Maureen Ogden Wetlands Preserve joins Army Corps flood mitigation project

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that flood damage across the country averages $4.3 billion each year. In New Jersey, one violent weekend storm in April 2005 caused over $52 million in flood damage.

Troy Meadows has a special place in New Jersey history as remnants from the state's last glacier. (Photo: J. J. Raia)

One successful way to decrease economic damage of flooding is to preserve floodplain and keep structures out of harm's way. The U. S. Army Corps is now acquiring 5,530 acres of land along the Passaic River in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties. The floodplain will provide natural flood storage when rivers overflow. As part of this effort, NJCF recently sold its nearly 37-acre Maureen Ogden Preserve in East Hanover for $152,000 as well as an additional four acres near the property. The land acquired by the Corps will eventually be turned over to the N. J. Department of Environmental Protection for permanent preservation.

The Maureen Ogden Preserve contains wooded wetlands and critical habitat for several endangered species, including the blue-spotted salamander, American bittern and barred owl. The land was donated to NJCF in December 1986 to expand Troy Meadows, a 3,100-acre wetland in Parsippany-Troy Hills and East Hanover Township, south of the junction of Interstates 80 and 280.

"The Maureen Ogden Preserve pays tribute to Maureen for her 30 years of distinguished public service and environmental leadership," said Lisa MacCollum, NJCF Assistant Director of Acquisition. "In particular, Maureen sponsored the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act while she served in the New Jersey Legislature. It was important to NJCF to maintain the Preserve and The Corps has agreed to keep it intact as a condition of the sale."

Troy Meadows has a special place in New Jersey history as remnants from the state's last glacier.

"When the Wisconsin glacier reached its southerly limit, it deposited debris that blocked the Passaic River outlet to the Raritan basin at Bernardsville," said Emile DeVito, Ph.D., NJCF Manager of Science & Stewardship. "As the glacier melted, the Passaic formed a giant lake with the third Watchung ridge as an island. The lake covered 140 square miles behind the second Watchung ridge, from Mt. Bethel in Warren Twp., Somerset County to Bog and Vly Meadow in Lincoln Park, Morris County! When the retreat of the ice sheet cleared Paterson, the Great Falls of the Passaic began to drain the massive lake. Troy Meadows is one of the remnant wetlands of 12,000 year-old glacial Lake Passaic."

Across the nation, people are learning that building in floodplains is an invitation to disaster, worsened by expensive dike and levee systems that simply increase flooding farther downstream. Expense piles on expense as residents and businesses demand costly drainage improvements, flood control projects, flood insurance and disaster relief. In the heavily developed floodplain of the Passaic River, inappropriate development resulted in $400 million in flood damages in 1984 alone.

"Preservation and restoration of floodplains will help alleviate flooding downstream," said DeVito. "Homes, driveways and other hard surfaces rob the land of its ability to store floodwaters."

Protected floodplains can create economic benefits as well by providing open space for fishing, wildlife habitat and passive recreation.