New Jersey Flooding Events

USGS reports document New Jersey floods from 1986 to the present. Early spring and winter flooding in New Jersey tends to occur as a result of widespread, steady rain of moderate intensity that falls on frozen ground. Snow and ice melt may increase the chance of winter flooding. Summer flooding resulting from thunderstorms typically occurs in small streams and is of local extent. Late summer and fall flooding associated with frontal storms, tropical storms and hurricanes can be widespread, resulting from heavy intense rains across the entire state. New Jersey's major floods are those that are the most severe in terms of magnitude, areal extent, loss of life, and property damage.

NOTE:  Flood peak discharges and estimates of flood recurrence intervals given in older USGS reports and web summaries may have been revised since their original publication. Check on-line peak flow for current discharges.

2010 - present

• Hurricane Irene, August 27-30, 2011
• Statement
• Summary
• August 14-16, 2011 flooding statement
• Summary of March 12-15, 2010 flooding

2000 - 2009

• SIR 2009-5167: Methodology for Estimation of Flood Magnitude and Frequency for New Jersey Streams
• OFR 2008-1203: Flood Magnitude and Frequency of the Delaware River in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania
• Summary of April 16-18, 2007 flooding
• Summary of June 28-29, 2006 flooding in the New Jersey part of the Delaware River Basin
• Summary of April 2-4, 2005, flooding in New Jersey
• SIR 2007-5067: Flood of April 2-4, 2005, Delaware River Main Stem from Port Jervis, New York, to Cinnaminson, New Jersey
• Summary of September 17-23, 2004, flooding on the Delaware River and its tributaries in New Jersey
• Summary of July 12-14, 2004, flooding in southern New Jersey
• SIR 2006-5096: Flood of July 12-13, 2004, Burlington and Camden Counties, South-Central New Jersey
• Summary of August, 2000, flooding in Sparta, New Jersey
• WRI 2002-4099: Sparta, New Jersey, Flood of August 11-14,2000

1990 - 1999

• WSP 2499: Summary of floods in the United States, January 1992 through September 1993 [December 11-12, 1992]

1980 - 1989

• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [April 5-7, 1984, Passaic River]
• OFR 86-423W: Flood of April 5-7, 1984, in Northeastern New Jersey
• WSP 2502: Summary of floods in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, 1970 through 1989 [April 1981]

1970 - 1979

• WRI 80-115: Flood of August 31-September 1, 1978, in Crosswicks Creek basin and vicinity, central New Jersey
• WSP 2502: Summary of floods in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, 1970 through 1989 [November 1977]
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [November 8-10, 1977, Passaic River and northern Atlantic Coastal basins]
• OFR 79-559: Flood of November 8-10, 1977 in northeastern and central New Jersey
• OFR 82-434: Flood data in West Windsor Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, through 1981 water year [September 25-27, 1975]
• WRI 75-51: Flood of July 21, 1975 in Mercer County, New Jersey
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [July 13-21, 1975, Raritan and central Delaware Rivers]
• OFR 74-1097: A summary of peak stages and discharges for the flood of August 1973 in New Jersey
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [August 2, 1973, Raritan and Rahway Rivers]
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [August 27-29, 1971, Raritan, Passaic and central Delaware Rivers]
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Resources Special Report 37: Floods of August and September 1971 in New Jersey
• WSP 2502: Summary of floods in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, 1970 through 1989 [August 1971]
• NJDEP Water Resources Special Report 37:  Floods of August and September 1971 in New Jersey

1960 - 1969

• WSP 1970-B: Summary of floods in the United States during 1968 [May 29-31, 1968]
• HA 378: Floods in Beden Brook basin in Somerset and Mercer Counties, New Jersey [March 7, 1967]
• HA 359: Floods in Upper Millstone River basin in vicinity of Hightstown, New Jersey [August 27, 1967]
• HA 245: Floods on Millstone River and Stony Brook in vicinity of Princeton, New Jersey [January 1964]
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [March 6, 1962, Coastal areas]
• HA 65: Tidal floods, Atlantic City and vicinity, New Jersey [1960 and 1962]
• WSP 1790-B: Summary of floods in the United States during 1960 [September 12, 1960]

1900 - 1959

• WSP 1420: Floods of August-October 1955, New England to North Carolina [August 18-19, 1955, October 16, 1955]
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [August 13-20, 1955, Northern New Jersey]
• HA 263: Floods on Delaware River in the vicinity of Belvidere, New Jersey [ August 19,1955]
• HA 246: Floods at Easton, Pennsylvania-Phillipsburg, New Jersey [ August 19,1955]
• WSP 1370-C: Summary of floods in the United States during 1954 [September 11-14, 1954]
• WSP 1227-D: Summary of floods in the United States during 1951 [March 30-31, 1951]
• WSP 1137-I: Summary of floods in the United States during 1950 [November 25, 1950]
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [July 9-23, 1945, Passaic and upper Delaware]
• HA 245: Floods on Millstone River and Stony Brook in vicinity of Princeton, New Jersey [September 1938]
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [September 21-23, 1938, Raritan, Delaware and northern Atlantic coastal basins]
• HA 359: Floods in Upper Millstone River basin in vicinity of Hightstown, New Jersey [September 21-22, 1938]
• WSP 966: Minor floods of 1938 in the North Atlantic states
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [March 11-19, 1936, Passaic and Delaware Rivers]
• WSP 799: The floods of March 1936: Part 2, Hudson River to Susquehanna River region
• WSP 162: Destructive floods in the United States in 1905, with a discussion of flood discharge and frequency and an index to flood literature
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [October 9-11, 1903, Passaic, Pompton, Ramapo and Delaware River]
• Water Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 92: The Passaic flood of 1903
• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [March 1-2, 1902, Passaic and Delaware Rivers]
• HA 263: Floods on Delaware River in the vicinity of Belvidere, New Jersey [May 24, 1942]
• HA 246: Floods at Easton, Pennsylvania-Phillipsburg, New Jersey [May 24, 1942]
• Water Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 88: The Passaic flood of 1902

Before 1900

• WSP 2375: National Water summary 1988-89 --Floods and droughts: New Jersey [February 6-8, 1896, Raritan River]