To the editor:

by The Press Group Community Newspapers (New Jersey)

Diver: OT’s Ariya Suwan a U.S. junior champion

A produced minor flooding in Westwood. [“Westwood takes lead on $200,000 study over f looding,” Michael Olohan, Aug. 14, 2023.] taken on water and the reservoir level had dropped to 95.28 feet.

However, the USGS flood gauges the company monitors did not reach “even minor flood stage.” This is presented as evidence of the complexity of the flooding issues our towns experience, implying the reservoir is not a source of our problems.

L MOST 900 area residents have signed a change.org petition supporting Sen. Holly Schepisiʼs flood control bill, S790, and Assemblyman Robert Authʼs companion legislation, A4200. The Pascack Valley Mayors Association, representing 10 towns and over 100,000 residents, unanimously supports these long-overdue regulatory reform measures. We believe Stevens Institute of Technology, by developing computer modeling tailored to our drainage basin, can produce an algorithm to reliably inform controlled inflows and outflows at the water companyʼs holding vessels, thereby retaining the necessary reserves of water for consumption — while reducing the constant threat of deluge.A closer look at what happened, when and where it happened, Tuesday, July 25, suggests that conclusion just doesnʼt hold water.

Our flood-burdened residents certainly understand the complex relationship between rainfall and flooding. Where the rain falls, the length of time and the volume that falls, the starting level of water in the brooks, even (under certain circumstances) the tidal pull of the moon may be in play, as well as the accumulation of flow-impeding silt and debris, are all factors in potential flood events.

The incident described as occurring “a few weeks ago” coincided with the Annual Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps Carnivalʼs opening, Tuesday July 25.

Woodcliff Lake Reservoir marked 6.38 – which is over flood stage.

The rain fell roughly 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. In that period Westwood received 0.69 inches of rain, Hillsdale 0.74, P ark Ridge 1.10, Nanuet 1.55, and in Montvale 1.99.

At 2:30, when the rain began, the water level in the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir was 94.64 feet.

A t 3:45, more than halfway through the event, the water level at the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir barely rose to 94.65 feet. When the rain stopped Westwood still had not flooded. The sun had come out. And the reservoir level had risen to 95.24 feet.

By 5:15 the water reached 95.51 feet.

At approximately 6 p.m. water started to rise from the drainage ditch behind Kmart, while the water level at the reservoir began to come down – to 95.4 feet.

We do not have access to the precise movements of the gates at Veoliaʼs facility but we do know that they are programmed to lower when the pressure of rain and runoff reaches a set point, triggering them to come down.

How low and how fast the gates retract must be synchronized with the growing a mount of water pressure exerted against them. Logicall y, the greater the pressure the lower the gates, which in turn determines the height of the water column, falling over their 65-foot-long span.

In fact, the operational protocols the state requires Veolia to follow – in concert with any of the other floodaggravating factors noted above — made this flood event fairly inevitable

Recent events reveal why support for change is growing.

In last weekʼs Pascack Press, a Veolia spokesperson cites a recent rain event that

If data drives our inferences, conclusions, and policy prescriptions, then the source of the data is crucial. In this instance, while the Park Ridge gauge may have been under flood stage, the gauge at the

Forty-five minutes later the level had dropped to 95.31 feet, while water came up over the Broadway roadway, swamping the low-lying areas of the Kmart lot, where the carnivalʼs high voltage generators — powering the rides and gaming booths — usually are positioned. The live wires were quickly submerged. I saw children wading through these puddles. The carnival had to be shut down.

At 7:10 p.m., Steuben and Harding avenues had

The water enters the concrete spillway, the Pascack Brook, and then travels south, in our direction. The water companyʼs operational, state regulated mandates are twofold: avert catastrophic structural failure of the gates, and retain the maximum amount of water in the vessel.

Boswell Engineering has advised that due to the ongoing loss of watershed to overdevelopment, it now takes half the amount of runoff to cause the reservoir to spill over — twice as quickly. So, a half inch of rain dropped locally, and two inches falling further north of us, with the reservoir brimming near capacity, can be a major contributing factor to the delayed reaction flooding we saw in July

On July 25, it didnʼt rain on our parade in Westwood. The sun was shining when Iʼd arrived at 5:30 p.m. to work the Frogger booth with Councilwoman Beth Dell and resident volunteer Rusty Miller. But the amount of runoff, from the northern sector of our drainage basin, flowing through the maxedout Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, following its operational protocols, cancelled our carnival, flooded our streets, and caused much consternation and concern. Without a doubt it broke a few hearts too.

The Pascack Valley Mayo rs Association encourages readers to check out the petition and raise their voices for flood control legislation S790 and A4200.

P/T Yard Attendant –Hillsdale DPW. Department of Public Works is seeking a responsible individual to man our recycling center and assist residents with their recycling drop off.

Responsibilies include documenting visitiors, cleaning yard, emptying garbage cans, and other manual labor type tasks. Loader operating experience a plus. Pays $20 per hour. Mondays & Wednesdays 7AM-3PM. Applicants must fill out application which is available on town website: www.Hillsdalenj.org or pick up a copy at Borough Hall. 380 Hillsdale Ave, Hillsdale. Please send to DHayes@hillsdalenj.org or DKohan@hillsdalenj.org or drop off at borough hall.

Mayor Ray Arroyo Westwood

H HOOUUSSEECCLLEEAANNIINNG G

SCHOOL

Part-

The Westwood Habitat ReStore is looking for fun-loving people to volunteer! Positions include customer service and the loading dock. Join the family at Habitat Bergen ReStore and help us build homes for families while having a feel-good experience volunteering. Call (201) 547-1020 for more information. Habitat

H HEELLP P W WAANNTTEED D WANT

BUSINESS? CALL (201) 664-2105

Wanted To Buy: All records, instruments, guitars, drums, microphones, old stereos, ect. Call Tony 201-262-4970 or Cell 201509-7079.

H HEELLP P W WAANNTTEED D crew leader- clean DL, experience driving with trailers & trucks & running equipment & crews , 2 yrs. min. Good pay & hours. Growing company. 201-664-3130.

The Chelsea assisted living facility in Washington Twp seeks a Building Service Director with knowledge of electrical, mechanical, HVAC systems, plumbing, general repairs and maintenance.

Direct/oversee all aspects of maintenance and environmental services for the community.

2+ years building maintenance experience managing a team including an assistant and housekeepers, budgeting experience, and ability to perform minor repairs. On-call required. Supervisory skills required. F/T, competitive salary and benefits. Send resumes to taronson@cslal.com EOE

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