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It has a watershed area of approximately 32 square miles, encompassing parts of six municipalities. The watershed is quite varied in many respects. At nearly 14 miles in length along the north-south axis, elevations range from sea level up to 630’. Because of its glacial geology, the topography includes low hills, while the main river valley features steep escarpments. The development patterns essentially divide the watershed in two: the developed southern and eastern portions of the watershed, and the rural headwaters to the north and west. Princeton Hydro was contracted by Fairfield County, CT to develop the Mill River Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The Fairfield Conservation Commission, part of the municipal government for the Town of Fairfield, applied for a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Program grant with CT DEEP to help address the TMDL and other nonpoint source (NPS) pollutant loading and stormwater management concerns in the Mill River. The grant was awarded for the development of this Watershed Management Plan (WMP). Princeton Hydro worked with project partners, including Connecticut DEEP, Harbor Watch, Trout Unlimited, Fairfield Shellfish Commission, FairPLAN, Mill River Wetland Committee, and Lake Hills Association, throughout the watershed planning process. Mill River does not meet some of the water quality standards or designated uses. For example, in 2004 Mill River was added to the 303(d) List of Impaired Waterbodies, which is named after a section of the Clean Water Act that mandates tracking and reporting of impaired waters, for exceeding the standards associated with indicator bacteria. Mill River has had problems with excessive concentrations of Escherichia coli, more commonly E. coli. The WMP was primarily intended to provide a path to improve water quality throughout the watershed. The plan followed the requirements for the Environmental Protection Agency’s watershed-based plans (WBP) that addresses nine specific elements. This type of plan therefore covered a wide range of topics including identification of water quality problems, determining the cause of those problems, identifying measures to correct the problems, securing the technical and financial assistance to implement the plan, and developing criteria, schedules, and a monitoring program to track progress. Throughout this process, Princeton Hydro routinely met with stakeholders to define their vision and refine the plan to meet the goals and objectives in an achievable manner. [gallery columns="2" link="none" size="full" ids="19552,19551"] [post_title] => Mill River Watershed Management Plan [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => mill-river-watershed-management-plan [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-04-07 18:21:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-04-07 18:21:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=19550 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 19287 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2026-02-06 13:31:30 [post_date_gmt] => 2026-02-06 13:31:30 [post_content] => The City of Lambertville contracted Princeton Hydro and WSP to evaluate Lambertville’s need for, and ability to create, a fee‑based Stormwater Utility. Lambertville faces stormwater management issues primarily due to its geographic and infrastructural characteristics. Situated along the Delaware River, the city is prone to flooding, which is exacerbated by aging and inadequate stormwater infrastructure. Dense urban development results in a high percentage of impervious surfaces, such as roads and buildings, that prevent proper absorption of rainwater, leading to increased runoff and strain on existing drainage systems. [caption id="attachment_19301" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Sample of single-family residential parcels and median impervious surface area[/caption] Lambertville’s stormwater infrastructure includes more than 530 identified stormwater inlets, a series of aging culverts, and miles of stormwater conveyance piping—much of it in unknown condition—with many structures serving as components of cross‑jurisdictional systems, all paired with repeated devastation from flooding. The project team completed a Lambertville Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study, which included the following components: Programmatic and Organizational Review: Evaluation of existing stormwater infrastructure operation and maintenance practices, as well as current program organization and administration. Gaps and Funding Analysis and Future Program Needs: Review and presentation of recent and projected capital project needs and baseline costs provided by Lambertville, along with an assessment of current revenue sources. Land Cover Analysis, Digitization of Impervious Cover, and Equity of Current Costs: Digitization and evaluation of land cover data based on the potential use of an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) rate structure and the quantification of billing units. Assessment of the equity of current stormwater costs and the potential impact of a fee‑based stormwater utility on different landowner categories. [caption id="attachment_19297" align="aligncenter" width="888"] Sankey Diagram highlighting the shift from current tax revenue to a stormwater utility fee.[/caption] User Fee Rate Options and Summary: Evaluation of how revenue generation might shift from a general‑fund, tax‑based model to a fee‑based model, including a summary of available rate structures designed to balance equity, cost, and administrative ease. Policy Development and Legislation Review: Examination of the policy framework for delivering stormwater management services under a utility model, including policies related to extent of service, billing, and funding. Topics included mission and program priorities, level of service, organizational structure, and credit policy. Public Outreach & Stakeholder Engagement: Formation and facilitation of a Stormwater Focus Group composed of key stakeholders, as well as hosting a public meeting to gather feedback, ensure transparency, and support community participation. [gallery columns="2" link="none" ids="19300,19299"] Funding for the Lambertville Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study was provided through a grant from the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. [post_title] => City of Lambertville - Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => city-of-lambertville-stormwater-utility-feasibility-study [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-04-08 16:27:08 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-04-08 16:27:08 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=19287 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18841 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-12-09 20:27:39 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-12-09 20:27:39 [post_content] => Princeton Hydro was contracted to collaborate with the NY-NJ Harbor and Estuary Program (HEP) and the Town of Kearny to support the enhancement of Kearny Riverbank Park, including areas along the Passaic River shoreline. In addition to addressing the park’s needs, Princeton Hydro had to consider the remedial action work being performed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to contain the contaminated sediment within the lower 8.3 miles of the Passaic River and portions of the shoreline at Kearny Riverbank Park. Through collaborative stakeholder engagement meetings and community input, the site assessment and design provide the Town of Kearny with a multifaceted plan, focusing on shoreline restoration, improving stormwater management, reducing erosion, and improving public access and park amenities. A key component of the project was to conceptualize stormwater management strategies. Designed to increase infiltration, reduce urban runoff, and improve the water quality of the Passaic River, the stormwater management strategies will help alleviate current stormwater issues such as ponding and erosion. The proposed interventions will provide opportunities for increased park programming, education, and engagement, while improving the park’s climate resilience. [post_title] => Kearny Riverbank Park Site Assessment and Design Services [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => kearny-riverbank-park-site-assessment-and-design-services [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-09 20:33:08 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-09 20:33:08 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18841 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18799 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-12-02 20:14:40 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-12-02 20:14:40 [post_content] => Since 2023, Princeton Hydro has been working with the local nonprofit group, Trenton South Ward Neighborhood Association (TSWNA), on projects and initiatives to obtain and transform vacant lots in Trenton to accessible green, community parks. Princeton Hydro assisted the TSWNA in obtaining a grant from the Xerces Society to plant 500-native pollinator plants in their community garden. The Xerces Society habitat kit program aims to increase access to high-quality pollinator habitat plants, especially in marginalized populations. The project strives to achieve multiple objectives: 1) provide the TSWNA with a new configuration to increase the amount of planting beds, and 2) incorporate a shed/workspace area in addition to the native plant plugs in a way that creates distinct spaces within the garden. The inclusion of native plant plugs provides a valuable opportunity for the TSWNA to engage residents through educational experiences. The native pollinator garden project highlights the critical role native pollinator plants play in supporting vegetable and fruit production, in turn fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation among the community. Princeton Hydro’s role in the project involved developing three design concepts and presenting the alternatives to the TSWNA Board President for review. Once the concept was selected, Princeton Hydro created a planting plan and a maintenance package to assist the TSWNA in identifying and managing the plants provided through the grant. Additionally, Princeton Hydro collaborated with the TSWNA to organize volunteer site preparation and plant installation days, promoting community involvement and engagement throughout the process. [gallery columns="2" link="none" size="medium" ids="18797,15167"] [post_title] => Trenton South Ward Neighborhood Association Community Garden Pollinator Grant [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => trenton-south-ward-neighborhood-association-community-garden-pollinator-grant [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-08 21:44:27 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-08 21:44:27 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18799 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18795 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-11-05 17:12:57 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-11-05 17:12:57 [post_content] => Princeton Hydro and our project partner, the American Littoral Society, developed living shoreline designs for Nyack Beach State Park. The project goal was to create shorelines resilient to extreme storms and increase resilience to damages linked to climate change while enhancing ecological values and preserving public use of the site. The final selected shoreline designs were consistent with the Master Plan for the Nyack Beach State Park and promoted goals of the 2010-2014 Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda. With these goals and objectives in mind, the Princeton Hydro team worked closely with the Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP), Nyack Beach State Park staff, and the other project stakeholders to generate ecologically-enhanced, engineered shoreline treatments that resist erosion, enhance the recreational use of the site, and improve habitat for fish and wildlife species. The Princeton Hydro team consulted state and federal regulations governing waterfront projects and took into consideration guidance offered directly by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) during the early stages of design development. A “tread lightly” approach was taken, promoting nature-based solutions. Satisfactory existing elements of the site, including post-Hurricane-Sandy repairs to the park and its shoreline, were enhanced rather than redone. [gallery link="none" columns="2" size="medium" ids="18794,18793"] A large portion of the selected design included access to the river and the park’s intertidal, nearshore areas. Thus, the project approach would need to be sensitive to park use by visitors. At the same time, as directed by the Nyack Beach State Park staff, our designs were designed to minimize the maintenance responsibilities of park staff. [post_title] => Sustainable Shoreline at Nyack Beach State Park [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => sustainable-shoreline-at-nyack-beach-state-park [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-08 21:44:20 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-08 21:44:20 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18795 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18610 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-11-05 14:49:39 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-11-05 14:49:39 [post_content] => The Anchor QEA–Princeton Hydro team was selected by Audubon New York (and its partners Save the Sound and New York State Parks) to design the restoration and enhancement of an approximately 400-acre tidal marsh on the north-central coast of Long Island. The marsh has experienced restricted tidal flow since an earthen berm was breached in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy. The restricted tidal flow led to marsh degradation, which converted portions of the former salt marsh to brackish and freshwater marsh. The lack of tidal flushing also enabled invasive Phragmites australis to establish and spread within the marsh system. Design goals included:
The Mill River Watershed is located in Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut. It has a watershed area of approximately 32 square miles, encompassing parts of six municipalities. The watershed is quite varied in many respects. At nearly 14 miles in length along the north-south axis, elevations range from sea level up to 630’. Because of its glacial geology, the topography includes low hills, while the main river valley features steep escarpments. The development patterns essentially divide the watershed in two: the developed southern and eastern portions of the watershed, and the rural headwaters to the north and west.
Princeton Hydro was contracted by Fairfield County, CT to develop the Mill River Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The Fairfield Conservation Commission, part of the municipal government for the Town of Fairfield, applied for a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Program grant with CT DEEP to help address the TMDL and other nonpoint source (NPS) pollutant loading and stormwater management concerns in the Mill River. The grant was awarded for the development of this Watershed Management Plan (WMP). Princeton Hydro worked with project partners, including Connecticut DEEP, Harbor Watch, Trout Unlimited, Fairfield Shellfish Commission, FairPLAN, Mill River Wetland Committee, and Lake Hills Association, throughout the watershed planning process.
Mill River does not meet some of the water quality standards or designated uses. For example, in 2004 Mill River was added to the 303(d) List of Impaired Waterbodies, which is named after a section of the Clean Water Act that mandates tracking and reporting of impaired waters, for exceeding the standards associated with indicator bacteria. Mill River has had problems with excessive concentrations of Escherichia coli, more commonly E. coli.
The WMP was primarily intended to provide a path to improve water quality throughout the watershed. The plan followed the requirements for the Environmental Protection Agency’s watershed-based plans (WBP) that addresses nine specific elements. This type of plan therefore covered a wide range of topics including identification of water quality problems, determining the cause of those problems, identifying measures to correct the problems, securing the technical and financial assistance to implement the plan, and developing criteria, schedules, and a monitoring program to track progress. Throughout this process, Princeton Hydro routinely met with stakeholders to define their vision and refine the plan to meet the goals and objectives in an achievable manner.
The City of Lambertville contracted Princeton Hydro and WSP to evaluate Lambertville’s need for, and ability to create, a fee‑based Stormwater Utility. Lambertville faces stormwater management issues primarily due to its geographic and infrastructural characteristics. Situated along the Delaware River, the city is prone to flooding, which is exacerbated by aging and inadequate stormwater infrastructure. Dense urban development results in a high percentage of impervious surfaces, such as roads and buildings, that prevent proper absorption of rainwater, leading to increased runoff and strain on existing drainage systems.
Lambertville’s stormwater infrastructure includes more than 530 identified stormwater inlets, a series of aging culverts, and miles of stormwater conveyance piping—much of it in unknown condition—with many structures serving as components of cross‑jurisdictional systems, all paired with repeated devastation from flooding.
The project team completed a Lambertville Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study, which included the following components:
Funding for the Lambertville Stormwater Utility Feasibility Study was provided through a grant from the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund.
Princeton Hydro was contracted to collaborate with the NY-NJ Harbor and Estuary Program (HEP) and the Town of Kearny to support the enhancement of Kearny Riverbank Park, including areas along the Passaic River shoreline. In addition to addressing the park’s needs, Princeton Hydro had to consider the remedial action work being performed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to contain the contaminated sediment within the lower 8.3 miles of the Passaic River and portions of the shoreline at Kearny Riverbank Park.
Through collaborative stakeholder engagement meetings and community input, the site assessment and design provide the Town of Kearny with a multifaceted plan, focusing on shoreline restoration, improving stormwater management, reducing erosion, and improving public access and park amenities.
A key component of the project was to conceptualize stormwater management strategies. Designed to increase infiltration, reduce urban runoff, and improve the water quality of the Passaic River, the stormwater management strategies will help alleviate current stormwater issues such as ponding and erosion. The proposed interventions will provide opportunities for increased park programming, education, and engagement, while improving the park’s climate resilience.
Since 2023, Princeton Hydro has been working with the local nonprofit group, Trenton South Ward Neighborhood Association (TSWNA), on projects and initiatives to obtain and transform vacant lots in Trenton to accessible green, community parks. Princeton Hydro assisted the TSWNA in obtaining a grant from the Xerces Society to plant 500-native pollinator plants in their community garden. The Xerces Society habitat kit program aims to increase access to high-quality pollinator habitat plants, especially in marginalized populations. The project strives to achieve multiple objectives: 1) provide the TSWNA with a new configuration to increase the amount of planting beds, and 2) incorporate a shed/workspace area in addition to the native plant plugs in a way that creates distinct spaces within the garden. The inclusion of native plant plugs provides a valuable opportunity for the TSWNA to engage residents through educational experiences. The native pollinator garden project highlights the critical role native pollinator plants play in supporting vegetable and fruit production, in turn fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation among the community.
Princeton Hydro’s role in the project involved developing three design concepts and presenting the alternatives to the TSWNA Board President for review. Once the concept was selected, Princeton Hydro created a planting plan and a maintenance package to assist the TSWNA in identifying and managing the plants provided through the grant. Additionally, Princeton Hydro collaborated with the TSWNA to organize volunteer site preparation and plant installation days, promoting community involvement and engagement throughout the process.
Princeton Hydro and our project partner, the American Littoral Society, developed living shoreline designs for Nyack Beach State Park. The project goal was to create shorelines resilient to extreme storms and increase resilience to damages linked to climate change while enhancing ecological values and preserving public use of the site.
The final selected shoreline designs were consistent with the Master Plan for the Nyack Beach State Park and promoted goals of the 2010-2014 Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda. With these goals and objectives in mind, the Princeton Hydro team worked closely with the Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP), Nyack Beach State Park staff, and the other project stakeholders to generate ecologically-enhanced, engineered shoreline treatments that resist erosion, enhance the recreational use of the site, and improve habitat for fish and wildlife species.
The Princeton Hydro team consulted state and federal regulations governing waterfront projects and took into consideration guidance offered directly by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) during the early stages of design development. A “tread lightly” approach was taken, promoting nature-based solutions. Satisfactory existing elements of the site, including post-Hurricane-Sandy repairs to the park and its shoreline, were enhanced rather than redone.
A large portion of the selected design included access to the river and the park’s intertidal, nearshore areas. Thus, the project approach would need to be sensitive to park use by visitors. At the same time, as directed by the Nyack Beach State Park staff, our designs were designed to minimize the maintenance responsibilities of park staff.
The Anchor QEA–Princeton Hydro team was selected by Audubon New York (and its partners Save the Sound and New York State Parks) to design the restoration and enhancement of an approximately 400-acre tidal marsh on the north-central coast of Long Island. The marsh has experienced restricted tidal flow since an earthen berm was breached in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy. The restricted tidal flow led to marsh degradation, which converted portions of the former salt marsh to brackish and freshwater marsh. The lack of tidal flushing also enabled invasive Phragmites australis to establish and spread within the marsh system.
The Anchor QEA–Princeton Hydro team developed 60% Designs, including design drawings, a cost estimate, a long-term management plan, and a QAPP. The project design includes dredging approximately 15,000 cubic yards of material from Sunken Meadow Creek and thin layer placement of dredged material onto adjacent marsh cells to develop low and high marsh footprints; treating approximately 20 acres of Phragmites australis and phased replanting the areas with native species; creating approximately 2,000 linear feet of channels in the marsh and improving approximately 8,500 linear feet of existing channels to enhance drainage and tidal flushing; creating tidal pools and installing anchored rootwads to promote habitat diversity; modifying existing culverts within the primary flow channel through the marsh; and planting within the high and low salt marsh footprints.
Moorestown Township, located in Southern New Jersey, has about 22 miles of streams and 106 acres of lakes and ponds within its borders, including Strawbridge Lake. There are portions of three watersheds for Strawbridge Lake in the Township: the Rancocas Creek, the Pennsauken Creek, and Pompeston Creek/Swede Run. These are subdivided into eight subwatersheds located within Moorestown. In 2010, all eight of these subwatersheds were impaired for one or more designated uses. The most common cause of impairment was phosphorus. As a result, in 2017, Princeton Hydro authored the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan, a USEPA 9-Element Plan for the management and restoration of the lake and its watershed.
Since 2017, our team has implemented several nonpoint source targeted stormwater management projects in the watershed for the Township. Specifically, the Township has restored and upgraded a passive stormwater basin at the site of Strawbridge Lake Park. The basin was upgraded to be passive, vegetated stormwater conveyance and treatment BMPs that filter and attenuate stormwater runoff from adjacent areas. This project was identified in the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan.
Additionally, the Children’s Pond forebay area of Strawbridge Lake was also recently dredged and restored. This dredging was also identified in the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan.
These projects act as an excellent example of green infrastructure within the community and provide both public access and education opportunities explaining the overall lake and stormwater quality. These projects have also included a major education and outreach element. Through education and outreach efforts, the Township has promoted on-lot green infrastructure techniques, including such techniques as: rainwater harvesting, bioretention systems, porous pavement, and other easy-to-implement, grassroots best management practices and low impact development techniques that the surrounding community can use.
Along the Third River and Spring Brook, two freshwater tributaries of the Passaic River, a highly disturbed, flood-prone former industrial site, were transformed into a thriving public park allowing for both passive and active recreational activities. By removing a little over four acres of upland historic fill in this densely developed area and converting it into 4.2 acres of a functioning floodplain wetland, the project restored valuable ecological functions, enhances wetland and riparian zone habitat, and increases flood storage capacity for urban stormwater runoff.
Princeton Hydro served as the ecological engineer to Bloomfield Township. Our scientists and engineers played a crucial role in this important urban wetland creation project by assisting in obtaining grant acquisition, collecting background ecological data through field sampling and surveying, developing a water budget, completing all necessary permitting, designing both the conceptual and final restoration plans, and conducting construction oversight during implementation.
The site includes 1,360 feet along the east bank of the Third River and 3,040 feet along the banks of the Spring Brook. These waterways are freshwater tributaries of the Passaic River and share a history of flooding above the site’s 100-year floodplain. The Third River, like many urban streams, tends to be the victim of excessive volume and is subjected to erosion and chronic, uncontrolled flooding. This green infrastructure project re-established the natural floodplain wetland and riparian plant communities, which led to a species-rich forest community through the removal of invasive species, setting the stage for native plants.
Over 500 trees and shrubs were planted in the new wetland, with additional trees and shrubs planted along Lion Gate Drive and in existing woodlands. The selected native plant species all provide important wildlife value, such as providing fruit for migratory birds. Phase One of the project, which includes the wetland construction and plantings, was completed in April 2020. The sports fields and playground were completed in June 2021 and are now open to the public.
For this project’s design and construction, Bloomfield Township, Strauss and Associates, ARH, and Princeton Hydro secured $1.76 million in funding from the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Mitigation Council and several million more from NJDEP’s Office of Natural Resource Restoration. Acquisition of part of the property was funded by New Jersey Green Acres.
Princeton Hydro was contracted by the American Littoral Society to complete design plans, permits and construction services for multiple water quality improvement projects conducted within Ocean County Park. The restoration and wetland pocket creation portion of the project is specific to work conducted during the summer of 2017 adjacent to Duck Pond, the second of three interconnected ponds located within the park. The overall purpose of the Duck Pond project was to reduce the non-point source loading of nitrogen and phosphorous. The reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus loading is a key element of the satisfying the Metedeconk River TMDL and addressing the causes for the eutrophication of Barnegat Bay.
Along 140 feet of shoreline an existing bulkhead running along the entire perimeter of Duck Pond was removed. It was graded back in a way to create two small wetland pockets designed to receive spill over from the pond during moderate to large storm events as well as treat existing runoff from the park during smaller storm events that would otherwise discharge directly into the pond. These wetland pockets were also graded to create non-uniform microtopography for increased ecological benefit. The plant palette chosen strikes a balance between aesthetic design and water quality improvement. Princeton Hydro worked collaboratively with NJDEP to reduce the permitting burden on our project partners. Due to the intent of the project to improve water quality, we presented an alternative permitting strategy agreed upon by NJDEP, which allowed the permitting of the project via the FHA Control Act Rules. This approach removed the need for CAFRA permitting and reduced permit preparation costs, review time, and fees, ultimately resulting in excess funding being directed towards implementation.
Following the project, in-stream in-situ and discrete water quality monitoring was conducted for one year in order to assess the effectiveness of the BMPs. The combined green infrastructure and living shoreline elements of this project set the stage for a much needed effort to reduce NPS loading and address waterfowl-related pathogen impacts to Ocean County Park’s lakes and the Metedeconk River. It heightened public awareness of NPS pollution and the benefits of green infrastructure. The project serves as a model for proper stormwater management and living shoreline creation throughout both the Metedeconk River and Barnegat Bay Watersheds.
Princeton Hydro provided professional planning and engineering services to the City of Hoboken for post-Sandy disaster resilience planning. Hurricane Sandy’s storm tide had community-wide severe impacts to the City. As a result, the City was the first New Jersey municipality to begin a comprehensive evaluation and adaptation of its policies, including updates to the City’s zoning, stormwater, and flood damage prevention ordinances.
Princeton Hydro conducted planning & engineering in support of an amended stormwater management plan, hazard mitigation and emergency management planning, and a stakeholder engagement process. Deliverables included updates to the city’s zoning, stormwater and flood damage prevention ordinances, as well as a Stormwater Management Plan Amendment. The Amendment contained recommendations for a comprehensive stormwater management ordinance that prioritizes the use of green infrastructure practices for runoff volume retention. Princeton Hydro also produced Resilient Building Design Guidelines, which educated homeowners and developers on how to retrofit existing structures, comply with FEMA Substantial Damage/Substantial Improvement standards, and implement best practices when building new construction in flood-prone areas. The plan and recommendations contributed to Hoboken’s initiative, which is ahead of the mandates to be instituted by the North Hudson Sewerage Authority’s Long Term Control Plan to address combined sewer overflows.
Additionally, the City updated the Recreation and Open Space Inventory to be consistent with the City’s open space advancement and stormwater management implementation in parks. A Resilient Capital Improvement Plan was another outcome of their proactive effort and contains details on projects to prepare the City for future natural hazards. Hazard mitigation and emergency management planning resulted in mitigation project development, an Emergency Operations Plan update and a Continuity of Operations/Government plan. Resiliency measures and philosophies were integrated into the Master Plan elements.
The flagship product of this planning effort is the Resilient Building Design Guidelines, educating homeowners and developers with tangible examples on how to retrofit existing structures, comply with FEMA Substantial Damage/Substantial Improvement standards, and best practices when building new construction in floodprone areas. The Guidelines have instructions on how to reduce future flood losses by using flood resistant materials and flood considerate techniques, all in keeping with the character of Hoboken. The Guidelines are a first of their kind in New Jersey and, as the techniques are implemented, the floodprone areas will be safer and recover more quickly after an event. Click here to read and download the complete 52-page guidelines document.
The City received the New Jersey Association for Floodplain Management’s 2015 Outstanding Floodplain Management Award for these efforts.
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