DESCRIPTION: The Shrewsbury River is a tidal estuary with wide bay-like waterways protected by the Sandy Hook peninsula and nearby barrier beaches.
The river system ultimately drains into the Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay.
Frequent flooding occurs along the Shrewsbury River and tributaries in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
The flooding is primarily due to high water from storms producing high tides, which flood extensively developed land areas.
Long lasting storms such as nor’easters prevent the drainage of floodwaters to Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay.
Local efforts to improve drainage into the river system have been futile as the river flows overland into the low-lying communities.
The State of New Jersey supports the assistance of the Federal Government in efforts to alleviate the flooding and attend to environmental concerns.
AUTHORIZATION: Resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May 7, 1997.
STATUS: A Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA) was executed August 2001 with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) as the non-Federal cost-sharing partner.
A feasibility study was initiated in January 2002.
After Hurricane Sandy impacted the area in October 2012, the current study effort was funded for completion by The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-2). An amendment to the FCSA was executed with the NJDEP in August 2013.
A draft feasibility report detailing the study of potential structural and nonstructural plans was completed in August 2016.
The report is located on the project webpage. The Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) described in the report includes the elevation of up to 18 structures and use of one removable ring wall around 2 structures in downtown Sea Bright, New Jersey.
Following public release of the draft feasibility report in August 2016, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has updated the TSP to reflect ongoing recovery and rebuilding activities in Sea Bright, N.J. Due to a lack of non-federal support for the tentatively selected plan, the feasibility study was terminated on August 10, 2019.
CONTACT:
Mr. David Gentile, Project Manager
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278-0090
Phone: (917) 790-8483
E-mail: David.T.Gentile@usace.army.mil
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: NJ-06