Seaside Park Advances Plan to Pump Floodwater Off Roads

The 13th Avenue Pier and boat ramp in Seaside Park. (Photo: Shorebeat)

A plan to use pumps to remove water from flooded roadways in Seaside Park will likely come to fruition next year after the borough council agreed to pursue a funding pact with Ocean County to build the system.

Seaside Park officials, in February, contracted with Remington and Vernick Engineering (RVE) to design the specifications for the pump system, the first phase of which will be installed near the 14th Street boat ramp. Calling the prospective project a “proof of concept,” Councilman William Kraft said the first pump will be evaluated with the possibility of it becoming part of a network of pumps along the bayfront that will physically remove water from roadways instead of relying on gravity-powered outfall pipes.

Last week, the borough council unanimously passed a resolution formally requesting what is known as a “fair share agreement” with Ocean County, which has jurisdiction over South Bayview Avenue, where the system will be installed. The resolution allows the borough and county to come together on a cost-sharing agreement, which officials said is not yet finalized, but will likely be about a 50-50 split.

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The Seaside Park bayfront along Bayview Avenue, Feb. 2023. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The 13th Avenue Pier and boat ramp in Seaside Park. (Photo: Shorebeat)

The agreement covers the construction and installation of one stormwater pump system at 14th Avenue on the bayfront, but anticipates future phases that would lead to additional pump stations that would form a network along the shoreline.

“This particular first one can be viewed as a pilot to move forward once it’s permanently in operation and monitored,” said Mayor John Peterson.

According to borough officials, the pump itself will not be visible to visitors at the recreation area between 13th and 14th avenues that includes the boat ramp, a walking path, gazebo and fishing pier that extends out into Barnegat Bay. It will be located underground near the boat ramp on the north side of the area, where a storm drain is currently located. Long term plans call for two or three pumps which will propel water through one chamber. In its most likely design, a concrete cover will be the only visible sign the system is present – except, of course, for a lack of flood water.

Once the pumps have been installed, existing outfall pipes will be eliminated. Both municipal and county officials are seeking to begin work on the project – designing it, preparing the area, and seeking bids for the work – after the summer tourist season. Construction would begin after those measures are taken.

“They’re looking to actually start the project and get shovels in the dirt early next year,” said Councilman William Kraft.

The Seaside Park butterfly garden at the 14th Avenue Pier. (Photo: Seaside Park Beautification Committee)

The borough is continuing to seek additional avenues to combat persistent flooding on the bayside, including its long-sought federal permit that would allow the reconstruction of the shoreline, plus the addition of an artificial reef near the northern reaches of Bayview Avenue.