Passaic River Flood Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Passaic River Flood Tunnel is a proposal for a flood relief tunnel
from the central portion of the Passaic River
basin in Passaic County, New Jersey
in an area where a number of large tributary rivers join the Passaic River and severe flooding occasionally occurs. The tunnel would provide relief to an area that experiences severe flooding events which cause tens of millions in property damage and disruption to lives. The tunnel would stretch from the Wayne, New Jersey
area to Newark Bay
, a distance of approximately twenty miles.
, 1,500 feet south of Kearny Point.
The 20.1 miles (32.3 km) main tunnel would carry flood waters from the primary inlet at the confluence of the Pequannock, Wanaque, Ramapo, and Pompton Rivers just above the junction with the Passaic River; an area that is most prone to severe flooding in the Passaic River basin. A 1.2 miles (1.9 km) spur would carry floodwaters from an inlet along the Passaic River, downstream from Two Bridges, to a connection with the main tunnel beneath the borough of Totowa, New Jersey
. A Floodwarning and Forecasting System would be pressed into service to establish operating signals for the tunnel. Most of the major channel modifications would be built near the two tunnel inlets. The modifications would modify several portions of the Passaic, Pompton, Ramapo, Wanaque, and Pequannock Rivers. There are also two interim projects that would be constructed prior to the construction of the flood tunnel. These two projects include major stream alterations, including channelization to the Saddle River and Ramapo River. The cost estimate for the tunnel in the late 1990s was $1.8 billion.
concerns associated with the Passaic River Flood Tunnel have caused the idea to be removed from consideration for the foreseeable future, with the State and Federal governments preferring to buy out properties in the Passaic River Basin that are prone to flooding, rather than embarking on a large-scale engineering and construction project such as the proposed flood-control tunnel. Environmental concerns include degradation of water quality and ecosystems within the Passaic River watershed.
Source: Passaic River Info
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
from the central portion of the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
basin in Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
in an area where a number of large tributary rivers join the Passaic River and severe flooding occasionally occurs. The tunnel would provide relief to an area that experiences severe flooding events which cause tens of millions in property damage and disruption to lives. The tunnel would stretch from the Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
area to Newark Bay
Newark Bay
Newark Bay is a tidal bay at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. It is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest container shipping facility in Port of New York and New Jersey, 3rd largest and one of busiest in the United States...
, a distance of approximately twenty miles.
Origin of tunnel
The Passaic River Flood Tunnel idea has its origins in the federally appointed Flood District Commission that existed from 1902 through 1936, and was assigned the task of formulating plans to alleviate persistent flooding in the Passaic River Basin.Proposed tunnel plan
After several failed proposals over the decades, the modern vision of the Passaic River Flood Tunnel took shape in the mid 1980s as the State of New Jersey selected a modified Army Corps of Engineers preferred alternative: The Pompton/Passaic Dual Inlet Tunnel Diversion Plan. The major elements of the proposed project were a 40 feet (12.2 m), 20.1 miles (32.3 km) tunnel and a 22 feet (6.7 m), 1.2 miles (1.9 km) spur tunnel, two inlets, one outlet, at least four workshafts along the tunnel pathway, "natural" storage areas, channel modifications, ponding areas, levees, and flood walls. The outlet of the tunnel would be located in Newark BayNewark Bay
Newark Bay is a tidal bay at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. It is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest container shipping facility in Port of New York and New Jersey, 3rd largest and one of busiest in the United States...
, 1,500 feet south of Kearny Point.
The 20.1 miles (32.3 km) main tunnel would carry flood waters from the primary inlet at the confluence of the Pequannock, Wanaque, Ramapo, and Pompton Rivers just above the junction with the Passaic River; an area that is most prone to severe flooding in the Passaic River basin. A 1.2 miles (1.9 km) spur would carry floodwaters from an inlet along the Passaic River, downstream from Two Bridges, to a connection with the main tunnel beneath the borough of Totowa, New Jersey
Totowa, New Jersey
Totowa is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 9,892.Totowa was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1898, from portions of the now-defunct Manchester Township and Wayne...
. A Floodwarning and Forecasting System would be pressed into service to establish operating signals for the tunnel. Most of the major channel modifications would be built near the two tunnel inlets. The modifications would modify several portions of the Passaic, Pompton, Ramapo, Wanaque, and Pequannock Rivers. There are also two interim projects that would be constructed prior to the construction of the flood tunnel. These two projects include major stream alterations, including channelization to the Saddle River and Ramapo River. The cost estimate for the tunnel in the late 1990s was $1.8 billion.
Current status
Numerous environmentalEnvironmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
concerns associated with the Passaic River Flood Tunnel have caused the idea to be removed from consideration for the foreseeable future, with the State and Federal governments preferring to buy out properties in the Passaic River Basin that are prone to flooding, rather than embarking on a large-scale engineering and construction project such as the proposed flood-control tunnel. Environmental concerns include degradation of water quality and ecosystems within the Passaic River watershed.
Source: Passaic River Info