Community Collaboration Success:The Shrewsbury River Flood Warning System

Project Manager: Mariana Leckner, Ph.D. , American Military University

Stakeholder Partners: Capt. Mauro “Buzz” Baldanza, Oceanport OEM

Margaret Murnane, Monmouth County OEM

Research Partners:Dr. Thomas Herrington, Stevens Institute of Technology

James Nickels, Urban Coast Institute, Monmouth University

Introduction

This presentation is the result of collaborative efforts between:

• Monmouth County OEM• NJ Municipalities of:

HighlandsLittle SilverLong BranchMiddletownMonmouth BeachOceanportRumsonSea Bright

• Urban Coast Institute of Monmouth University• Stevens Institute of Technology• IOOS and MACOORA

Background

Genesis of collaboration:• Oceanport’s NWS StormReady designation• Multi-jurisdictional impacts of flooding• Funding proposal troubles• Existing IOOS infrastructure in place• Strength in numbers!

PlanningMatching funds & servicesOperations and maintenanceRegional mitigation

• Partnership successful in obtaining FEMA PDM funding

Issue

Extensive Floodplain

Nor’easters

Inland Rainfall

Hurricane Surge

Extremely Vulnerable

No existing historical or real time water levelinformation.

Flood category Height (feet)*

Location

Minor flooding 3.9 – 4.9 Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, Rumson, Highlands

Moderate Flooding 4.9 – 5.9 Little Silver, Oceanport, Sandy Hook ‘96, ‘98, ’00, ’10

Major Flooding > 5.9 Sandy Hook, region ‘91, ‘92, ‘93

Historical flood heights/categories

March 2010 flooding

*NAVD88

Purpose

•Monitoring•Alert/warning•Creating a database for future benchmarking

Shrewsbury River at Route 36 (Photo: M. Leckner)

Existing MARCOOS Infrastructure

NYHOPS Domain

Existing MARCOOS Storm Surge Products

Developed System

•Installed in 2010

•Five gauges

•Integrated into existing MARCOOSsystem

System Operation

•Receiver/DecoderMonmouth University, Urban Coast Institute

•WebsiteStevens Institute of Technology, The Center for Maritime Systems

•System ManagementMonmouth County OEM

•OperationsAll stakeholders through operations board

Gauge Locations

Installed gauge locations (not to scale)

Website: System Log-in Page

Website: Time-series Interface, sites

Example of System Application

Comparison of gauge readingsOct 4th – Oct 7th

Coastal flooding

Extended Benefits of Collaboration

• System provides data in previously unsampled region within MARCOOS

• Data will aid in the development of improved and expanded nowcast/forecast model.

• Reporting to NWS FO to develop improved flood impact tables

Extended Benefits of Collaboration

• Research Initiatives– New Jersey Marine Science Consortium

Vulnerability Project– Collaborative Proposal to NOAA Climate

Program to develop Historic and future (sea level rise) visualizations for community planning and preparedness

Questions