Passaic River Near Chatham, NJPassaic River Near Chatham, NJ USGS ID: 01379500 USGS ID: 01379500

Team Members Researcher/Historian: Thomas Hansen

Supervisor: Jacqueline Parr Project Manager: Chris deBang

Logistics: Dave Seiler

The Passaic River BasinThe Passaic River BasinA Century of FloodingA Century of Flooding

1903,1945,1968,1984,2000,2007,2010,20111903,1945,1968,1984,2000,2007,2010,2011

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

Hundred Year Flood-1903Hundred Year Flood-1903

Passaic River overflowed its banks on Passaic River overflowed its banks on October 8, 1903, and remained in flood until October 8, 1903, and remained in flood until October 19. Between these dates there October 19. Between these dates there occurred the greatest and most destructive occurred the greatest and most destructive flood ever known along this stream. Passaic flood ever known along this stream. Passaic at full bank carries about 12,000 cubic feet at full bank carries about 12,000 cubic feet of water per second, but at the height of this of water per second, but at the height of this flood it carried about 35,700 cubic feet per flood it carried about 35,700 cubic feet per second. second.

April 2007 Flood. 5000 evacuated,$686,000,000 damages, 10-20 year flood event.

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

Little Falls, NJ

March 2010 flood, $772,000,000 damages. 20-25 year flood event.

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

Wayne, NJ

Historical DocumentsHistorical Documents

1902 through 1936, the State of New Jersey 1902 through 1936, the State of New Jersey established Flood District Comm. to formulate established Flood District Comm. to formulate plans to alleviate the flooding plans to alleviate the flooding

http://www.nj.gov/dep/passaicriver/docs/20100526acoe_pres.pdf Briefing with Passaic River Basin Flood Briefing with Passaic River Basin Flood Advisory Commission by Army Corps of Advisory Commission by Army Corps of Engineers. This report of 5/26/10 is Engineers. This report of 5/26/10 is comprehensive.comprehensive.

USGS Water Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 88USGS Water Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 88

February 10, 2011 DEP Press Release highlights recommendations:II ADVISORY COMMISSION STATEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the Governor’s Executive Order 23:1. Floodway and Floodplain Buyouts

Table 2 – Floodway/10-Year Floodplain Buyouts 2. Structure Elevations in Floodplains

3. Open Space Acquisition and Preservation 4. Pompton Lake Dam Floodgates Performance and Modifications

5. Desnagging and Shoal Dredging 6. Feeder Dam Removals

7. State Adoption of the NFIP 8. Permit Expedition for Desnagging and Shoal Dredging

9. Emergency Preparedness and Response 10. Flood Warning System

11. Inundation Mapping 12. Public Outreach

13. USACE Reevaluation Study 14. Flood Risk Mapping

15. Moratorium on All New Development in the Floodplain

Structure ElevationStructure Elevation

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

Floodgates and Dam at Pompton Floodgates and Dam at Pompton LakesLakes

Ramapo RIver

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

River Obstruction RemovalRiver Obstruction Removal

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

Pompton Lakes gage, old gage Pompton Lakes gage, old gage upstreamupstream

Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers

Ramapo RIver

Rain Gauge #3City: Canoe Brook

State: NJCounty: Essex Elevation: 53 m

Latitude: 40.74361Longitude: -74.3544

Type Network: IFLOWS

Rain Gauge #1City: Basking Ridge

State: NJAlt. name: KQ51

County: SomersetElevation: 67 m

Latitude: 40.6956Longitude: -74.5198

Type: Campbell ScientificNetwork: Mesonet

Rain Gauge #2City: Morristown (I)

State: NJCounty: MorrisElevation: 61 m

Latitude: 40.79916Longitude: -74.4152Network: IFLOWS

Watershed Divide with Outflow and Rain Gauges

USGS ID: 01379500Outlet Flow Gauge (Chatham)

Field Surveying

Photo Credit: Dave Seiler

Looking to the East

Terminal Moraineto the North

AreaSurroundings

Photo Credit: Dave Seiler

South shore

Outside Reference Gauge

Photo Credit: Dave Seiler

StructuresStructures

Storm Drain

Gaging Station at Outflow Gauge

Photo Credit: Dave Seiler

Interview: Ella FilipponeInterview: Ella Filippone(President of the Passaic (President of the Passaic

River Coalition)River Coalition)

1.1. The terminal moraine that was created by The terminal moraine that was created by

glaciers.glaciers.

2. 2. The local municipality has purchased The local municipality has purchased flood prone land and removed any homes flood prone land and removed any homes or buildings there.or buildings there.

Interview (cont’d)Interview (cont’d)

3. The soil is very sandy which allows good infiltration and 40% of the precipitation goes into a natural aquifer.

4. The Great Swamp acts as a buffer for any heavy precipitation that falls in the mountains that lead to the Chatham area.

Historical Information

http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/project/newjers/factsh/pdf/120604/AppendixA.pdf

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

Historical Data for Chatham Outflow Gauge

Credit: NWS - Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center

July 14th 2010

HPC Daily Weather MapHPC Daily Weather Map

Source: Hydrometeorological Prediction Center http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/dailywxmap/index.html

Rain Event (July 14, 2010)Rain Event (July 14, 2010)

Source: NCDC Radar Inventory – http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/nexradinv/chooseday.jsp?id=kdix

Basking Ridge HyetographBasking Ridge Hyetograph

Source: Rutgers NJ Weather and Climate Network – http://climate.rutgers.edu/njwxnet/dataviewer-stnpt.php?yr=2010&mo=7&dy=

13&qc=&element_id%5B%5D=24&stn=285&states=NJ&newdc=1

`̀

July 13, 2010 Rain Gauge DataCity State Date and Time Precip Hour

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 0:00 0.04 1

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 1:00 0.01 2

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 2:00 0 3

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 3:00 0.01 4

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 4:00 0 5

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 5:00 0 6

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 6:00 0 7

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 7:00 0 8

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 8:00 0 9

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 9:00 0 10

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 10:00 0 11

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 11:00 0 12

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 12:00 0.36 13

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 13:00 0.06 14

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 14:00 0 15

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 15:00 0 16

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 16:00 0.05 17

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 17:00 0 18

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 18:00 0 19

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 19:00 0 20

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 20:00 0 21

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 21:00 0 22

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 22:00 0 23

Basking Ridge NJ 7/13/2010 23:00 0.28 24

July 14, 2010 Rain Gauge DataCity State Date and Time Precip Hour

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 0:00 0.05 25

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 1:00 0.01 26

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 2:00 0 27

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 3:00 0 28

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 4:00 0 29

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 5:00 0 30

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 6:00 0.18 31

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 7:00 0 32

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 8:00 0.01 33

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 9:00 0 34

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 10:00 0.05 35

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 11:00 1.18 36

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 12:00 0.3 37

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 13:00 0.04 38

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 14:00 0.01 39

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 15:00 0.05 40

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 16:00 0 41

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 17:00 0 42

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 18:00 0 43

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 19:00 0 44

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 20:00 0 45

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 21:00 0 46

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 22:00 0 47

Basking Ridge NJ 7/14/2010 23:00 0 48

Chatham Flow Gauge Chatham Flow Gauge HydrographHydrograph

USGS flow gauge 01379500 Chatham, NJ Hydrograph

Date Discharge, ft3/s (mean)

7/10/2010 26

7/11/2010 37

7/12/2010 34

7/13/2010 39

7/14/2010 65

7/15/2010 151

7/16/2010 142

7/17/2010 76

7/18/2010 45

7/19/2010 33

Source: USGS Streamflow Data - http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nj/nwis/uv/?site_no=01379500&agency_cd=USGS

In ConclusionIn Conclusion

Other InsightsOther Insights– Basking Ridge and Morristown combination Basking Ridge and Morristown combination

(Great Swamp Watershed contribution to flow (Great Swamp Watershed contribution to flow gauge, e.g. detention/buffer)gauge, e.g. detention/buffer)

– Greater Passaic River vs. Upper Passaic BasinsGreater Passaic River vs. Upper Passaic Basins

– Case Study Rainfall event vs. Historical FloodsCase Study Rainfall event vs. Historical Floods

CreditsCredits http://www.nj.gov/dep/passaicriver/http://www.nj.gov/dep/passaicriver/ http://www.nj.gov/dep/passaicriver/docs/20100526acoe_pres.pdfhttp://www.nj.gov/dep/passaicriver/docs/20100526acoe_pres.pdf US Army Corps of EngineersUS Army Corps of Engineers NOAANOAA Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC)Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) National Weather Service – Middle Atlantic River Forecast National Weather Service – Middle Atlantic River Forecast

CenterCenter Rutgers NJ Weather and Climate Network (NJWxnet)Rutgers NJ Weather and Climate Network (NJWxnet) USGS Streamflow DataUSGS Streamflow Data Professor SmartProfessor Smart