Dom Elefante

Map Information:

Map Title:
Mapping Berms in the Meadowland

Name(s) of Author(s):
Dom Elefante, Sal Kojak, Adam Osborn

Organization:
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute

Email Address:
dominador.elefante@njmeadowlands.gov

Software Used to Make Map:
ArcGIS 10; ENVI

Data Sources:

NJMC GIS

Map Description:

In the Meadowlands District a berm is a raised ridge of earth that results from excavating drainage ditches as a mosquito control strategy to prevent standing water in low-lying areas. Earthen berms also prevent waters from high tides from reaching and ponding in the low lying meadows. Between 1913 and the late 1970's hundreds of miles of ditches were dug in the vicinity of the towns of Carlstadt, Little Ferry and Moonachie and the average berm height was about 5 feet above sea level. Until super storm Sandy, this berm system protected the residential and industrial areas of these towns from the highest of the high tides. Sandy's sea surge measured 8.5 to 9.5 feet and overtopped all existing earthen berms. Using LIDAR, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing and digital terrain models the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI)-Geographical Information Systems (GIS) team has embarked in a project to precisely map the location and the elevation of all legacy berms in these low lying towns. Specifically, identify "soft edges", i.e. berms that are less than 5 feet in elevation, within the more than 100 miles of earthen berms and locate areas and neighborhoods most at risk from sea surge flooding.

Map Title:	Mapping Berms in the Meadowland
Name(s) of Author(s):	Dom Elefante, Sal Kojak, Adam Osborn
Organization:	New Jersey Meadowlands Commission Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute
Email Address:	dominador.elefante@njmeadowlands.gov
Software Used to Make Map:	ArcGIS 10; ENVI
Data Sources:	NJMC GIS
Map Description:	In the Meadowlands District a berm is a raised ridge of earth that results from excavating drainage ditches as a mosquito control strategy to prevent standing water in low-lying areas. Earthen berms also prevent waters from high tides from reaching and ponding in the low lying meadows. Between 1913 and the late 1970's hundreds of miles of ditches were dug in the vicinity of the towns of Carlstadt, Little Ferry and Moonachie and the average berm height was about 5 feet above sea level. Until super storm Sandy, this berm system protected the residential and industrial areas of these towns from the highest of the high tides. Sandy's sea surge measured 8.5 to 9.5 feet and overtopped all existing earthen berms. Using LIDAR, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing and digital terrain models the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI)-Geographical Information Systems (GIS) team has embarked in a project to precisely map the location and the elevation of all legacy berms in these low lying towns. Specifically, identify "soft edges", i.e. berms that are less than 5 feet in elevation, within the more than 100 miles of earthen berms and locate areas and neighborhoods most at risk from sea surge flooding.