New Rochelle Lawmakers Seek Photos And Videos Of Flood Prone Areas

NEW ROCHELLE — The city is seeking photos and videos from property owners who have experienced severe flooding so it can analyze the issue in watershed districts for a citywide drainage study.

New Rochelle unanimously approved contracts with five drainage subconsultants last week to review the drainage basins of Burling Brook, Hutchinson, Pinebrook, Sheldrake River, Shoreline and Stephenson Brook , according to the city.

The data from the city will help contractors perform hydrologic analyses, which will help them develop recommendations for drainage improvements and create a final report later this year, the city said.

By filling out the form, homeowners will give the city a better understanding on how to proceed with any future projects that would enhance the drainage system.

“We have already compiled an extensive base list of sites from historic reporting and our own
analysis of topography and the infrastructure,” Jim Moran, public works commissioner, said in a statement. "This additional information from the public will complete the picture and help to determine future capital improvements.”

A New Rochelle Drainage Map, depicts 307 problem locations throughout the city.

The Watershed Drainage Analysis illustrates that the Stephenson Basin historically has the most problem locations at a whopping 93. Sheldrake River is not even a close second with 53 sites; followed by Hutchinson River, 49; Shore, 39; Pinebrook, 36; and Burling Brook, 34.

“Task 1 is to make sure that the subconsultants understand the nature of the drainage problems,” said a representative of Brooker Engineering, the firm that helped to develop the graphs and charts from current city data of the drainage basin problem locations, at a July 19 legislative meeting.

Flood waters are not expected to be gone by Spring 2023 with any new capital projects, but the flood mitigation team told lawmakers it is in the process of doing what it can for now to make that a reality in the near future.