Broadway, just west of Pilgrim Pathway. 9/6/14.   5:45 pm. “The Flea Market Day Flood.”     Photo by Paul Weinstein

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

Here is a link to our last article on this subject.

August 23 BF article about Broadway flooding

Since then, the Township has been “working internally” by having the Engineering Department try to figure out how torrential rainstorms result in flooding. They are studying elevations and maps. They want to get “boots on the ground” during the next large rain to witness the flow of surface water. They hope to get a “better understanding of how the water behaves during a high volume storm.” There are some mysteries such as why, during the last big rain, there was flooding west of Beach Ave., but not east of it;  and to find out how water flows from Ocean Avenue west onto Broadway

Vito Gadaleta, the Neptune Township Administrator, is the “liaison” who is coordinating a “team effort” which comprises Engineering, Public Works, the Township Committee, the Broadway Neighborhood Flood Committee and the HOA. He says that no outside engineering consultations will be necessary.

The engineers want to come up with a plan to “detain or redirect” the rapidly flowing surface water (which tends to travel from the northwest part of town to the southeast)  in order to give the existing storm drainage system a chance to handle the occasional high flow situations. One idea would be to create “drop basins” at intersections to “capture the water.” Another idea was for residents to park along the grassy middle area if they know of a storm. Hubert Yang of OG suggested this on BF recently. Gadaleta doubted that citizens  would be ticketed in such a circumstance.  Trying to divert more water from Ocean Avenue into Fletcher Lake is another idea.

He noted that the storm on August 13 was a “five hundred year storm” where 5 inches came down over four hours in the Grove. He said that such a storm was “unheard of and unanticipated.”

Part of the assessment is to conduct a survey of the area using a questionnaire which is being distributed by the Neighbors’ Group and the HOA. The purpose of that is to find out which properties are impacted by flooding and whether they have sump pumps.   He noted that there have been areas west of Beach and Central which have had problems, including Abbott Avenue.

Gadaleta promised that if a large rain is expected, the DPW will go to the flood zone to keep the drains (“inlets”) open, but he did suggest that the residents also try to help, even though they are “not responsible to do so.” (He says that it is like when residents shovel around hydrants when there is a snow storm.)

Once again he stated that there has always been flooding in the Township including areas that are not in Ocean Grove. The Township will do what it can to mitigate such situations, but a total Township flood cure is not possible.

A public meeting regarding the flooding situation will be held in the near future once “substantive” progress has been made in the quest for solutions in the Grove.

* All quotes are by Vito Gadaleta, the Township Administrator.

ALBERT HAMMOND–It seems it even pours in Southern California: