Residents renew push for Rahway river flood mitigation plan amid long-standing concerns
A petition circulating online is calling on Congress to extend federal authorization for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue work on the project and move toward implementation of a final solution.
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Communities along the Rahway River are once again calling for action on flooding they say has become a recurring threat for decades.
For many residents in Union County, flooding is not a one-time disaster, but a repeated reality during major storms, including Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Ida.
“I’ve been here for 52 years. I’ve gone through four flooding,” one resident said.
Another resident, Brandon Strawder, described how quickly conditions can change during storms.
“We experienced our first flood in this area during Hurricane Ida in 2021. The flood happened within the course of two or three hours. The flood water had doubled and then tripled, and then it was all over the place,” he said.
Now, residents and local advocates are continuing to push for what they describe as a long-delayed flood mitigation plan for the Rahway River basin. A petition circulating online is calling on Congress to extend federal authorization for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue work on the project and move toward implementation of a final solution.
Supporters say the Army Corps has already spent years studying the issue and reviewing dozens of alternatives, but that a final plan has not moved forward.
“The Army Corps of Engineers did put forward some alternative solutions, but never came to a finalization on them, and this authorization to continue to do this work ends at the end of this year,” said Former Cranford Mayor Dan Aschenbach, who is also the coordinator of the Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control.
Aschenbach also said roughly $7 million in federal and state funds has been spent over several years on engineering and environmental studies, but without a clear outcome.
He also criticized the Army Corps’ final report, saying it contains errors and does not go far enough in addressing local needs.
“They didn’t come back with anything. They came back with actually what they said was let the local communities deal with themselves. And the problem with that is the resources that are needed for something of this magnitude — millions of dollars — that’s a federal role,” he said.
Aschenbach also said some of the options studied were close in cost-benefit analysis and should have resulted in a recommended plan moving forward.
Residents like Strawder say that without a finalized solution, they are already taking steps on their own, including work to elevate their homes as a way to protect against future flooding.
“We’re right beside the river and anytime you hear of any kind of flood warnings, the town will bring out pumps to make sure there are no problems in the drainage systems. But really, once that river comes over, there’s nowhere to run,” he said.
The petition also argues that continued delays could leave communities from Millburn to Rahway vulnerable during the next major storm and is urging lawmakers to prioritize the issue as Congress considers reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act.
News 12 New Jersey reached out to both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for comment but has not yet heard back.
