$146 million flood tunnel project for Peckman River gets federal funding

Twice in the past four years, the angry waters of the Peckman River have jumped its banks to deluge homes and businesses along this tributary of the Passaic River, and twice since 1999, floodwaters have claimed lives.

"Too many times our residents have been devastated by flash flooding from the Peckman River — not only taking a financial toll, but an emotional toll each and every time it happens," Woodland Park Mayor Keith Kazmark said.

On Wednesday, U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez announced $146 million in funding for a tunnel to divert Peckman overflow to the Passaic River as part of a larger package of federal funding to address flooding and climate change.

The Peckman project would include a system of levees and flood walls intended to protect residents' lives and properties.

The funds allotted for the Peckman project, while among the larger amounts, were a fraction of the almost $1 billion to be used to mitigate flooding and combat climate change in the Garden State.

In all, $966 million in federal funding will support dozens of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects across the state, the senators said.

The largest project to be funded is the $496 million slotted for work involving the Raritan River Basin, Green Brook sub-basin in Middlesex, Union and Somerset counties.

“This is critical funding that will support projects across New Jersey, which will protect communities from the devastating impacts of climate change and flooding, improve our rivers and waterways, and replenish our beaches,” said Menendez, D-N.J.

It will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to plan, design, build and complete projects such as beach nourishment, flood control, ecosystem restoration, maintenance and repair of existing navigation channels and inland waterways across the state.

The money comes from two bills:

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed in November provides $282 million and the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act that passed in September, $683.8 million.

“By receiving nearly $1 billion in federal funding to support critical infrastructure projects, our state will work to mitigate flooding, build resilient ecosystems, and protect communities from future extreme weather events,” said Booker, D-N.J., in a press release.

Related: Little Falls $146 million flood tunnel proposal passes in House; Senate to vote in fall

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For hard-hit Little Falls, it's great news, said Mayor James Damiano.

Ida produced massive amounts of runoff that occurred when the storm dumped more than 7 inches of rain in the Little Falls and Woodland Park area.

"The Peckman River Project is a huge step toward so many Little Falls residents having peace of mind during future rainstorms," Damiano said.

The $146 million Peckman mitigation plan calls for:

• A 1,500-foot-long, 40-foot-diameter diversion tunnel constructed between the Peckman and Passaic rivers to divert water from the Peckman to the Passaic.

• 1,848 linear feet of channel modifications.

• 2,170 linear feet of levees and/or flood walls.

• 1,207 linear feet of levees and/or flood walls in the vicinity of Passaic Valley High School, between the track and baseball fields.

• Raising up to 16 structures and flood-proofing as many as 58 structures.

The measure passed the House of Representatives earlier but needed the Senate's approval.

"This project will provide a permanent solution to save residents' lives, their homes, and their personal belongings," Damiano said. " A huge thank you is necessary to Congressman [Mikie] Sherrill for her continued fight that has made this a reality."

“Our communities and families across Northern New Jersey have faced the dire, and sometimes deadly impact of devastating flooding in this region for far too long," said Sherrill, a Democrat representing the 11th District.

Overall the vast majority of the funding will benefit towns in southern New Jersey, much of it south of the Raritan River.

Still, for residents along the Peckman, the fixes are long due. Three years before Ida, a freak thunderstorm blew through the area.

Massive amounts of rainfall fell within a few hours. Steep hills around the Peckman caused the river to jump its banks and left massive damage to homes and businesses.

"This funding for the Peckman River flood mitigation project is unprecedented," Kazmark added.

“When I represented our neighbors on the river, I got the Army Corps involved at the Peckman River, " Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. added. “It has been a long slog of nickel and diming studies to get to this point."

Another North Jersey waterway, Molly Ann Brook, which flows from Franklin Lakes to Paterson, will get funding in an amount to be determined after the completion of a project information report.

Other large projects:

• Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet, $30,200,000 to complete renourishment of the beach and monitoring activities

• Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, Highlands, $128,700,000

• Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet, Sea Bright to Manasquan, $24,400,00 to complete renourishment of the beach and monitoring activities

• Musconetcong River Dam Removals, $3,510,000

• Cheesequake Creek, $30,000,000 for jetty rehabilitation

• Delaware River, Philadelphia to the sea, NJ, PA, DE, $25,000,000 for maintenance of Dredged Material Disposal Facilities for Killcohook #1 and Pedricktown North

• New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, $14,350,000

• NY/NJ Channels $11,710,00 for dredging and surveys

• Raritan River to Arthur Kill Cut-Off, $5,555,000 for dredging and surveys

• Salem River, $7,150,000 for dredging and surveys

• Raritan River Basin, Green Brook Sub-Basin, $496,000,000 to complete construction of the current Lower Basin and Stony Brook flood risk management features

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Peckman River NJ flood tunnel, levees get federal funding