january 2017 rebuild by design ▪ Resist ▪ Delay ▪ Store ▪ Discharge ▪ hudson river Hoboken Weehawken Jersey City | New Jersey Natural Ecosystems TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENTAl STUDy Natural Ecosystems Technical Environmental Study Rebuild By Design: Resist, Delay, Store, Discharge Project Cities of Hoboken, Weehawken, and Jersey City Hudson County, New Jersey TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 8 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Project Location and Topography ................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Project Background ........................................................................................................................ 12 1.2.1 Coastal Flooding ................................................................................................................ 13 1.2.2 Systemic Inland Flooding .................................................................................................. 15 1.3 Project Authorization and Regulatory Framework .......................................................................... 16 1.4 Funding ........................................................................................................................................... 17 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................................................................ 19 2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Need ............................................................................................................................................... 19 2.3 Goals and Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 20 3.0 BUILD ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................................................... 22 3.1 Alternative 1 .................................................................................................................................... 22 3.2 Alternative 2 .................................................................................................................................... 28 3.3 Alternative 3 .................................................................................................................................... 30 3.4 No Action Alternative ...................................................................................................................... 34 4.0 METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................... 35 5.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS ......................................................................................................................... 37 5.1 Geology .......................................................................................................................................... 37 5.2 Soils ................................................................................................................................................ 37 5.3 Groundwater ................................................................................................................................... 40 5.3.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 40 5.3.2 Groundwater Levels .......................................................................................................... 41 5.4 Surface Water ................................................................................................................................. 41 5.4.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 41 5.4.2 New Jersey Surface Water Quality Classifications ........................................................... 43 5.4.3 Surface Water Chemistry .................................................................................................. 45 5.4.4 Tides and Tidal Datum ...................................................................................................... 46 5.5 Floodplains ..................................................................................................................................... 46 Rebuild by Design Hudson River: ▪ Resist ▪ Delay ▪ Store ▪ Discharge ▪ Table of Contents│ i Natural Ecosystems Technical Environmental Study Rebuild By Design: Resist, Delay, Store, Discharge Project Cities of Hoboken, Weehawken, and Jersey City Hudson County, New Jersey TABLE OF CONTENTS, continued 5.5.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 46 5.5.2 Floodplain Zones ............................................................................................................... 48 5.6 Aquatic Ecology .............................................................................................................................. 48 5.6.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 49 5.6.2 Phytoplankton .................................................................................................................... 49 5.6.3 Zooplankton ....................................................................................................................... 50 5.6.4 Benthic Invertebrates ......................................................................................................... 50 5.6.5 Finfish ................................................................................................................................ 50 5.6.6 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation and Benthic Algae .......................................................... 52 5.6.7 Essential Fish Habitat ........................................................................................................ 52 5.6.8 Life History of Species of Interest to NMFS which may be found in the Natural Ecosystems Analysis Area .................................................................................................................................. 54 5.6.9 Marine Mammals ............................................................................................................... 56 5.6.10 Marine Species Listed Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act ....................................... 56 5.7 Coastal Resources ......................................................................................................................... 57 5.7.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 57 5.8 Wetlands ......................................................................................................................................... 60 5.8.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 60 5.8.2 NJDEP Wetlands Mapping ................................................................................................ 61 5.8.3 National Wetland Inventory Mapping ................................................................................ 61 5.8.4 Wetland Vegetation ........................................................................................................... 62 5.8.5 Jurisdictional Wetland Delineation Effort Results .............................................................. 62 5.9 Upland Vegetation and Wildlife ...................................................................................................... 64 5.9.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................................................. 64 5.9.2 Upland Vegetation ............................................................................................................. 66 5.9.3 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 66 5.9.4 Birds ................................................................................................................................... 67 5.9.5 Amphibians and Reptiles ................................................................................................... 68 5.9.6 Mammals ........................................................................................................................... 68 5.9.7 Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................................................... 68 6.0 DISCUSSION / IMPACT ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................ 70 6.1 Geology Impacts ............................................................................................................................. 71 6.1.1 Impacts of Alternative 1 ..................................................................................................... 71 6.1.2 Impacts of Alternative 2 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