| |
More
than 14-inches of rain fell in a small area of southeastern
Sussex and northwestern Morris County in northwestern
New Jersey during August 11-14, 2000.
Flood
peaks at some U.S. Geological Survey gauging stations
on Lake Hopatcong, Musconetcong River, Green Pond Brook,
Rockaway River, and Russia Brook tributary were the highest
ever recorded.
About
2,700 homes and businesses in Sussex, Morris, Warren and
Hunterdon Counties were flooded, and about 2,600 people
were evacuated.
Many
bridges, dams, and roads were damaged or destroyed. Damage
was estimated at $179 million, and Sussex and Morris Counties
were declared Federal Disaster Areas. (Courtesy U.S.G.S.
Fact Sheet FS-104-01, Dec. 2001)
The
areas hit most severely were in Sussex and Morris Counties,
with the storm centered over the townships of Sparta,
Hopatcong and Jefferson. A total of four dams completely
failed as a result of the ensuing floods.
Automated
rain gauges from the New Jersey Automated Flood Warning
System (AFWS), under the National Weather Service (NWS)
reported rainfall data of 5.67 inches and 8.49 inches
for West Wharton and Berkshire Valley respectively. These
readings were taken over a 24-hour duration from 8:00
AM, Saturday, August 12, 2000 to 8:00 AM, Sunday, August
13, 2000. Preliminary rainfall data from the Passaic Flood
Warning System reported rainfall gauge recordings of 18.65
inches* and 14.11 inches* for Jefferson Township and Sparta
Mt. respectively. See
graphical display of rainfall.
As
a result of the flooding, the Dam Safety Section dispatched
emergency inspection teams, consisting of section engineers,
to assess damages and hazards associated with the area
dams. Engineers conducted preliminary inspections of the
entire impacted area on Sunday, August 13, 2000. Beginning
on Monday, August 14, 2000 and ending on Thursday, August
17, 2000, teams were sent to specific areas to conduct
more detailed investigations of all affected dams.
The
NJDEP Dam Safety Section inspected over 50 dams to assess
the impact of the storm. To date, the Section documented
complete failure of four dams and notable damage to an
additional 26 dams. The following table identifies the
dams that were damaged by the storm:
|
Dam
Name
|
Township
|
County
|
|
Seneca
Lake Dam*
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Tomahawk
Lake Dam*
|
Byram
|
Sussex
|
|
Furnace
Pond Dam*
|
Stanhope
|
Sussex
|
|
Edison
Pond Dam *
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Lake
Tamarack Dam
|
Hardyston
|
Sussex
|
|
NJ
No Name No. 51
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Shawnee
Lake Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Hawthorne
Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Glen
Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Washington
Forge Pond Dam
|
Wharton
|
Morris
|
|
Arapaho
Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
NJ
No Name No. 43 Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Rock
Island Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Oak
Ridge Lake Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Acquackanock
Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Sparta
Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Cozy
Lake Dam
|
Jefferson.
|
Morris
|
|
Saginaw
Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Summit
Lake Dam
|
Hardyston
|
Sussex
|
|
Lower
Waterloo Dam
|
Byram
& Mt. Olive
|
Sussex
and Morris
|
|
Upper
Waterloo Dam
|
Mt.
Olive
|
Morris
|
|
Franklin
Pond Dam
|
Franklin
|
Sussex
|
|
Heaters
Pond Dam
|
Ogdensburg
|
Sussex
|
|
Morris
Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Camp
Ryker Lake Dam
|
Sparta
|
Sussex
|
|
Swannanoa
South Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Winona
Lake Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Saffin
Pond Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Lake
Hartung Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
|
Elwood
Headley Pond Dam
|
Jefferson
|
Morris
|
*
indicates complete failure of dam
|
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