Port Jervis Hosts Interactive Flood-Preparedness Event, Launches Sunflower City Project

More than 35 Port Jervis residents gathered at R.H. Smith Mercantile for an interactive showcase on local flooding risks and preparedness that introduced the Sunflower City Project. The free event on January 16 combined floodplain maps, hands-on science demonstrations and community storytelling to translate technical information into practical, place-based actions.

Organizers framed the event as the culmination of months of work by the Port Jervis Climate Action Group, with support from Cornell Cooperative Extension and funding from Orange and Rockland Utilities aimed at promoting resilience across Orange County. Floodplain and risk maps supplied by the Open Space Institute showed how different neighborhoods in Port Jervis are vulnerable to rising waters, and attendees said the maps helped them visualize their own exposure and the need for coordinated planning.

Hands-on demonstrations were central to the day. Kate Marchetto led a soil-and-water demonstration using clay-based soil common in the region to show how water pools and moves through local ground conditions and why some areas are prone to standing water and flooding. Audio recordings of longtime residents sharing memories of past floods were played to preserve local experience and center lived knowledge in planning discussions.

Practical monitoring tools were also on display. Fieldkit research engineer and instrumentation scientist Peter Marchetto demonstrated a sample water sensor used to detect rising water levels and provide early warning during flood events. Peter said such devices are mounted on lamp posts throughout New York City to alert officials to flooding on roads and basements, and that he places a sensor in his own basement by his water heater up-slope from the floor drain. He noted that a rain storm could bring "one to three inches of rain per hour." On cost, he pointed out, "They're $25 each." Organizers encouraged residents in flood-prone areas to use sensors so they can alert officials if a pump or other response is needed.

The Sunflower City Project was introduced as a community-led nature-based approach to improve soil absorption and reduce flooding by planting sunflowers and other deep-rooted species. Planning notes discussed at the event included neighborhood-level stewardship such as "Adopt a block," collaborations with schools and churches, leveraging local events, seed bombs and a seed library, and involving local clubs, officials and ward captains to scale participation. Participants and organizers emphasized intergenerational engagement; von Stackelberg captured that spirit with the observation, "Small actions get big results."

Beyond property and infrastructure, the event highlighted public health stakes. Flooding increases risks of contaminated water, mold growth and displacement that disproportionately affect low-income and housing-insecure residents. Community-driven measures, from mapping and sensors to planting projects and oral history, aim to reduce those risks while building social connections that improve emergency response and recovery.

Next steps for Port Jervis include further community conversations and volunteer-driven planting and monitoring activities tied to the Sunflower City Project. Organizers plan continued outreach to involve schools, churches and neighborhood captains so that small, practical actions translate into broader resilience for the city and its most vulnerable residents.