Flood Information

About

Flooding and other drainage problems can result after several inches of rain in a short period of time or after several days of continued rain. Our community has experienced numerous storms and rainfall events causing flood damage. If you are looking at buying a property, it's a good idea to research potential flood hazards and flood insurance options before buying.

NJ Flood Disclosure Law (NEW)

Effective March 20th, 2024, landlords and sellers are required to disclose flood risks to buyers and tenants. Sellers must disclose flood risk information, including FEMA flood zones and their knowledge of property flood risks, before a purchase contract is finalized. Landlords must inform prospective renters about FEMA flood zones and share their knowledge of any flooding history in rental premises or associated areas like parking spaces. For more information, visit the NJDEP Flood Disclosure Law webpage.

Questions about the Flood Disclosure Law can be sent via email to:

Flood Information by Property

South River offers a public website with access to flood risk data and available elevation certificates for individual properties. This site makes it easy for homeowners, contractors, insurance agents, realtors, and more to learn about flood-related risks as well as potential building and insurance compliance requirements. Users can search for a property's flood zone, base flood elevation (BFE), Design Flood Elevation (DFE), and more. Still need help or more information? The site's "Get Help" feature can be used to contact us for assistance! For more information, view South River's Flood Information Website Information Sheet (PDF). To access this information and data, visit South River's Flood Information website.

History

Portions of South River have been historically susceptible to flooding. Flooding can be caused by hurricanes, tropical storms, coastal storms. nor'easters, heavy rain events, and occasional high tides. Depending on ground elevation, flood water can fill streets and low-lying areas with six inches to two feet of water during normal rain events with increased flooding during major storms. Flood events, such as Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Sandy, resulted in hundreds of homes and businesses suffering storm and flood-related damage.

Special Flood Hazard Areas

Areas in the Borough of South River are located in the AE -14 Base Floodplain. For insurance purposes, any structure or property located below AE 14 is at risk due to flooding.

Insurance Claims

From 1978 to 2013, South River residents have filed 353 flood insurance claims totaling $12,131,273.50. Out of these 353 claims, 82 properties are considered to be repetitive loss properties. Repetitive loss properties are those properties for which two or more claims of more than $1,000 have been paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NIFP) within any 10 year period since 1978.

Links & Documents