Woodcliff Lake Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Woodcliff Lake is the name of a reservoir
in Woodcliff Lake
and portions of Hillsdale
and Park Ridge
, in Bergen County
, New Jersey
. It was created circa 1903 by dam
ming the Pascack Brook
and is also fed by the Bear Brook
which joins the Pascack at the reservoir. The creation of the lake led what had been the Borough of Woodcliff to change its name to Woodcliff Lake, to match the name of the new reservoir. The reservoir is owned by United Water
, a private utility.
The reservoir has a capacity of approximately 871 million USgals (3,297,093.9 m³) of water. Water released into the Pascack Brook flows downstream into the Oradell Reservoir
. When the water levels become low, the old stone bridge over the Pascack Brook becomes visible just south of the causeway.
Several species of fish inhabit the reservoir including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, carp, pumpkinseed, bluegill, brown and yellow bullheads, as well as large schools of both yellow and white perch. Fishing is restricted to those with a valid New Jersey Fishing License and a Watershed Permit obtained by payment of a yearly fee to the owner of the reservoir, United Water. Numerous waterfowl including various species of ducks and heron also live on and around the reservoir.
The reservoir may be crossed at two points, either by a narrow road over the dam, Church Road, or a higher traffic county road over a causeway
, Woodcliff Avenue. On the eastern side of the reservoir is the New Jersey Transit
Pascack Valley Line
, with the Woodcliff Lake
station stop at Woodcliff Avenue.
On March 11, 2003, Governor of New Jersey
Jim McGreevey
visited the nearby Lake Tappan
reservoir and proposed protecting it, Woodcliff Lake and their tributaries with Category 1 water purity status.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 5,730.Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small part of it located in neighboring Hillsdale.The borough is an...
and portions of Hillsdale
Hillsdale, New Jersey
Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,219.The populated area today known as Hillsdale took form in the mid-to-late 19th century as land speculators, led by David P. Patterson, developed subdivisons to profit from the...
and Park Ridge
Park Ridge, New Jersey
Park Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. Park Ridge had a population of 8,645 as of the 2010 United States Census....
, in Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It was created circa 1903 by dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
ming the Pascack Brook
Pascack Brook
The Pascack Brook is a tributary of the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey in the United States. It forms a region known as the Pascack Valley. The brook is dammed to form the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir in the town of Woodcliff Lake...
and is also fed by the Bear Brook
Bear Brook (Pascack Brook)
Bear Brook is a tributary of Pascack Brook in New Jersey. It joins with the Pascack at the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir and forms part of the border between Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake . The brook flows through portions of Bergen County in New Jersey and its headwaters lay in Rockland County, New York...
which joins the Pascack at the reservoir. The creation of the lake led what had been the Borough of Woodcliff to change its name to Woodcliff Lake, to match the name of the new reservoir. The reservoir is owned by United Water
United Water
United Water Resources, founded as Hackensack Water Company in 1869, has grown into one of the United States's largest water services companies. It is headquartered in Harrington Park, New Jersey. The company owns and operates water and wastewater utilities and also has contracts to operate...
, a private utility.
The reservoir has a capacity of approximately 871 million USgals (3,297,093.9 m³) of water. Water released into the Pascack Brook flows downstream into the Oradell Reservoir
Oradell Reservoir
The Oradell Reservoir was formed by the Oradell Reservoir Dam placed on the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey, completed in 1923. The Oradell Reservoir Dam is located in Oradell, but the reservoir also straddles the borders of Haworth, Emerson, Closter and Harrington Park.The reservoir...
. When the water levels become low, the old stone bridge over the Pascack Brook becomes visible just south of the causeway.
Several species of fish inhabit the reservoir including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, carp, pumpkinseed, bluegill, brown and yellow bullheads, as well as large schools of both yellow and white perch. Fishing is restricted to those with a valid New Jersey Fishing License and a Watershed Permit obtained by payment of a yearly fee to the owner of the reservoir, United Water. Numerous waterfowl including various species of ducks and heron also live on and around the reservoir.
The reservoir may be crossed at two points, either by a narrow road over the dam, Church Road, or a higher traffic county road over a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
, Woodcliff Avenue. On the eastern side of the reservoir is the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Pascack Valley Line
Pascack Valley Line
The Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
, with the Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake (NJT station)
Woodcliff Lake Station is a New Jersey Transit rail station on the Pascack Valley Line. The station is in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, United States, and is located at Broadway and Woodcliff Avenue, on the eastern shore of the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir....
station stop at Woodcliff Avenue.
On March 11, 2003, Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
visited the nearby Lake Tappan
Lake Tappan
Lake Tappan is a reservoir that was formed by the Tappan Dam placed on the Hackensack River in 1967. It straddles the border between River Vale and Old Tappan, New Jersey...
reservoir and proposed protecting it, Woodcliff Lake and their tributaries with Category 1 water purity status.