The Village of Ridgewood Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River repair project expected to go well into 2013
June 7,2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , According to Village Manager Ken Gabbert, the work to repair and mend the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River will likely begin during the late summer or early fall. The two waterways have experienced massive flooding and sustained significant amounts of erosion during last year’s record rainstorms.The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook in particular was heavily damaged by Hurricane Irene last summer. Gabbert told the Ridgewood News “Since Hurricane Floyd in 1999, there has been only spot work done in the brook,”
After a significant increase the village is looking to reduce localized flooding. The work will include the removal of sand bars, trees and other debris that have collected in the waterways after years of neglect and server storms.The scope of the work will span the entire length of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook in Ridgewood, with only minor work performed along the Saddle River.
The Village council introduced an ordinance last month to appropriate $155,000 for the second phase of watershed protective measures. This includes $128,000 in grant money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and approximately $27,000 from Ridgewood’s capital fund account.In April, the Village Council moved more than $343,000 in grants and another $78,000 from the capital fund balance to support the first phase of the project.
Village Manager Ken Gabber told the Ridgewood News that the project completion date will depend on the state Department of Environmental Protection’s requirements, the contractor’s schedules and any “surprises” that arise after work begins.
