Pascack Brook facts for kids
Pascack Brook is a small tributary (which means it's a stream that flows into a larger river) of the Hackensack River. You can find it in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States.
This brook helps create a special area known as the Pascack Valley. The water in the brook is held back by a dam to form the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir in the town of Woodcliff Lake. Pascack Brook used to flow directly into the Hackensack River. However, now it ends at the Oradell Reservoir, which is before its original meeting point with the Hackensack River.
A Dam and a Storm
There was once a dam on Pascack Brook in Spring Valley, New York. This dam created a lake called Lake Hyenga. But in September 1999, a big storm called Hurricane Floyd hit the area. The dam could not hold back all the water and it collapsed. This caused a lot of flooding downstream (further along the brook). The dam was never rebuilt after that.
What's in a Name?
Some old maps from the late 1700s called this brook the "Great Pascack River." One of its smaller streams, called Musquapsink Brook, was even shown as the "Little Pascack River." The name "Pascack River" also appeared on a map of the area from 1876. So, it seems the brook was once considered a river!
Other Streams That Join It
Many smaller streams flow into Pascack Brook, adding to its water. Here are some of them, listed from where they join closer to the mouth (where Pascack Brook ends) to closer to its source (where it begins):
- Musquapsink Brook
- Tandy Brook
- Bear Brook
- Mill Brook
- Muddy Brook
