New Jersey is home to hundreds of historic buildings but we’ve also got some fascinating natural history. You’ve probably heard of the Passaic River but you may not be able to trace its path through time. I never really thought much about it until I saw something online. It said…
It’s no surprise that the Passaic River floods, it’s been going on for 15,000 years.
Internet Archive Book Image/Flickr Pictured is Lake Passaic as it would have been approximately 13,000-19,000 years ago.
The Passaic River as we know it was formed as a result of drainage from the massive Glacial Lake Passaic.
Hannes Grobe/Wikipedia Lake Passaic was formed from waters released by the retreating Wisconsin Glacier. Pictured is the maximum glaciation of the northern hemisphere.
The river runs approximately 80 miles from Mendham to the Newark Bay, where it meets up with the Hackensack River.
Karl Musser/Wikipedia Pictured are the Passaic and Hackensack River watersheds.
The Passaic River was once used by the Acquackanonk and Hackensack groups of the Lenape tribe for fishing. They built weirs, or overflow dams, to create pools where the fish could be trapped.
Regan Vercruysse/Flickr Remnants of these archaeology sites still exist along the river.
A major site along the river is Paterson’s Great Falls, now part of a national park.
eutrophication&hypoxia/Flickr Paterson was America’s first planned industrial city, and it was designed around and powered by the falls.
What else remains of Lake Passaic? Today, the former lake basin is called Passaic Meadows and includes the Great Swamp, Black Meadows, Troy Meadows, Hatfield Swamp, Lee Meadows, Little Piece Meadows, Great Piece Meadows, Glenhurst Meadows, and Bog and Vly Meadows.
Jim Lukach/Flickr Pictured is the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
These remnants of the ancient lake are prime wetlands that hundreds of plant and animal species call home. They’re also popular destinations for New Jersey hikers.
Zeete/Wikipedia Pictured is Troy Meadows.
If you live in the former lake basin or along the Passaic River, you’re likely no stranger to flooding. The first documented Passaic River flood took place in 1765 and its worst flood occurred in 1903. It’s been flooding for centuries…millennia. That’s Lake Passaic, once 15 miles wide and 30 miles long, returning to where it once was.
Internet Archive Book Image/Flickr
Pictured is Lake Passaic as it would have been approximately 13,000-19,000 years ago.
Hannes Grobe/Wikipedia
Lake Passaic was formed from waters released by the retreating Wisconsin Glacier. Pictured is the maximum glaciation of the northern hemisphere.
Karl Musser/Wikipedia
Pictured are the Passaic and Hackensack River watersheds.
Regan Vercruysse/Flickr
Remnants of these archaeology sites still exist along the river.
eutrophication&hypoxia/Flickr
Paterson was America’s first planned industrial city, and it was designed around and powered by the falls.
Jim Lukach/Flickr
Pictured is the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Zeete/Wikipedia
Pictured is Troy Meadows.
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