Finally, a Solution? Why the New $3 Million Saddle River Flood Study is Different
the staff of the ridgewood blog
Saddle River NJ, For decades, residents in Bergen County have lived with a grim routine: heavy rain starts, the Saddle River rises, and the sirens begin. After years of stalled projects and “studies of studies,” a new $3 million federal-state partnership is breathing life into a flood management plan that has been sitting on a shelf since 1986.
With a fresh $500,000 grant, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is officially moving to tackle the “insufficient capacity” of the lower Saddle River. But for the 2,000 property owners affected, the burning question remains: Is this time actually different?
The Plan: 150-Year Flood Protection
The goal of this reevaluation study is to modernize a plan first authorized by Congress nearly 40 years ago. If successfully executed, the project aims to provide protection against a 150-year flood event. Key improvements on the table include:
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Channel Deepening & Widening: Increasing the river’s capacity to hold water before it tops the banks.
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Bridge Modifications: Adjusting up to 12 bridges to accommodate a deeper, more efficient channel.
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Bank Stabilization: Preventing erosion that narrows the waterway over time.
Which Towns Are Included?
The study focuses on the lower Saddle River and Sprout Brook, specifically targeting habitual flooding in:
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Garfield & Wallington
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Lodi & Saddle Brook
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Rochelle Park & South Hackensack
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Paramus & Fair Lawn
Why Has It Taken So Long?
It’s a classic case of “the world changed, but the plan didn’t.” While the original project was authorized in 1986, a 1996 review found that massive commercial and residential development along the riverbanks had physically blocked the original construction routes.
Essentially, we built homes and businesses exactly where the flood-prevention equipment needed to go. This new study, a 50-50 cost-share between the USACE and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), will look for modern alternatives that work with today’s dense Bergen County landscape.
“The principal cause of flooding… is insufficient capacity of the channel to convey the flood water,” says James D’Ambrosio of the Army Corps of Engineers. “This results in floodwaters overtopping channel banks and impacting communities.”
The Ghost of Hurricane Ida
The urgency for this study peaked after the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021. In Lodi, the flooding reached unprecedented levels, sending five feet of water into Washington Elementary School and forcing boat rescues on Main Street. Even the Boys & Girls Club, equipped with flood doors, succumbed to the surge.
With significant flood events recorded in 1968, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1984, 2007, and 2011, the “once in a lifetime” flood is now happening once a decade—or more.
What’s Next? The Timeline
Residents shouldn’t expect bulldozers tomorrow. Here is the projected roadmap:
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Summer 2026: Official start of the reevaluation study.
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2026–2029: A three-year feasibility window to determine the best engineering path forward.
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2027: Requirement for additional federal funding to keep the study on track.
While three years feels like a long wait for towns that flood every spring, this study represents the most significant movement toward a permanent engineering fix in over twenty years.
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
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Tags: Bergen County News Saddle River Flooding NJ Flood Prevention Army Corps of Engineers Lodi NJ Garfield NJ Environmental News
More federal spending to study how there might be a solution that makes people believe the politicians are doing something. People, you are in a flood plain and we are 39 trillion in debt.