Discarded Possessions Line Streets in Flooded Area

Piles of damaged possessions lined the streets in the Riverview section of Wayne Wednesday.

Tables, couches, flooring and toys were stacked in front of people’s houses, a grim reminder of what it means to live through a flood.

“We’ve had three people working for three days and it doesn’t look like we even made a dent,” Gary Marshal said as he pointed to a pile of discarded possessions outside his house.

Most people in the Riverview section of town seem to have adapted to that reality. They do not keep valuable possessions in their basements, which is most often the place where floodwater stays.

Marshal said his 6-foot high basement was completely flooded with water. The water was at the last step going to the first floor.  In 1984 the floodwater only came up to his driveway. Residents of that part of town said this flood than the one that occurred in 1984.

Marhsal and others are extremely frustrated with the amount of damage the water dumped by Hurricane Irene caused. They said they are even more frustrated with the operation of the floodgates on the Pompton River dam. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has ultimate control of the gates, which rise when the water level behind the dam reaches a certain point. 

“Thanks to the Army Crops of Engineers, the flooding in Oakland and Mahwah has stopped,” Marshal said rather upset. “What about us? Why should we suffer?”

Governor Chris Christie has commissioned a study of the operation of the floodgates. The study will cost $120,000. The results of the study will be available Feb. 1. Christie said he will be “completely transparent” with the results.

“Why does there have to be another study," Marshal asked. “Why can’t all the information be taken from every rainfall and every flood before the gates were in operation, both downstream and upstream, and after and compare it." 

The gates were manually opened Aug. 26 from 2 to 11 p.m. to drain 3 feet of water from the behind the dam. It was the first time they were opened before a storm hit the area.

“Those gates and that dam have made a big difference in how bad it floods down here,” Melissa Hayenhjelm said. “It’s a nice neighborhood and it has a nice neighborhood feel to it, but I’m getting tired of all the flooding.”

President Barack Obama New Jersey a major disaster area Wednesday afternoon, and the White House announced that the president would travel to Paterson on Sunday to get a firsthand look at the flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. 

The declaration will allow the federal government to award FEMA assistance to local residents, and state and municipal governments, according to officials with the office of U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-08). 

Christie said that he has “never seen flooding” like this before when he toured Wayne and Fairfield Tuesday.