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Background: On September 16, 1999, New Brunswick was subjected to 7.04 inches of rainfall. This tremendous amount of rainfall in such a short time span, coupled with anthropogenic impacts that aid in increasing water run-off, was sufficient to result in a 100-year flood. Nine Counties in north and central New Jersey were declared eligible for government aid due to flooding and other effects of Tropical Storm Floyd. Many regions along New Jersey's Raritan River were severely impacted, including areas along the banks of the Raritan in the city of New Brunswick .
Objective: Our goal was to simulate the rise of floodwaters from the Raritan River, resulting from Tropical Strom Floyd. This was achieved by developing a series of themes in ArcView showing the floodwater level at different stages with respect to the elevation of the surrounding area, namely New Brunswick and Highland Park. Peak flood level in the region was estimated by viewing photographs of the flood in the area, then identifying their location on the orthophoto that was incorporated into the digital elevation model.
Analysis Possibilities: Our assignment was to simulate the floodwater of Tropical Storm Floyd in the New Brunswick region. Analysis of this type of flood modeling has numerous applications with respect to land management. As the climate continues to change, floodplains will will be altered by more drastic floodwater rise, while regions that have historically been out of the reach of floodwaters may begin to experience more frequent inundation. Wetlands may have to be reassesed for many areas experiencing floodplain alteration, while certain building policies regarding floodplains may have to be reviewed. Changes in floodplains may also have environmental implications, such as redefining the extent of riparian zones, which would have significant impacts on nearby flora and fauna.
Interviews
1. Nick-Rutgers College Student
Links
Photographs of Flooding in New Brunswick
Hurricane Watch: A detailed description of how the flood progressed in New Brunswick.
****Animation of Hurricane Floyd's Path****
Masterfully created by Nicole Lentini and Paul Montesano
