The Oldest Lake In New Jersey Is A Beautiful Piece Of Living History
By Kristen|Published April 08, 2020
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Kristen
Author
Kristen is a writer, editor, and social media maven who loves her state. Born and raised in New Jersey, sharing all it has to offer is her passion. After attending Montclair State University, she continued her education online, obtaining certifications in social media management.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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