The FEMA New Jersey Urban Rivers Mitigation Research, Modeling and Implementation Project (often referred to as FEMA Phase II) began in August 2012, building on and expanding the research and economic modeling initiated during phase I of the project, with the objective of providing more detailed and useful information to government agencies and property owners on the relationships between flood damages (i.e. costs), land uses and other spatial characteristics, and alternative flood and damage mitigation strategies. The study area included both the Raritan and Passaic River urban watersheds, and sought to examine both regions through a wide range of geospatial, topological, socioeconomic and political characteristics that could impact local and regional flood mitigation strategies and planning efforts.