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FACT SHEET-Green Brook Sub Basin, NJ

Flood Risk Management Project

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
Published Jan. 4, 2024

DESCRIPTION: The Green Brook Sub Basin is located within the Raritan River Basin in north-central New Jersey in the counties of Middlesex, Somerset and Union. It encompasses 13 municipalities and drains approximately 68 square miles composed primarily of suburban, commercial, and industrialized areas. For the majority of the project area, the most damaging floods of record resulted from the August 2, 1973 storm, Tropical Storm Floyd on September 16, 1999, the April 15-17 2007 Nor’easter, Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Ida on 02-03 September 2021. Eight deaths within the Green Brook Basin were attributed to these floods, six in the Stony Brook area in the August 1973 flood event and two in Bound Brook during Floyd in 1999. The Final General Reevaluation Report (GRR) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), dated May 1997, recommended implementation of a flood risk management project for the Lower Basin and Stony Brook Basin, and is supported by the project sponsor, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Based on this report and input obtained during the public review period, the State of New Jersey requested that the Upper Basin portion of the project be deferred, pending additional consideration of alternatives.

The Corps has reevaluated the Upper Basin features via a Validation Study examining the feasibility of the Oakway (Segment O) and Skytop (Segment S) Detention Basins and the Green Brook channel modifications (Segment M) as described in the 1997 Green Brook General Reevaluation Report.  These features were authorized as part of the original project in WRDA 1986. The Validation Study determined that Segment M along with O and S are no longer viable and that a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) is needed in order to examine the feasibility of other alternatives in the Upper Basin in-lieu of the detention basins and channel modifications.  The revised features could include non-structural work such as floodproofing, buy-outs, elevation of structures; channel modifications either small in scale or in combination with other measure(s); a diversion tunnel; dry detention basins via dams; levees or floodwalls; and other features. The Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA) for the Upper Basin was executed 28 September 2022 with NJDEP as the non-Federal sponsor. The next study milestone is the Tentatively Selected Plan, scheduled to be held December 2023.

AUTHORIZATION: This project is authorized for construction in Section 401a of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, with the following cost sharing requirements: Local interests will provide lands, easements, rights-of-way, and relocations, pay 25 percent of total project costs (of which at least 5 percent is cash), and bear all costs of operation, maintenance, and replacement of flood control facilities. Federal share is 75 percent of total project costs. 

STATUS: A Project Cooperation Agreement was signed 24 June 1999 with the State of New Jersey. The Bound Brook portion of the project has been completed and consists of the following project features: Segment U levee, floodwall; Segment R1 levee; Talmage Avenue Bridge raising; Segment R2 Levee, Floodwall and Pump Station; Segment R2 NJ Transit Closure Gate and Diversion Pipes; Segment U Bendway Weirs; Segment R2 South Main Street Closure Gate; E.Main Street/Lincoln Blvd. Bridge raising; Segment T levee, pump station and closure gate; Segment R-2 Tie-off, Segment T modifications; the East Main St. storm sewer line and the Conrail Bridge demolition.  The Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) was issued by FEMA on July 18, 2016.  The ribbon cutting was held on August 15, 2016 in Billian Legion Park, Boundwith Brook, N.J.

The following project features are currently completed in the Borough of Middlesex: Segment B1 consisting of the Sebrings Mills Bridge Raising, Levee, Pump Station and Floodwall, the Segment B-2 Floodwall, and the Segment B-3 Levee, Floodwall, and Pump Chamber and the Segment C2, Contract 1 floodwall. The base portion (Floodwall) of the Segment C1 Contract (Floodwall, Levee, Pump Station, NJ Transit Culvert Crossing) was awarded 30 September 2019 and has since been completed. The Segment C1 culvert was successfully moved into position through the New Jersey Transit railroad embankment in May 2021. The curved floodwall and pump chamber have been completed. The Segment C2 & H Base Contract (Closure Gates & Floodwall) was awarded March 2023; construction begin August 2023. Segment C2 & H Contract Options (Levee, Pump Stations) will be awarded in tandem with finishing the remaining Segment C1 options due to hydraulic connectivity. The Segment C3 & C4 construction contract is scheduled to be awarded July 2024.

Estimated Project Costs: The total estimated Federal portion of the project cost is $1,084,098,000.  The Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (DRSAA), passed early 2022, budgets $496,000,000 in Federal funding to complete construction on the Lower Basin and Stony Brook areas. The team is preparing a schedule for completion of the remaining portions of the Lower Basin, and Stony Brook, given the budgeted funding and expectation to award larger construction contracts and expedite project completion. DRSAA also budgets $3.2 million to initiate and complete a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) examining if a plan for flood risk management can be implemented in the Upper Basin.

CONTACT:

Mr. Edward Wrocenski

Project Manager

P: (917) 790-8636

Email: Edward.Wrocenski@usace.army.mil

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District

Programs and Project Management Division

26 Federal Plaza

New York, NY 10278