Council Member Joann Ariola has called for a major infrastructure overhaul to combat coastal flooding after parts of southern Queens were submerged under over a foot of water during a nor’easter that hit the city over the weekend.
Elevated tides, driven by a combination of the nor’easter and a full moon, rose by upwards of three feet in southern Queens over the weekend, leaving several roadways in the area submerged under more than a foot of water at certain points throughout the weekend. The flooding was so deep that several residents were seen kayaking through Old Howard Beach near 159th Road.
Ariola has called on the city to “do more” to ensure that coastal communities are prepared for major flooding and that residents do not become trapped in their homes during stormy weather.
“After every storm we say the same thing, and somehow it keeps falling on deaf ears. We need a major infrastructure overhaul here in Queens,” Ariola said in a statement. “The city wants to keep piling more and more people into our coastal communities, but doesnt want to actually take the steps necessary to support the people already here.
“We need more to be done, especially when it comes to our catch basins, so people don’t get trapped in their homes or worse when storm season comes our way.”
Flooding in Hamilton Beach. Photo via Denise Graffagnin-Hamilton Beach/Howard Beach High Tide Pictures Facebook.
David John Perullo, an Old Howard Beach resident who went viral on social media after posting footage of him kayaking through the neighborhood streets, said parts of the neighborhood were at least 2 feet underwater on Sept. 26, adding that the area experiences flooding deep enough that he can kayak in it roughly once a year.
Perullo said he frequently sees puddling in his basement when flooding rises above six inches, which happens several times a year. However, the home has only suffered serious damage during Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy.
Still, Perullo said he feels anxious when storms are forecast for the city because of the potential for flooding in the community.
“We have no idea what this storm is going to entail and how much water it’s going to drag in,” Perullo said. “The only thing we could really do is board up the windows, and that’s very time consuming. It takes a lot of prep work… My dad wasn’t home. I was working night shifts, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m calling out of work because I’ve to seal up the house and spend hours and hours sealing up the house.”
Residents also face a choice of whether or not they should buy sandbags, Perullo said, which are effective against flooding but quite costly, especially if the water level does not rise significantly during a storm.
“We’re trying to figure out is it worth it to go to the store and spend hundreds of dollars on sandbags to then not even have the water come up high enough,” he said. “You don’t want to do nothing, but you also don’t want to give up days and lots of money to protect your house and not even need to. So it’d definitely be nice if there were better systems in place to protect the community.”
Perullo claimed that outerborough communities like those in Old Howard Beach do not get the same support as wealthy communities in Manhattan and called for more federal funding to prevent flooding in the area. While he stated that it is “fun” to kayak through the neighborhood, he added that it should not be possible to do so.
“It’s a funny story – people kayaking in the streets, but it’s not until there’s real damage that it becomes a concern for the city,” he said.
David Perullo (purple kayak) with Erin and Maria Perullo (green kayak) and Christine Perullo (orange kayak). Photo via David Perullo.
He noted that the flooding is a “different type” to flooding brought on by heavy rainfall, adding that it needs a different response from the city.
The US Army Corps of Engineers is currently holding virtual and in-person meetings to solicit public feedback on the Spring Creek South (Howard Beach) Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, which aims to mitigate againt flooding in the area.
The Army Corps of Engineers released a draft report in mid-September outlining a strategy for flood mitigation Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Old Howard Beach and Lindenwood, including a call for storm-surge barriers, navigable flood gates and a floodwall in Lindenwood. The Army Corps of Engineers has not yet recommended those elements for construction due to the need for additional funding and an environmental analysis.