Overview
This February Research Analyst Jonathan DeLura of the Environmental Analysis and Communications Group of the Bloustein institute, Center for Urban Policy Research, will begin work on a New Jersey State Policy Lab funded project called “Historical Water Bodies, Combined Sewer Overflow, and Flood Vulnerability in New Jersey.”
Jonathan is looking to hire a student research assistant assist with GIS work. This story map details a similar project he completed as a directed study with Richard Lathrop last year and is a good example of the work that will be done:
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Creating a dataset to show the location of historical water bodies in New Jersey in relation to CSOs and areas with flooding potential.
storymaps.arcgis.com
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The position will be for 10 hours a week beginning in February and ending in August. Advanced GIS knowledge and experience are not necessary, but ArcGIS Pro will be used, so a basic understanding of the software is preferred. Please send resume and email of interest to:
Jonathan DeLura
Research Specialist
Environmental Analysis and Communications Group,
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy,
Rutgers University
dejonra@rutgers.edu
A brief description of the project:
As urban areas have developed in New Jersey, some water bodies such as ponds, streams, and wetlands have been filled in, developed over, or rerouted through stormwater systems. In some cases, this process may have increased local flooding. In addition, rerouting surface water into stormwater systems has increased the amount of water flowing through these systems. During heavy precipitation events, this may increase the likelihood of combined sewer overflow (CSO) events, during which stormwater and wastewater flow untreated into local waterways. In some cases, returning these altered water bodies to their previous state may help reduce local flood vulnerability and CSO events (Morrison, 2023).
The purpose of this project is to identify and create a dataset of historical water bodies in New Jersey that have been altered by human development, with a focus on areas with a history of flooding and areas with combined sewer overflow (CSO) systems. The spatial relationship between these historical water bodies and both local flood vulnerability and CSO locations will be analyzed. The dataset produced by this proposed project may be used to inform policy initiatives aiming to reduce CSO events and local flood vulnerability through nature-based solutions in New Jersey as well as policies aiming to prevent development in or relocate development out of flood-prone areas in the state.
To apply for this job email your details to dejonra@rutgers.edu
