Since colonial times, floods have claimed lives and damaged property. National Weather Service Route 80 was completed in Wayne in 1969, the same year Willowbrook Mall opened in a flood plain. Passaic River, river, rising near Morristown, southeastern Morris county, northeastern New Jersey, U.S. While there has been a decline in the industrial use of the river, recreational use has increased since the early 1990s. Major tributaries are the Whippany, Rockaway, Pequannock, Wanaque, and Ramapo rivers. The lower river suffered from severe pollution and industrial abandonment in the 20th century. From 2006 to 2008, writer Wheeler Antabanez traveled the Passaic River and its shores, chronicling his adventures in a special issue of Weird NJ magazine. Floods in 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975 (two that year), 1984, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2010 and 2011 (from Hurricane Irene) prompted f. 28 years ago:Congress authorized the construction of a 21-mile, $1.8 billion tunnel that would carry floodwater to Newark Bay. United States. The flood plain of the Passaic River ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 feet in width throughout much of the Central Basin, narrowing to approximately 100 to 4,000 feet at Chatham Borough. USACE and NJDEP signed the Project Management Plan (PMP) in April 2012 and executed the Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement (FCSA) on 13 June 2012. Lock It also was an early source of hydropower at the Great Falls of the Passaic in Paterson, resulting in the early emergence of the area as the center of industrial mills. Channel modifications would be required to direct the flows into the tunnel inlets; and levees and floodwalls would reduce flood damage in those urban pockets not protected by the tunnel. 6. The worst flood occurred in 1903, when the Passaic crested at 17.5 feet about 10 feet above flood stage after 15 inches of rain fell in the Paterson region over five days. In addition to the river and the decaying structures that surround it, he also researched murders that involved the Passaic River, including the horrific case of Jonathan Zarate who attempted to dump the mutilated body of his 16-year-old neighbor in the river, but was thwarted by a police officer who happened to pass by at the time.[15]. Set Up:On September 16, the remnants of Hurricane Floyd intersected a stalled front and dumped more than 8 inches of rain in 12 of New Jersey's 21 counties. The water runs off the already saturated ground into nearby streams and rivers, causing them to rapidly rise and, in some cases, overflow their banks. Boundbrook was one of the hardest hit towns; 10 feet of water was measured on Main Street. No Action Plan As required by NEPA and other regulations, the No Action Plan was identified and the impacts discussed and analyzed. Passaic River, river, rising near Morristown, southeastern Morris county, northeastern New Jersey, U.S. 5.5. 7 days 30 days 1 year Passaic River at Little Falls NJ - 01389500 April 7, 2023 - April 14, 2023 Apr 08 Apr 09 Apr 10 Apr 11 Apr 12 Apr 13 Apr 14 0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 No data available Value Status Time Statistics are not available at this monitoring location for the data type: Important Data may be provisional - learn more Change All NOAA. [9] In January 2011 a report was issued, mentioning the 2010 flood, and the result was for municipalities to change their master plans and change local flood damage prevention ordinances, which would include such things as elevating structures, and to stop expansion into flood zones. The worst flood occurred in 1903, when the Passaic crested at 17.5 feet about 10 feet above flood stage after 15 inches of rain fell in the Paterson region over five days. More than 650,000 customers were without electricity at some point. The project also includes the acquisition of 5,350 acres of natural flood storage areas. A Project Management Plan was drafted with the State of New . As a result, the river as we now know it was born. The river was highly significant in the early industrial development of New Jersey. A storm moved north along the Atlantic Coast spreading rain across the State, from March 12 through March 15, 2010. For website corrections, write to [email protected], An official website of the United States government, About the New York District Website Website, Prior NYNJHAT Study Reports and Presentations, Green Brook Upper Basin General Reevaluation Report, Projects in Massachusetts and Connecticut, Former Schenectady Army Depot - Voorheesville Area, Elders Point - Jamaica Bay - Salt Marsh Islands, Contaminant Reduction and Decontamination, Non-Project Specific Special Public Notices, Commonly Requested Issued Permits and Nationwide Permit Verifications, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. The growth of residential and industrial development in recent years has multiplied the threat of serious damages and loss of. NWS Link to the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service gauge on the Passaic River in Little Falls below Beattie's Dam. In his canoe, Nightshade, Antabanez visits the most dangerous parts of the Passaic, along with several of the abandoned buildings and factories that relied on the Passaic years ago. Subsequent legislation authorized a stream bank restoration project (Joseph G. Minish Passaic River Waterfront Park and Historic Area) for the City of Newark, a buyout of the Floodway in the Central Passaic River Basin and further recommended the additional study and implementation of non-structural measures and environmental restoration as companion efforts to the already authorized features. The construction and expansion of Routes 80, 46 and 23 through the flood plain helped launch major development. Some residents have accepted buy-outs from the federal government while the concept of constructing a flood tunnel is debated, however, many residents still live within the flood plain and flooding appears to be growing worse as the land in the Passaic River basin continues to be developed. Note that the website provides up to three days of advanced warning of higher than usual water surface elevations. US Dept of Commerce Flash flooding is a rapid and extreme flow of high water into a normally dry area, or a rapid water level rise in a stream or creek above a predetermined flood level, beginning within six hours of the causative event (i.e., intense rainfall, dam failure, ice jam). That prehistoric lake is now known as Glacial Lake Passaic and was centered in the present lowland swamps of Morris County, forming because of a blockage of the normal drainage path. More than 2.5 million people live in the basin (2000 census), and about 20,000 homes and places of business lie in the Passaic River floodplain. These storms can deposit large amounts of precipitation in the watershed, producing significant runoff, which quickly surpasses the capacity of the river channel, including bridge and culvert openings. US Dept of Commerce AUTHORIZATION:Prior to this current effort, a study of the Passaic River Basin for the State of New Jersey authorized by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-587). 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278-0090, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: NJ-05, NJ-08, NJ-09, NJ-10, NJ-11, NJ-13. During a Flood After a Flood Flood Safety Forecasts and Observations On this page you learn what types of flooding are typical in New Jersey and how do you protect yourself, your family and your home. Near its headwaters in Morris County, the Passaic River is the lifeblood of North Jersey's largest wildlife refuge. The Governor of New Jersey sent a request to the Chief of Engineers in March 2011 to begin the Re-evaluation. After more. But support dwindled because of the cost and concerns over its environmental impact. Terminals in Newark, now Passaic River Terminals. The results from breakout groups identifying challenges and opportunities on the river with respect to the Partnerships program areas are available, These documents describe the work of the Lower Passaic River UWFP as of its, Greater Philadelphia Area / Delaware River Watershed (PA, NJ, DE), Lake Pontchartrain Area / New Orleans (LA), The Meramec River and Big River (Missouri), Patapsco Watershed / Baltimore Region (MD), San Antonio River Basin within Bexar County (Texas), South Platte Watershed, Headwaters to Denver Metropolitan Area (CO), Western Lake Erie Basin, near Toledo (OH). It caused the Passaic River to flow out of the basin much more slowly, allowing for a greater risk of flooding, which lasts to this day, Stanford said Tuesday. Water collected in the low-lying, tub-like basin and formed "Lake Passaic," which existed for about 2,000 years,said Scott Stanford, a research scientist for the New JerseyGeological and Water Survey. The depth of the river in this section can fluctuate as much as three feet on a normal day, with much more extreme fluctuations during storm events. After a series of public hearings, the State selected a dual inlet water diversion tunnel system as the centerpiece of an environmentally sound and a comprehensive flood damage reduction program for the basin. 253 years ago: The first large flood in Passaic County is reported by colonists in 1765. Open areas adjacent to the Passaic River flood in New Providence, Chatham Township, and Berkley Heights. About This Location. 4) Improving operation of the Pompton Lakes dam floodgates. USACE evaluated more than 150 alternatives, in cooperation with the State of New Jersey, municipalities, and local groups, including a full range of non-structural alternatives such as buying out flood prone homes to provide protection on the Mainstem Passaic River and its major basin tributaries. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Lower Passaic River UWFP has developed a. In 2008, the EPA reached a settlement with Occidental Chemical Corporation and Tierra Solutions Inc. to clean a portion of the polluted river. Location Impacted:Eight of the state's 21 counties, accounting for more than half the state's population of 8.4 million at the time, were declared disaster areas: Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union. Near downtown Newark it makes an abrupt easterly bend, then south around Ironbound, joining the Hackensack River at the northern end of Newark Bay, a back bay of New York Harbor. subject: implementation of additional passaic basin flood inundation maps . Flooding hot spots Many of the repetitive loss properties are found in low-lying, flood-prone communities along the Passaic River. You will also find out more about significant New Jersey floods.