Rockland County Executive Ed Day supports flood mitigation measure

PRESS RELEASE

Rockland County Executive Ed Day has introduced a measure that will address flooding in the Squires Gate neighborhood of Suffern.

The County Executive is asking the Legislature to approve a resolution to spend up to $250,000 for the Squires Gate/Lake Antrim flood mitigation project.

“Residents of Squires Gate have lived at the mercy of the weather for too long,” Day said. “No one in Rockland should have to worry that their home is going to be swept away with the next heavy rain.”

The bond resolution that will be introduced at the July 5 meeting of the Rockland Legislature calls for a consultant to do hydraulic modeling of the Mahwah River to determine if improvements can be made that lessen the impact of flooding on the Squires Gate neighborhood.

Day also supported a measure passed last year to purchase $150,000 temporary flood barriers designed to protect property during periods of heavy rainfall and extreme weather events.

The barriers will be available at the Fire Training Center for municipalities to borrow as needed.

The hydraulic modeling study is another part of a long-term approach to flooding issues.

“This study is an important part of an overall flood mitigation program that the County Executive has supported,” said Suffern Mayor Ed Markunas. “This project is very important to the people of Suffern and we ask the legislature to approve it.”

Roy Tschudy, who lives on Lonergan Drive in the Squires Gate neighborhood and has long called for flood mitigation, thanked the County Executive for his efforts to develop a solution to flooding of the Mahwah River.

“Mr. Day is fulfilling his pledge made while seeking election as chief officer in Rockland County to be pro-active in flood mitigation,” Tschudy said. “It’s so refreshing to have an elected representative actually keep his word. We thank you.”