Hydrologic Feasibility of Storm Surge Barriers to Protect the - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Hydrologic Feasibility of Storm Surge Barriers to Protect the Metropolitan NY/NJ Region Malcolm J. Bowman, PhD Roger D. Flood, PhD Douglas Hill, EngScD, PE Robert E. Wilson, PhD Marine Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY

The Threat

New York City Flooding Source: Metro New York Hurricane Transportation Study, 1995

Hurricane Storm Surge 21-22 September 1938 hurricane Source: N.A. Pore and C.S. Barrientos, Storm Surge, 1976

Nor’easter Storm Surge 5-8 March 1962 storm Source: N.A. Pore and C.S Barrientos, Storm Surge, 1976 .

1992 Nor’easter Flooding Source: Metro New York Hurricane Transportation Study, 1995

100-Year Flood (Now) Source: V.M. Gornitz, Metropolitan East Coast Assessment, 2000

NYC Rise in Sea Level 8 Mean Sea Level (m.) Observations Projection 6 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050 2100 Time (yrs.) Source: Robert J. Nicholls

Flood Height vs. Return Period (by 2090s) Source: V.M. Gornitz, Metropolitan East Coast Assessment, 2000

Flood Height vs. Return Period (2020s, 2050s, 2080s) Source: V.M. Gornitz, Metropolitan East Coast Assessment, 2000

River Flooding • Tidal flow 10 to 100 times river flow • >50% of Hudson flow in April & May • Flooding usually in upstate NY and NJ - 29.6 ft above flood level in Troy, NY, 1996 • NJ flood-diversion tunnel into Newark Bay • Climate change possibilities - More precipitation extremes - Change in snow melt

The Concept

Location of Barriers

Thames River Tidal Barrage

Hollandsche Ijssel, The Netherlands

Eastern Scheldt, The Netherlands

Venice Lagoon Design

East River Tide Gates (1) ~$0.5 billion Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas (1993)

East River Tide Gates (2) ~$1 billion TAMS Consultants, Inc. (1993)

Scenario Analysis • Type of storm (Nor’easter or hurricane) • Severity of storm • Sea level • Location of barriers • Combination of barriers closed • Sequence of barrier operations • (Possibly) barrier height & bottom changes

Deliverables • Conclusion: Would storm surge barriers work? • Maps showing flooding inside and outside barriers in various scenarios • Strategies for barrier operations • Identification of trade-offs in flooding inside and outside barriers