Editing Woodbridge Township, New Jersey (section)

==Woodbridge Floodplain==
[[File:Flood Plain.jpg|thumb|Flood hazard zones in Woodbridge Township]]
Woodbridge's geographical features make it prone to repeated flooding. It is surrounded by water on three sides: the [[Arthur Kill]], a [[tidal strait]] to the east, and [[tidal river]]s to the south, [[Raritan River]], and north, [[Rahway River]]; and, much of the developed land in Woodbridge has low elevations, as little as five feet above sea level. About 19% of Woodbridge Township lies within [[FEMA]]'s [[Special Flood Hazard Area|flood hazard areas]].<ref name=:"S">{{Cite web |url=https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/8040/Detailed-Descriptions-of-Woodbridge-Townships-Floodplains|title=Description of Woodbridge Township floodplains|website=www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115232900/https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/8040/Detailed-Descriptions-of-Woodbridge-Townships-Floodplains|url-status=live}}</ref> There is a long history of [[tidal flooding]] along the  Woodbridge River in  Woodbridge Proper, the Raritan in Keasbey and the Arthur Kill in Sewaren and Port Reading.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/lps/SRPRs/Woodbridge_SRPR.pdf|title=Special flood Hazard zone|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128211731/https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/lps/SRPRs/Woodbridge_SRPR.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to tidal flooding, [[fluvial]] flooding is common. Woodbridge streams and rivers have been described as having a "high flow, flashy nature." The land is relatively impervious, and flooding is exacerbated by steep slopes and urban cover. Flooding in the South Branch Rahway River and [[Pumpkin Patch Brook]] hazard zones is predominantly fluvial. Prolonged coastal storms ([[nor'easters]]), which combine tidal and fluvial flooding, along with flow constrictions, cause an increase in the duration of flooding of the [[Woodbridge River]] and its tributaries, [[Heards Brook]] and [[Wedgewood Brook]], which may last for days before water levels subside.<ref name=:"S"/> Frequency of flooding has increased over time. Sea levels are rising and residential areas have moved into previous marsh land, decreasing the ability of the land to absorb excess water. A 1770 map shows that all land surrounding the Woodbridge River was [[salt marshes]]. I

===Hurricane Sandy===
[[File:Detailed-Descriptions-of-Woodbridge-Townships-Floodplains.jpg|thumb|Woodbridge area inundated by Woodbridge River after [[Hurricane Sandy]]]]
In October 2012, New Jersey was devastated by [[Hurricane Sandy]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/dep/docs/njdep-accomplishments-january-2018.pdf|title=Accomplishments 2010-2018|date=2018|website=nj.gov|access-date=February 10, 2020|archive-date=September 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928225528/https://www.nj.gov/dep/docs/njdep-accomplishments-january-2018.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and Woodbridge suffered significant flood damage. One of the most affected neighborhoods from Hurricane Sandy was Watson-Crampton, an area adjacent to the Woodbridge River; prior to 2009 this area was zoned for high density residential housing, including an area of [[wetlands]] and [[meadows]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/770/Watson-Crampton-Neighborhood-Plan---FINAL-DRAFT_7-28-15-PDF|title=Watson-Crampton Plan|last=Heyer, Gruel and Associates|date=2015|website=twp.woodbridge.nj.us|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=January 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124233937/https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/770/Watson-Crampton-Neighborhood-Plan---FINAL-DRAFT_7-28-15-PDF|url-status=live}}</ref> When Sandy arrived in the area, it was "characterized as a [[tsunami]]-like water wall," destroying adjoining homes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pigdifference.org/woodbridge |title=Woodbridge tsunami-like water wall|website=PIG Difference |date=September 8, 2015|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-19 |archive-date=January 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124235855/http://www.pigdifference.org/woodbridge|url-status=live}}</ref> After Sandy, using money from the New Jersey Buyout Program,<ref name=:"B">{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/surrendering-to-rising-seas/ |title=Surrendering to rising seas |last=Schwartz |first=Jen |date=August 1, 2018 |website=Scientific American |access-date=January 22, 2020 |archive-date=November 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120150701/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/surrendering-to-rising-seas/|url-status=live}}</ref> Woodbridge began buying out and demolishing many residential properties in the flood hazard areas.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/woodbridge/crews-demolish-woodbridge-home-damaged-superstorm-sandy-0|title=Crews Demolish Woodbridge Home Damaged In Superstorm Sandy|date=2015-03-18|website=Woodbridge, NJ Patch|language=en|access-date=2020-02-01|archive-date=February 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201170506/https://patch.com/new-jersey/woodbridge/crews-demolish-woodbridge-home-damaged-superstorm-sandy-0|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/WOODBRIDGE_OPENSPACE_FLOODPLAIN_PLAN_2016.pdf|title=Open space flood plan|website=lowerraritanwatershed.org|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116061153/http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/WOODBRIDGE_OPENSPACE_FLOODPLAIN_PLAN_2016.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The plan is to restore the Woodbridge flood zones to their original [[riparian]] environment.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.state.nj.us/dep/nrr/restoration/woodbridge.html|title=NJDEP-Office of Natural Resource Restoration |website=www.state.nj.us |access-date=2020-01-22|archive-date=January 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129014623/https://www.state.nj.us/dep/nrr/restoration/woodbridge.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Woodbridge's actions and plans have been called a "slow motion evacuation from [[climate change]]." As people move out of flood hazard areas, they will be replaced by a "[[floodplain]] forest of native trees, shrubs and grass," to help absorb water from [[rising sea levels]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Jersey Blue Acres Buyout Program |url=https://developingresilience.uli.org/case/new-jersey-blue-acres-buyout-program/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=ULI Developing Urban Resilience |language=en-US |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025180404/https://developingresilience.uli.org/case/new-jersey-blue-acres-buyout-program/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=:"K">{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-12-23/in-new-jersey-a-slow-motion-evacuation-from-climate-change|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223111139/https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-12-23/in-new-jersey-a-slow-motion-evacuation-from-climate-change|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 23, 2019|title=Evacuation from climate change |date=December 23, 2019|website=usnews.com}}</ref> Despite predictions that flooding will worsen in coming decades as a result of rising sea levels, some property owners have been unwilling to sell, in large part because government programs incentivize these homeowners not to move because the financial risk is mitigated by "emergency" relief in the event of a flood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sj-site-persistent-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/fileadmin/cicbase/documents/2018/5/30/1527702094035.pdf|title=Woodbridge vulnerability to rising sea levels |last=Sustainable New Jersey|date=2016-04-04|access-date=January 25, 2020|archive-date=January 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125233926/http://sj-site-persistent-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/fileadmin/cicbase/documents/2018/5/30/1527702094035.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=:"K"/>