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Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 92 Series M, General Hydrographic Investigations, 8

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR

THE PASSAIC FLOOD OF 1903

MARSHALL ORA LEIGHTON

WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1904

CONTENTS.

Page. Letter of transmittal 7

Introduction 9

Precipitation 11

Descent of flood 14 Highland tributaries and Central Basin 14 Flood at Macopin dam 15 Flood at Beattie's dam, Little Falls 16 Flood flow over Dundee dam 17

Damages 23 General statements 23 Highland tributaries 23 Ramapo River 23 Pequanac and Wanaque rivers 24 Central Basin 25 Lower Valley 25 Paterson 26 Passaic and vicinity 27

Preventive measures 28 General discussion 28 Lower valley improvements 29 Flood catchment 31 Pompton reservoir 31 Ramapo system 33 Wanaque system 34 Midvale reservoir 34 Ringwood reservoir 35 West Brook reservoir 35 Pequanac system 35 Newfoundland reservoir 36 Stickle Pond reservoir 36 Rockaway system 37 Powerville reservoir 37 Longwood Valley reservoir 37 Splitrock Pond 38 Upper Passaic Basin 38 Millington reservoir 38 Saddle River 39 Summary of flood-catchments projects 40 Preferable reservoir sites 40

General conclusions 44

Index 47

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. PLATE I. A, Beattie's dam, Little Falls, N. J., in flood; B, Flood-water lines in residence district, Paterson, N. J. 16

II. A, Pompton Lakes dam and water front of Ludlum Steel and Iron Company; B, Dry bed of Pompton Lake 24

III. Flood district of Paterson, N. J. 24

IV. A, Washout at Spruce street, Paterson, N. J.; B, River street, Paterson, N. J., after flood 26

V. A, Effects of flood in mill district, Paterson, N. J.; B, The wreck of a hotel in Paterson, N. J. 26

VI. A, Devastation in Hebrew quarter, Paterson, N. J.; B, A common example of flood damage 28

VII. A, Inundated lands at Passaic, N. J.; B, Undamaged bridge across Passaic River after partial subsidence of flood 28

FIG. 1. Comparative flood run-off at Dundee dam, March, 1902, and October, 1903 18

2. Diagram of flood flow at Dundee dam, flood of 1903 20

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, HYDROGRAPHIC BRANCH,

Washington, D. C., December 4, 1903.