY

TRANSFORMED LAND

KEEGAN LANFILL
KEARNY

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS

WATERFRONT TOWERS

HUDSON RIVER COAST
JERSEY CITY

WATERFRONT TOWERS

NEWARK CBD
NEWARK

MULTIFAMILY – HIGH DENSITY

DROYER’S POINT
JERSEY CITY

MULTIFAMILY – HIGH DENSITY

FIFTH WARD HOBOKEN
HOBOKEN

MULTIFAMILY – HIGH DENSITY

APARTMENT COMPLEX
BAYONNE

MULTIFAMILY – HIGH DENSITY

DOWNTOWN
JERSEY CITY

COMMERCIAL

WEST SIDE
JERSEY CITY

COMMERCIAL

NORTHERN HOBOKEN
HOBOKEN

OPEN AND GREEN SPACE

PARKS

LIBERTY STATE PARK
JERSEY CITY

PARKS

STEPHEN R. GREGG PARK
BAYONNE

PARKS

DENNIS P. COLLINS PARK
BAYONNE

PARKS

NEWARK RIVERFRONT PARK
NEWARK

GOLF COURSES

BAYONNE GOLF CLUB
BAYONNE

CEMETERIES

HOLY NAME CEMETERY
JERSEY CITY

WETLANDS

HACKENSACK WETLANDS
SECAUCUS

WETLANDS

HACKENSACK WETLANDS
JERSEY CITY

TRANSPORTATION

AIRPORT

NEWARK AIRPORT
NEWARK

MULTI MODAL

PATH STATION AND FERRY TERMINAL
HOBOKEN

FERRIES

PIER 13
HOBOKEN

FERRIES

NY WATERWAYS FERRY
JERSEY CITY

RAIL

CENTRAL RR TERMINAL
JERSEY CITY

RAIL

LIGHT RAIL STATION
JERSEY CITY

RAIL

LIGHT RAIL HQ
JERSEY CITY

RAIL

BROAD STREET STATION
NEWARK

WHAT AREAS OF OUR REGION ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO FLOODING?

Note: The map shows areas with a 1-percent or 0.2 percent annual chance or greater risk of coastal or river flooding only. The maps are valuable policy setting tools, but provide only a coarse estimation of risk. FEMA is updating these maps, and will provide new ones around 2023. NJDEP has developed flood data for Resilient New Jersey. NJDEP’s maps will be on the website once ready and will help complete the risk assessment. Hoboken Repeat Flood Roadways are from public feedback.

Get Involved

If you live or work in Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken, or Bayonne, you are the most important stakeholder. Most likely, you have already been impacted by flooding in some way and the long-term effects of Resilient Northeastern New Jersey will affect your community. Your input is vitally important to support the development of an effective roadmap for flood reduction that will also improve the daily quality of life in your region.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED!

Get Resilient NJ project updates!

You can easily get project updates by signing up via the form below, or simply leave a voicemail with your email address and/or comments on our project hotline at 201-275-0861. Staffing constraints do not allow for callbacks, but all comments will be reviewed and considered. Look forward to hearing from you!

EMAIL LIST SIGN-UP

Tell us what is important to you!

Take this survey so you can tell us about the places you value most in your neighborhood or areas where you have seen flooding.

Download the Irys app on your mobile phone to report current or past flooding, share your input directly to the project team, and get regular project updates. You can also plot your thoughts on our map!

The Region Team