Flood protection measures completed in Red Hook

Members of the New York City Emergency Management Department, Department of City Planning, and the Mayor’s Office visited the Atlantic Basin in Red Hook to celebrate the partial completion of the Interim Flood Protection Measures (IFPM) program.
Created in 2016 as a response to Superstorm Sandy, IFPM is focused on protecting critical facilities, infrastructure, and low-lying areas in New York City from flooding caused by a hurricane.
The Atlantic Basin in Red Hook was the first site completed by the IFPM, and is now equipped with additional flood protection measures. The basin was significantly damaged by storm surge during Sandy.
“New York City’s lowest-lying neighborhoods face increasing flood risks due to the climate crisis,” said Jainey Bavishi, director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency. “The temporary measures that have just been completed will provide immediate protections against coastal flooding. At the same time, we are continuing to work with the community to design a permanent coastal resiliency project that will provide long-term protections.”
The Red Hook site was identified as a priority site. The Atlantic Basin IFPM design includes a combination of semi-permanent barriers with various openings that allow for normal site operations.
These storm openings can be closed when surge from a coastal storm is forecast, using just-in-time, deployable protection measures. Interim flood protection measures provide a short-term level of protection while permanent mitigation is constructed at the site.
City agencies worked with engineering consultants and agencies to evaluate flood risks, perform site visits and feasibility assessments, and determined what measures to install to reduce flood risk at each IFPM location.
“Climate change and its risks to neighborhoods like Red Hook are here, and DDC is deeply engaged in coastal resiliency projects to protect the city’s many waterfront communities,” added Department of Design and Construction commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer.
The completion of the Atlantic Basin IFPM site coincides with peak hurricane season in New York City, which runs from August through October. NYC Emergency Management plans and prepares year-round for coastal storms and has a comprehensive Coastal Storm Plan that includes detailed procedures for evacuating and sheltering residents.
During a coastal storm, an evacuation order may be issued for those living in hurricane evacuation zones. To find out if you are one of the three million New Yorkers living in a hurricane evacuation zone, visit NYC.gov/knowyourzone or call 311.