[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=””]IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2025[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=””]

Contact: Lawrence Hajna (NJDEP) (609) 984-1795
SFC Joseph Walsh (NJOEM) (609) 882-2000 x 6627
Vincent Grassi (NJDEP) (609) 984-1795

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MURPHY ADMINISTRATION KICKS OFF FIRST FLOOD SAFETY WEEK, RELEASES STATEWIDE FLOOD RESILIENCE INITIATIVES REPORT

TRENTON – The Murphy Administration today launched the state’s first-ever Flood Safety Week by urging the public and local governments to take steps to become more aware of and better prepared for flood risks that are increasing due to climate change.

The Administration, through the Interagency Council on Climate Resilience, also released the first Statewide Flood Resilience Initiatives report. This report summarizes the many programs and projects being implemented to make residents and communities more resilient to the wide range of flooding that occurs in New Jersey.

Throughout Flood Safety Week, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Office of Emergency Management will provide important tips on flood safety and awareness through series of social media posts to help better prepare residents for dangerous flooding while highlighting the state’s comprehensive flood resilience initiatives.

“Over the past year, New Jerseyans have experienced the effects of extreme weather on our communities. As we approach the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Ida, we are focused on strengthening our resilience to extreme weather events so that we can better mitigate climate threats,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Flood Safety Week is a critical component of our administration’s commitment to providing New Jerseyans with the tools and resources needed to prepare for flood risks in our state.”

“Flooding in New Jersey takes many forms and occurs along our rivers, our coastline or on a very localized level when outdated stormwater infrastructure cannot handle large volumes of rain that falls in a short amount of time,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “As we mark our first Flood Safety Week, I strongly encourage all residents, no matter where they live, to take time to develop flood emergency plans and for our local governments to learn about the many ways to make their communities stronger and safer.”

“Flood Safety Week is your reminder: flooding can happen anywhere, even outside a known flood zone,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, New Jersey State Police Superintendent and State Director of Emergency Management. “The time to prepare is now, because readiness is the key to protecting your family, your home, and your community when the waters rise. Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

The Importance of Flood Safety Week

The first Flood Safety Week comes immediately before the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Ida, the remnants of which caused widespread flooding throughout the state, and right before National Preparedness Month in September, which urges the public to be prepared for all types of disasters.

To support flooding preparedness, the DEP has launched a new user-friendly Know Your Flood Risk tool that integrates FEMA flood zone maps with DEP and Rutgers maps that reflect expected climate change impacts to help residents understand their flood risk and take action to protect themselves.

Accompanying the tool, users can find links to information on signing up for local weather and emergency management alerts, real estate disclosure requirements, participating in DEP Blue Acres buyouts, and learning more about areas that are often at the greatest risk of flooding.

Tips for Staying Safe from Floods

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) urges all residents to be prepared, stay alert, and take action to protect themselves and their property by knowing what to do before, during, and after a flood event:

Before a Flood:

  • Flooding can happen anywhere. Learn about the risks in your community and how to stay prepared.
  • Create an emergency kit in a waterproof container with food, water, medication, and essential documents.
  • Sign up for alerts from local officials and weather services.

During a Flood:

  • Do not walk, swim, or drive through floodwaters – Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
  • Follow evacuation orders and instructions from emergency officials.
  • Keep away from downed power lines and electrical wires.

After a Flood:

  • Do not return home until authorities say it is safe.
  • Be cautious of mold, structural damage, and potential gas leaks.
  • Document property damage with photos and contact your insurance company.

For more detailed flood safety information and resources, visit www.ready.nj.gov

Stay alert. Stay safe. Stay #ReadyNJ.

New Jersey Flooding Explained

Heavy rainfall that swells rivers in mere minutes, tides inundating streets on clear days, and long and soaking storms that overwhelm stormwater management systems have become commonplace in New Jersey. In addition to causing damage and loss of life, flood risk increases the risk of foreclosures, threatens the market value of properties, and harms credit scores.

Just last week, the passage of Hurricane Erin well offshore of New Jersey sent waves rolling across beaches and into dunes and boardwalks while causing back bay flooding that flooded streets and necessitated rescues from swamped vehicles.

And while Ida devastated wide swaths of New Jersey with extreme inland flooding, even unnamed storms can be devastating. This past July, back-to-back flash floods resulted in five deaths and caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and vehicles in the northern part of the state.

With more than 18,000 miles of rivers and streams and 1,800 miles of ocean and estuarine coastlines, densely populated New Jersey has among the highest risks of flooding in the nation. While floods have always occurred in New Jersey, they have become more frequent and are of greater intensity due to climate change.

New Jersey experiences three main types of flooding:

  • Riverine flooding occurs when a river or stream overflows its banks, inundating adjacent low-lying areas.
  • Rainfall and runoff flooding take place when the volume of rainfall exceeds the capacity of local drainage infrastructure and stormwater systems, causing floodwater to accumulate on streets and in neighborhoods.
  • Coastal flooding typically occurs during high tides or intense coastal storms and can pack powerful storm surges that can cause catastrophic damage. Coastal flooding can also occur during non-storm conditions in low-lying communities during extreme high tide events that may take many hours to recede. This is known as “sunny day” flooding.

Statewide Flood Resilience Initiatives Report in Detail

In accordance with the statewide policy directive laid out in Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 89, New Jersey’s Interagency Council on Climate Resilience – made up of 26 New Jersey Executive Branch departments and agencies – is taking proactive and coordinated action to address challenges that a warming climate is causing in New Jersey.

The Statewide Flood Resilience Initiatives report produced by the Interagency Council and released today summarizes policies, programs and efforts under the comprehensive policy framework of the New Jersey Climate Change Resilience Strategy. The six policy priorities of the Flood Resilience Strategy are to:

  • Build Resilient and Healthy Communities
  • Strengthen the Resilience of New Jersey’s Ecosystems
  • Promote Coordinated Governance
  • Invest in Information and Increase Public Understanding
  • Expand Resilience Funding and Financing
  • Implement the Coastal Resilience Plan

The report includes 77 activities with a core purpose of advancing flood resilience, ranging from hazard identification and flood resilience planning to the dissemination of quality information regarding flooding and technical assistance programs for local decision-makers. The report details an additional 29 related state agency efforts that support flood resilience while not being exclusively focused on flood-related impacts.

Building Long-Term Flood Resilience

Floods are changing the way New Jerseyans live their lives, and climate change means each of these types of flooding is predicted to occur more frequently and more intensely in the future. While climate change is a global challenge, the impacts are experienced locally.

“By understanding your community’s unique flood risks and vulnerabilities and taking proactive measures to address them, local governments can be better prepared for the next major flood event,” said New Jersey Chief Climate Officer Nick Angarone. “The Department of Environmental Protection offers technical assistance for this type of support, including through our renowned Resilient NJ program.”

The following recommendations for local governments, community organizations and other stakeholders focus on the need for planning for the current and anticipated impacts of climate change through evidence-based and community-centered solutions:

  • Participate in Local Climate Resilience Planning: Join public sessions led by local and regional government officials making decisions about zoning, redevelopment, housing, open space, and other investment decisions to ensure that community investments made today are designed to withstand the conditions of tomorrow.
  • Deploy Natural and Nature-based Solutions: Identify land adjacent to streams, rivers, coastal waterbodies and stormwater infrastructure that can be leveraged to allow rainwater to seep into the ground slowly, and/or creative protective barriers from areas prone to coastal or riverine flooding. Projects can include the creation or preservation of green space and natural buffers, the restoration of rivers, streams, wetlands and coastal habitats, as well as urban tree planting efforts and forestry initiatives or other nature-based projects that absorb floodwater and reduce erosion.
  • Future-proof Development and Infrastructure Projects: Development, redevelopment and infrastructure projects should be designed to withstand future flood conditions to ensure that critical and essential infrastructure remains operable during flood-related disasters.
  • Help Document Flood Events: Become a community scientist and upload photos of flooding to https://mycoast.org/nj. Once uploaded, your photos will be linked to nearby flood gauges and weather data. This information will help your neighbors to understand when and where flooding may occur.

More Climate Change and Resilience Resources

NJ Climate Resilience Strategy: https://deptest.nj.gov/climatechange/resilience/resilience-strategy/

Interagency Council on Climate Resilience: https://deptest.nj.gov/climatechange/resilience/resilience-council/

Resilient NJ: https://resilient.nj.gov/

New Jersey Resilient Environments and Landscapes: https://deptest.nj.gov/njreal/overview/

NJDEP Climate Change Efforts: https://deptest.nj.gov/climatechange/

New Jersey Climate Data: https://deptest.nj.gov/climatechange/data/

NJDEP Climate Change Science and Research: https://deptest.nj.gov/dsr/climate-change/

Flood Engineering and Climate Resilience Design: https://deptest.nj.gov/wlm/drec/flood-engineering/

NJDEP Blue Acres Program: https://deptest.nj.gov/blueacres/

 

NJOEM PHOTO/Aftermath of July 14 flash flood, Green Brook

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