SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
LOCATION.--Lat 40°53'09", long 74°07'42" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Garfield City, Passaic County, NJ, Hydrologic Unit 02030103, on left bank, 900 ft east of Clifton, 1200 ft upstream of Dundee Dam in Garfield, 0.7 mi downstream from the bridge on US Route 46 in Elmwood Park, and 0.7 mi upstream from the bridge on Outwater Lane (Ackerman Avenue) in Garfield.
DRAINAGE AREA.--805 mi².
PERIOD OF RECORD.--Miscellaneous measurements, water years 1970-71, 1986-87, 1992-1997, 2004 published as 01389895 Passaic River at Outwater Lane, at Garfield, NJ. Continuous-record gaging station, April 2007 to current year. Stage records were collected by the Dundee Water-Power and Land Company for the period 1877 through at least 1904. Historical peaks for water years 1810, 1877-1879, 1881-1882, 1884, 1886, 1888-1891, 1893, 1896, 1902, and 1904 were published in annual reports of the New Jersey State Geologist. Peak stages for water years 1936, 1938, and 1945 were published in reports of the USGS.
GAGE.--Water-stage recorder with telemetry, and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 24.52 ft above NGVD of 1929.
REMARKS.--Records fair, except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Significant fluctuations at medium and low flow due to operation of hydroelectric plants at Beatties Dam in Little Falls and Passaic (Great) Falls in Paterson. Flow regulated by reservoirs in Rockaway (see 01380900), Pequannock, Wanaque (see 01383000, and 01386990), and Ramapo River subbasins. Large diversions for municipal supply from Passaic River above Beatties Dam (see 01389492), and from Rockaway, Pequannock, Pompton, Ramapo, and Wanaque Rivers. In addition, the New Jersey-American Water Company diverts from Canoe Brook near Summit (see 01379530) and from Passaic River; that company, the city of East Orange, and others also divert water for municipal supply by pumping wells in the basin.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD.--Maximum discharge, 25,900 ft³/s, Aug 30, 2011, gage height, 6.00 ft; minimum discharge not determined.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD.--Flood of Oct 10, 1903 reached a stage of 8.40 ft, discharge, 35,800 ft³/s (computed as flow over dam by the New Jersey State Geologist's office).

Peak Flood Chart

National Weather Service flood stage for this gage is 4.5 ft.