27.3.10

__ Dakota Jack Mitchell , Hackensack, N J 1938 __

"_ '38 olds coupe #2 "
(c) photo harvest internet _ unknown
" . . . The Patterson train came in on time. The clock's station marked nine PM sharp. . . The old-bitch of an engine rode in spitting coal-spit , left and right, before it died down. . . worn out of its long trip down from Little Butte , Pennsylvania _ & running back the Passaic River . It had past the passengers rest-station, still sliding on its hot steel-wheels, making a racket that drove Bob Watson the Station Master into a froth. "

_ above text: (c) bijou le tord


about the Passaic River The source of the Passaic River begins near Mendham where small streams come together to form a brook running along the edge of Mendham High School's athletic field and continues through open farm land and eventually winding through seven counties, 45 municipalities and into the Newark Bay. It flows along for about 90 miles; some areas the movement is slow and at other points overflows its banks during heavy rains.
At its source it is about 600 feet above sea level and in its southeasterly flow goes south of Jockey Hollow National Park and becomes the boundary between Somerset and Morris Counties, east of Bernardsville and Basking Ridge and southwest of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The streams of Great Brook and Black River drain into the Passaic River in its southern route until it confronts the basaltic rock of the Watchung Mts. at Stony Hill and drops in elevation to 200 feet.
The river, which has become a fast moving mountain stream then becomes a slow, sluggish one as it takes a northward course, past Sterling to Berkeley Heights. The northwest flow moves past New Providence, Chatham and Summit, forming the boundary between Morris and Union Counties. Through a wide valley, wetlands and marshes it now divides the counties of Morris and Essex Counties, flowing slowly past Livingston, Florham Park, the Hanovers, Caldwells, Montville, Fairfield and Lincoln Park.
The Rockaway River joins the Passaic at Pine Brook at the southeast end of Hook Mountain. Its flow is turned at this high land and turns directly east between Fairfield and Lincoln Park to Two Bridges; an elevation now 159 feet and is joined by the Pompton River. As it takes a slow easterly course to Little Falls it suddenly loses 40 feet in elevation; a steep drop of 16 feet in a ravine whose base is sandstone.

The Passaic continues a slow flow for 5 1/2 miles northeast to the Great Falls in Paterson. The Great Falls thunders over a rocky ledge, 70 feet deep, about 60 feet wide to a broad basin descending 20 feet through traprock and sandstone to the city of Paterson. It continues north, reversing itself at Hawthorne where it flows about 25 miles to NewarkBay. At this point it becomes the boundary between Passaic and Bergen Counties and between Essex and Hudson Counties.
Flowing downstream from Hawthorne, the river has been dammed, creating Dundee Lake. Below the dam at Garfield, the Saddle River joins the Passaic and flows through heavily industrialized and residential areas of Bergen, Hudson and Essex Counties. At Harrison it makes an S-curve northeast and then turns southeast and unites with the Hackensack River as it empties into the Newark Bay.

fishing the Passaic I can tell you that from its source downstream to the Great Swamp the river is listed as a "Wild Trout Stream" by the State Division of Fish, Game & Wildlife. You will find mostly rainbow trout. They re-produce naturally. There are largemouth and smallmouth bass from the Great Swamp downstream to Dundee Lake. carp, catfish and suckers are common from the Great Swamp downstream to the salt water line at the Newark/Belleville border. Herring and shad run up the river to the base of the Dundee Dam each spring to spawn. Striped Bass are found up to the Dundee Dam. The state has stocked Northern Pike in several locations. They can be found from around the confluence with the Pompton River at Three Bridges downstream to the Newark/Belleville border. Channel catfish have been stocked from Livingston downstream to Three Bridges. I know that there are over 30 species of fish that have been identified. Additionally, there are mink, otters and muskrats. Fox, raccoon, coyote, deer, opossum live along the river. Great Blue Herons, egrets and other wading birds are common. The only occurrance of the bluespotted salamander in New Jersey is along the upper Passaic River. Thereare bog turtles, wood turtles and eastern mud turtles. I know that this is only a partial listing. I would think that the DEP and the Great Swamp Watershed Association could help with filling in the rest. Touting the Passaic as a River worth fishing or as a spot to observe a wide variety of wildlife can really help with public awareness of the river as a resource
instead of a joke.
_ Mary
http://www.passaicriver.com/about.htm