New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-14
PLAN TO CONTROL FLOODS
THE P1SS4IC FRESHETS.
Dam AcrOss PomptOn RiUer Recon-
mended by Hydrographers.
TFRoN THE TRIBUNE BvRyA-.l

logical Survey. and one time resident hydrographer
for the State of New-York has been ordered TO the
valley Of the Passaic to make observations in the
flooded which to base. if possible additional
recommendations to those he made last year look
ing to the elimination of the conditions which rem
der that region especially susceptible to disastrous
floods.
little more than a year ago Nh Leighton in
company with G. B. Hollister. visited this region
and made CAREFUL observations and records of the
Photographed conditions they related to the
liability of floods. After his return he said that.
under existing conditions destructive freshets must
be expected at intervals until effective artificial
remedies applied. and strongly indorsed the
construction of dam acToss the Pompton at
Mountain View.
When Mr. leighton has completed his present in
vestigauon results of the observa tins made by
himself and Mr.. HOLSTER year ago. and those
made by himself this year will be compiled and
published in the form Of a comprehensive illus
trated rerort.
After the investigation made year ago, Messrs.
Leighton and HOLSTER said, in part:
The Passaic drainage basin is peculiar in respect
to its physical features Unlike The ordinary ma 2t
of river systems. in which the tributaries JON the
the veins leaf the important tributaries Of the
Passaic deliver their waters 10 the main stream at
points not far from the middle of its course Ihey.
MOREOVER. flow from mountainous region with
rapid fall and the main artery IN nat. BASIN
Ike area which easily becomes flooded At even
ordinarily high stages Of the stream. II has been
seen that the outlet this basin is narrow gorge
at Little Falls restricted at its lower end by
masonry visduct. and that IN tunes OF Yer! Ilg g
water the gorge is too small TO accomIgodate me
discharge Of the river. and extensive 1oodlng OF
me low lpinE portions Of Paterson. Passaic and
the neiEhbOring towns on the ranks or the rLHeI
high freshets which damage not only individual
householders. but also the large manuiacIurhg N
terests there located. The striking physical reia-
rl"nS ,,arne,v tbat there is a gradual narrowing
- tbe ,'aIIey as the mouth is approached which
seems 10 have congested the outlet OF hood waters
with regard 70 the conditions preceding and ac,
mat during the latter part az Fe6ruaIy 81 ~
year approximately six inches ct PRECIPITATION
composed of melted snow. seet and rain. we're re
leased upon the frozen drainage area. and that
much Of tlis passed rapidly INTO the 81 cams
afscbaTsed barge volumes into the central basin;
flooding approximately 32@' acres OF us area az,
doing considerable damage TO farming ana ralroad
As indicated from gauge heights the rise Of water
began At Dundee dam about p m, on February
y AND. after sUbsidnS slightly on FehruairHa -
5u - feT on l1s March The fow curve Of the
food over Little Falls dam was quite slIrhla c,,r
that IT Dundee dam, the apeA ot me l9tInel '''"'
ring few hours bei7 that Of the lat1eI "a .to
most general ostmate. oiZ In 1icb mona bjv
Passaic and vicinE The SeTtGe Tt,TI 70 he
small approximation Of the losses sustained. .a
mon he % a!ssc basin for municpal supply the
future viii doubtless see much better conIrD,
than at present of the rivers waters by storage '
reservoirs But. unless great care Is taken 70 Keep
the reservoirs low at such TINES OF me S4t ne
foods are likely 10 occur. much tho same c2n9iu2nS
may exist in winter seasons as were tounq auIlms
the moGp 81 On the Watershed were full and the
surface of the ground was rendered SO ImpsFvl@us
it literally SID on the IeS Te1 tables and fuvio-
%9hIU' snow not only great irresularity the
fow of the stream. but the occurrence or tIesheI
waters at almost any time Of the year. For , eN
ample excessive high water occurred in the last
week Of August 1901. at which time It would naEe
been considered unwise to have allowed inc Supply
reservoirs to run low.
There is way, however. In which con
troll could probably he had over the S"'eres'
,Ioods likely TO occur the drn image area.
namely. by the construction OF "h'n
,cross the Pompton mt Mountain view. he
tween the eastern extremity Of Hook Noun
tnin n nd the contin of the same ridge
cas-. of that stream nj the above named
place. by this means the waters Of the
Ran,apo Wnnnque and Peauannoc1S rivers
united in the Pompton. draining approx
mnteIy one-haIf the total area of the entire
rnfchment basin. could he controlled.
The value of such a dam for municipal supply
has been pointed out by the State Engineer ana
Fen long and s. feet high would food the fiat basin
in the neghboThood of Pomptou Plains, which IN
would he practicable TO build the dam even some
what higher and thus secure greai s capaCIYIy
ive hoods but would be Of great advantage TO
those portions of the valley below Paterson which
are threatened by high waters 1t would at the
same time relieve the central basin by holding back
a portion Of floods until the waters from the re-
mainder of the drainage area. apProximately one
gorge at Little Falls without seriously flooding the
lands above that point
While the construction Of such reservoir is
noesibe from an engineering point of view. the
foundations and other features OF the dam site
GOOD il would involve considerable expense III
cossitatiug a new alignment of portions OF the
railroads which traverse the region. namely
Boont0n branch of the Delaware, Lackawanna and
western and the Greenwood Lake branch Of the
Erie and in addition the condemnation of
siderable amount of village and farm property in
and around Pompton Plains. In view of the
pensive nature of these proceedings there is slight
proba bity that such dam will ever be built but
its construction would with little question. for
ever prevent the danger Of heavy losses at points
I'm the lower valley.
Destructive freshets may therefore. be expected
20 occur the watershed at intervals separated
by an undetermined number Of years. which with
out elaborate and expensive engineering works
hardly be fully controlled.
Although II NAV be impossible to control salts
by them may be much reduced by employing some
means of systematic warnings OF their approach
This could be done by esta blishing gauEiug sta
tons on the tributaries near their junction with
the main stream. where daily observations Of water
heights could be taken. In times OF excessively
high water the conditions at the various stations
could then he telephOned 70 some central point
such as the office Of the engineer Of the Society for
the Establishment OF Useful Manufactures, who
would compare the returns from the various t[lpu-
tarieS. ana II necessary give warning TO manEfact,
urefs ana others in the cities of Paterson dnd
Passalc or TIE approach Of dangerous Hood cohui
tons, thus allowing them several hours 10 refnoSSe
water reached the danger point
WARNED NOT TO BE DUDES.
iBY TELEGRAPH To TIE TBIBCNEl
f.-f $40