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Passaic River at Pine Brook

Highest listed crest 24.12 ftFlood stage 19.0 ft47 crests since 1903

The Passaic River at Pine Brook crested at major flood stage 13 times among the 47 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1903 to 2024. The highest, 24.12 ft on August 30, 2011, was major flooding, 5.12 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Passaic River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
24.12 ft
August 30, 2011
Flood stage
19.0 ft
Major flooding from 21.0 ft
Crests at major
13
7th of 125 gauges in New Jersey
Most recent flood crest
January 12, 2024
21.04 ft, major flooding
Location
Morris County
Near Lincoln Park (4.3 mi), Totowa (6.0 mi), Woodland Park (6.9 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Passaic River at Pine Brook
Action stage18.01Mar 17, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)19.017Dec 29, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.016Apr 9, 2022Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage21.013Jan 12, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

47 crests from 1903 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Passaic River at Pine Brook, 1903 to 2024 1820222426ft Flood stage 19.0 ftMajor 21.0 ft Oct 10, 1903: 23.20 ft, major floodingMar 13, 1936: 20.80 ft, moderate floodingJul 23, 1945: 22.30 ft, major floodingSep 12, 1971: 21.84 ft, major floodingApr 18, 1983: 20.23 ft, moderate flooding; 5,530 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1983: 20.61 ft, moderate flooding; 6,450 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1984: 22.90 ft, major flooding; 8,000 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1984: 20.88 ft, moderate flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1989: 20.50 ft, moderate flooding; 5,100 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1994: 19.28 ft, minor flooding; 3,410 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1996: 19.82 ft, minor flooding; 3,690 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1996: 20.36 ft, moderate flooding; 4,340 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1996: 21.13 ft, major flooding; 5,350 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1996: 19.64 ft, minor flooding; 3,520 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1996: 19.14 ft, minor flooding; 3,030 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1998: 20.10 ft, moderate flooding; 4,020 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1998: 19.23 ft, minor flooding; 3,110 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1999: 19.03 ft, minor flooding; 2,830 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1999: 20.78 ft, moderate flooding; 4,400 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2003: 19.44 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2003: 19.00 ft, minor floodingJun 23, 2003: 19.14 ft, minor floodingDec 13, 2003: 19.25 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 2005: 20.76 ft, moderate flooding; 4,790 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2007: 22.32 ft, major flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 22.32 ft, major floodingMar 24, 2010: 19.33 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 2010: 20.23 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 2011: 20.09 ft, moderate flooding; 3,699 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2011: 22.04 ft, major flooding; 6,260 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2011: 20.10 ft, moderate floodingAug 30, 2011: 24.12 ft, major floodingSep 10, 2011: 21.73 ft, major flooding; 6,132 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2014: 20.23 ft, moderate flooding; 4,164 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2015: 18.40 ft, action stageAug 13, 2018: 19.57 ft, minor flooding; 3,287 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2018: 19.09 ft, minor flooding; 2,781 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 2018: 20.03 ft, moderate flooding; 3,780 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2018: 19.83 ft, minor flooding; 3,573 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 2019: 19.25 ft, minor flooding; 2,945 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2021: 20.28 ft, moderate flooding; 4,038 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 2021: 21.66 ft, major flooding; 5,374 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2022: 20.11 ft, moderate flooding; 3,860 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2023: 19.84 ft, minor flooding; 3,584 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2023: 21.52 ft, major flooding; 5,248 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2023: 19.86 ft, minor flooding; 3,606 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2024: 21.04 ft, major flooding; 4,820 cubic feet per second Highest, 24.12 ft, Aug 30, 2011 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Passaic River at Pine Brook 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 5 1990s: 10 2000s: 6 2010s: 14 14 2020s: 7 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Passaic River at Pine Brook
1Aug 30, 201124.12+5.12Major—
2Oct 10, 190323.20+4.20Major—
3Apr 7, 198422.90+3.90Major8,000
4Apr 18, 200722.32+3.32Major7,100
5Mar 16, 201022.32+3.32Major—
6Jul 23, 194522.30+3.30Major—
7Mar 13, 201122.04+3.04Major6,260
8Sep 12, 197121.84+2.84Major—
9Sep 10, 201121.73+2.73Major6,132
10Sep 3, 202121.66+2.66Major5,374
11Dec 20, 202321.52+2.52Major5,248
12Oct 21, 199621.13+2.13Major5,350
13Jan 12, 202421.04+2.04Major4,820
14Jun 1, 198420.88+1.88Moderate7,100
15Mar 13, 193620.80+1.80Moderate—
16Sep 18, 199920.78+1.78Moderate4,400
17Apr 4, 200520.76+1.76Moderate4,790
18Dec 15, 198320.61+1.61Moderate6,450
19May 18, 198920.50+1.50Moderate5,100
20Jan 29, 199620.36+1.36Moderate4,340
21Aug 24, 202120.28+1.28Moderate4,038
22Apr 18, 198320.23+1.23Moderate5,530
23Apr 1, 201020.23+1.23Moderate—
24May 2, 201420.23+1.23Moderate4,164
25Apr 9, 202220.11+1.11Moderate3,860
26May 13, 199820.10+1.10Moderate4,020
27Apr 19, 201120.10+1.10Moderate—
28Mar 9, 201120.09+1.09Moderate3,699
29Nov 28, 201820.03+1.03Moderate3,780
30Dec 29, 202319.86+0.86Minor3,606
31May 4, 202319.84+0.84Minor3,584
32Dec 23, 201819.83+0.83Minor3,573
33Jan 21, 199619.82+0.82Minor3,690
34Dec 8, 199619.64+0.64Minor3,520
35Aug 13, 201819.57+0.57Minor3,287
36Jun 6, 200319.44+0.44Minor—
37Mar 24, 201019.33+0.33Minor—
38Mar 30, 199419.28+0.28Minor3,410
39Dec 13, 200319.25+0.25Minor—
40Jan 2, 201919.25+0.25Minor2,945
41Jun 16, 199819.23+0.23Minor3,110
42Dec 15, 199619.14+0.14Minor3,030
43Jun 23, 200319.14+0.14Minor—
44Nov 18, 201819.09+0.09Minor2,781
45Mar 24, 199919.03+0.03Minor2,830
46Jun 15, 200319.000.00Minor—
47Mar 17, 201518.40−0.60Action—

The worst floods along the Passaic River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Passaic River that crested above flood stage within a week.

August 30, 2011: 24.12 ft here, major flooding

October 10, 1903: 23.20 ft here, major flooding

April 7, 1984: 22.90 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Passaic River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Passaic River
MillingtonNJ8.010.26 ft, Aug 29, 20112
ChathamNJ6.09.36 ft, Aug 2, 19730
Pine Brook this gaugeNJ19.024.12 ft, Aug 30, 201113
SingacNJ8.512.44 ft, Dec 20, 20231
Beatties DamNJ11.314.10 ft, Aug 30, 20110
Little FallsNJ7.014.19 ft, Aug 30, 201122
Clifton (Dundee Dam)NJ4.58.40 ft, Oct 10, 19031

Other gauges in Morris County

Flood gauges in Morris County
Picatinny3.03.84 ft, Aug 28, 20110
Pottersville4.55.94 ft, Jul 7, 19840
Chatham6.09.36 ft, Aug 2, 19730
Boonton above reservoir4.54.71 ft, Dec 18, 20230
Boonton below reservoir5.09.73 ft, Aug 29, 20117
Morristown6.09.60 ft, Aug 28, 20114
Pine Brook9.012.54 ft, Aug 30, 20110
at Midwood7.515.20 ft, Apr 16, 20071
at Ryerson12.017.00 ft, Apr 16, 20071

Morris County: every hazard · River floods across the country · New Jersey

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PINN4, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.