FAQs

Middlesex County faces existing flood concerns as well as a growing flood threat from rising seas, extreme rainfall, and storm surge due to climate change. FEMA estimates about $3 million in average annual damage from coastal flooding in Middlesex County and classifies the county as having a relatively high flood risk.1

Approximately 13.5% of the study area falls within the FEMA 1-percent (1%) annual chance flood zone (areas with a higher likelihood of flooding in any given year), based on GIS analysis (digital mapping) of FEMA flood data and the study area boundary. In addition to the devastating damage flooding causes to homes, buildings, and businesses, it disrupts transportation, limits access to utilities, and strains emergency response systems.

Flooding also carries significant financial implications for both property owners and the broader community. Today, roughly $5 billion in property value in Middlesex County sits in flood-prone areas, generating nearly $110 million each year in tax revenue that supports schools, roads, and essential services.2 When flooding damages these properties or reduces their value, it can disrupt local services, strain municipal budgets, and affect the systems residents rely on every day.

Flood risk in Middlesex County is a shared challenge that affects everyone—from homeowners and renters to businesses and local governments. The study addresses this challenge by identifying where flooding is occurring today, where it’s having the biggest impact, where it’s likely to worsen in the future, and how it affects neighborhoods, roadways, businesses, and critical infrastructure.

By identifying where flooding is happening and what can be done about it, the study aims to help your community better prepare for flooding, respond when it happens, and recover with less disruption.

Flooding in Southern Middlesex County can come from several sources. The most common causes are rivers and streams overflowing their banks and stormwater systems backing up during heavy rainfall.

Coastal (tidal) flooding can also occur when tides from the Atlantic Ocean push water into nearby rivers and waterways. In this study area, that type of flooding is mostly limited to the northeastern portion of the region, including parts of East Brunswick and Monroe.

Flooding can also occur at the property level. Water may enter basements through walls or floors during storm events, or when groundwater levels rise or drainage around a property is insufficient.

Middlesex County is launching a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant-funded regional study to better understand and address flooding across ten municipalities in Southern Middlesex County. 

The Southern Middlesex Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Study is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant-funded regional study to better understand and address flooding across ten municipalities in Southern Middlesex County, including Cranbury, Plainsboro, Monroe, Jamesburg, Helmetta, South Brunswick, Spotswood, East Brunswick, Milltown, and North Brunswick. 

The goal is to move from reacting to storm damage after the fact to developing strategies and prioritized actions that communities can proactively implement to help protect homes, businesses, and roads from floods and create more resilient neighborhoods.

Together, we can build resilience by improving the region’s ability to “bounce back” quicker and stronger from climate hazards and disruptions.

For more information about the study, important updates, and project progress, visit the Southern Middlesex Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Study website at southernmiddlesexfloodstudy.com.

The study includes ten municipalities in Southern Middlesex County:

  • Cranbury
  • Plainsboro
  • Monroe
  • Jamesburg
  • Helmetta
  • South Brunswick
  • Spotswood
  • East Brunswick
  • Milltown
  • North Brunswick

Working with technical experts, county staff, municipal leaders and staff, community members, and other stakeholders, the study team will complete a regional analysis to develop strategies and prioritized actions that communities can proactively implement to help protect homes, businesses, and roads from floods and create more resilient neighborhoods.

To do this, Middlesex County and its partners will:

  • Analyze flood data from FEMA, municipal, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and other sources
  • Evaluate how water moves during major storm events and other events that induce flooding
  • Identify the areas most affected by flooding known as focus areas
  • Gather input from residents, local officials, and other stakeholders regarding current flooding issues and concerns
  • Encourage participation from communities throughout the entire study area, with special attention to the needs of socially vulnerable populations
  • Review infrastructure conditions and concerns and local ordinances and policies
  • Identify and evaluate potential mitigation and resilience strategies
  • Develop a Regional Flood Resilience and Adaptation Plan that outlines prioritized implementation actions
  • Prepare feasibility studies/concept plans for prioritized actions and identify possible funding opportunities

The goal of this study is to help the region work together to better understand flood risk and strengthen flood resilience—helping communities prepare for flooding, respond when it happens, and recover in ways that minimize damage to people, property, the environment, and the local economy.

The study will culminate in a Regional Flood Resilience and Adaptation Plan that municipalities across the study area can use. The plan will outline priorities, identify actionable mitigation projects, and recommend strategies to reduce long-term flood risk. It will also include feasibility studies and concept designs for selected mitigation measures, along with potential funding opportunities to advance and support selected projects.

The Southern Middlesex Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Study began in February 2026 and is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.

Input from residents and other stakeholders is a crucial piece of this initiative. Please share what you’re seeing at your home or business and in your neighborhood. If you’ve experienced recurring roadway flooding, stormwater backups, property damage, or other flood-related impacts, take a few minutes to complete the community input form. Your feedback helps pinpoint priority areas that need the most attention.  You can also report flood events at southernmiddlesexfloodstudy.com.

Access the form here.  

If you live in a flood-prone area, prepare in advance by knowing evacuation routes, keeping important documents in a waterproof container, and assembling a basic emergency kit. Learn more tips and resources for preparing for an emergency here.

If flooding is expected or already occurring, avoid walking or driving through flooded roadways. Monitor local emergency alerts, follow guidance from municipal officials, and move to higher ground if conditions worsen. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

While large-scale flood mitigation requires coordinated governmental action, there are steps property owners can take to reduce risk. These may include maintaining proper drainage around your home, clearing gutters and storm drains, installing sump pumps or backflow prevention devices, and reviewing your flood insurance coverage. If you don’t already have flood insurance, consider purchasing a plan. 

Residents can also stay informed about local floodplain maps and understand whether their property lies in a high-risk area.

Residents can also stay informed about local floodplain maps and understand whether their property lies in a high-risk area.

  1. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset (v1.20), Middlesex County, NJ (FIPS 34023)—Coastal Flood Expected Annual Loss and Flood Risk Rating, accessed March 19, 2026. 
  2. Rebuild by Design. (2023). New Jersey flood risk analysis: All counties. https://rebuildbydesign.org/wp-content/uploads/All-Counties-NJ-Flood-Risk.pdf