Rockaway Borough regulates building in flood hazard areas under Chapter 139A, Flood Damage Prevention, which the Borough Engineer enforces. The 2025 county plan reports 84 flood loss claims in the borough and about $1.46 million paid. If a job adds living space, excavates, or regrades in the mapped area, ask the Borough Engineer what applies before signing.
The flood record
The 2025 Morris County hazard plan reports 47 flood insurance policies in the borough and 84 loss claims, with about $1.46 million paid. It counts 8 repetitive loss properties and 1 severe repetitive loss property, none of them mitigated yet, and lists an analysis of elevation, buyout, or flood vents for those homes as not started. The Franklin Avenue area, the borough's wells, and some industrial sites are mapped in or near the floodplain.
Upstream, the river has a history of big crests. During Irene in 2011, the Rockaway crested about six feet above its previous record in Denville. Storms that drive the river that high push groundwater up under borough basements well away from the bank.
The floodplain ordinance
Construction in the borough's flood hazard areas falls under Chapter 139A, Flood Damage Prevention, enforced by the Borough Engineer and last amended in 2015. The borough plans to review it again once FEMA's new digital flood maps are adopted. Stormwater management and steep slopes are covered in Chapter 170 and enforced by the Land Use Board.
For a homeowner, the practical point is this. If your lot is in the mapped flood hazard area and the job involves excavation, an addition, finishing new living space, or regrading, ask the Borough Engineer what applies before you sign. Ordinary interior waterproofing in an existing basement is a smaller question, but it is still worth a call.
Local drainage trouble spots
The county plan names Burton Lane, where drainage structures are overwhelmed in large storms and homes are affected, the 54 inch pipe at Ogden and Drake Avenues that backs up, and the Fairview and Hill Street neighborhoods, which have no stormwater infrastructure at all. The Smith Field drainage basin needs study, and the Union Street canal basin is set for sediment removal.
If you live near one of these spots, plan for water that lingers. That means grading and leaders first, then a sump with a battery backup and alarm where groundwater gets in, with a discharge route that keeps water on your lot and away from neighbors. The borough does not keep a list of flood damaged properties, so keep your own photos and receipts.
Common questions
Who handles floodplain questions in Rockaway Borough?
The Borough Engineer enforces the Flood Damage Prevention ordinance, Chapter 139A. Stormwater and steep slope rules in Chapter 170 go through the Land Use Board.
Is Rockaway Borough the same as Rockaway Township for these rules?
No. They are separate municipalities with their own codes and offices. Make sure you are calling the one where your house is.
My street floods but I am not in the mapped flood zone. Do I need flood insurance?
It is worth asking your agent. Many borough claims come from storm drainage and groundwater problems, and standard homeowners policies usually exclude flood damage.
Rules change. Confirm the current requirements with Rockaway or the contractor before work starts.