Rumson Sandy Resource Update

The following is an update, including some facts of interest from Rumson's volunteer Sandy relief facilitator, Maryann Baret:

• The DEP site describing the waterway debris removal process, including a map of waterway debris removal zones and field observations of those zones can be found at:
www.state.nj.us/dep/special/hurricane-sandy/wwdebris.htm

Rumson's waterways are predominantly located in Zone 3, which includes Monmouth County Coastal Tidal Streams: All of Navesink River (and tributaries) south to and including all of the Manasquan River (and all tributaries).

• The original Request For Quotation (RFQ) document for waterway debris removal services shows the priority of zoning, how debris will be removed, the definitions of various debris — including the definition of "sand" in the debris removal process. Our zone (Zone 3) has a priority level C in an A, B, C, D category. See link below:
www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/notices/pdf/jan11-attacment1.pdf

The state is requiring that the debris removal and dredging projects be 75 percent completed no later than June 1, 2013.

It appears that in our Zone 3 they are starting in the south (in the Manasquan River) and working north. There is no specific weekly time schedule shown anywhere on the website as to when they will be near the Shrewsbury or Navesink.

Those wishing to contact the DEP can do so at the following link:

www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/dep/contactdep_general.pl

Rumson Borough infrastructure efforts regarding West Park flooding issues:

The borough is actively trying to mitigate the post-Sandy flooding issues in the West Park area. According to Borough Administrator Tom Rogers:

• A team is trying to survey all drain/flood vents surrounding West Park. These vents direct rain water out of the storm sewer system into the river. The vents look almost like a duck bill.

When the tide is high, the pressure of the water prevents the tidal water from flowing into the storm sewer system. When the tide recedes, the pressure from the water in the storm sewer system is higher than on the tidal side of the valve and the water in the storm sewer pipes is released into the river.

When this happens, the storm water should drain into the river and remove any standing water in the streets.

Borough officials are making sure all of the drain/flood vents are properly working.

The river needs to be at a low tide in order to make an evaluation, and the Borough is planning to do this on Monday when there is low tide. Whatever can be fixed on site will be, whatever can't be fixed, if a flood flap part is damaged, that part will be ordered immediately.

The borough is not waiting for Sandy-related cost reimbursement to mitigate this issue.

• There are other mitigation projects the town will be completing using funding from post-Sandy mitigation resources for towns and municipalities. They include replacement of the bulkhead at the end of Washington Avenue (using steel to replace the wood) so that Polly's Pond does not continue to spill into that location.
If you have other suggestions for Borough infrastructure mitigation, please advise.
The borough also has completed, or is in the process of completing other borough-wide Sandy-related infrastructure projects:

• The town is seeking federal reimbursement for the debris clean-up (trash and tree/brush) totaling $4 million which included 2,400 tons of trash and 116,000 cubic yards of brush and tree debris clean up which amounted to 3000 truckloads of debris that left Rumson the month after the storm.

The swift removal of curbside homeowner debris was a valued service provided by the town, without which many would have been left having to arrange debris removal on an individual basis.

• All of the borough's 11 sanitary sewer pumping stations were damaged by Sandy. All 11 were restored to operation quickly, but all have needed some level of restoration.

Four stations are now fully restored. The remaining seven stations are pumping, but are still in need of some equipment restoration/upgrade and are awaiting replacement pumps or generators.