Peckman River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peckman River |
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![]() Peckman River viewed from Commerce Road in Cedar Grove
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Country | United States |
State | New Jersey |
Counties | Passaic, Essex |
Physical characteristics | |
Main source | Eagle Rock Reservation, West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, United States 624 ft (190 m) 40°48′28.67″N 74°14′18.54″W / 40.8079639°N 74.2384833°W |
River mouth | Passaic River Woodland Park, Passaic County, New Jersey, United States 119 ft (36 m) 40°53′36.69″N 74°12′49.50″W / 40.8935250°N 74.2137500°W |
Length | 8.5 mi (13.7 km) |
The Peckman River is a small river in New Jersey, United States. It flows through Essex and Passaic Counties. A tributary means it's a smaller river that flows into a larger one. The Peckman River flows into the Passaic River.
This river starts in West Orange. It then flows northeast through towns like Verona, Cedar Grove, and Little Falls. Finally, it joins the Passaic River in Woodland Park.
Devil's Hole: A Local Spot
The Peckman River flows through towns and suburbs. It also passes through the Lower Norton Reservoir. The river then gets narrower and ends in the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange.
One special spot along the river is called Devil's Hole. It's in Cedar Grove and has a small waterfall and a pool. Local people sometimes use it for swimming. The waterfall was made when Van Orden's Dam was built a long time ago. This was during the time of Dutch settlement in the area. Historians say that water from Devil's Hole once helped power a factory nearby. This factory was called the Van Orden Corset Company.
Why the Peckman River Floods
The Peckman River is a part of the Passaic River system. Because of this, it often experiences flooding. This has been a bigger problem since the mid-2000s.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) studies rivers. They say that more storms and heavy rain cause the flooding. The ground and drains in the area cannot handle all the extra water. The USACE also notes that recent floods have harmed the environment of the Passaic River Basin. This is mostly due to erosion, which is when soil and rock are washed away. This problem is common in areas with a lot of buildings and roads. More buildings in the region have also made the flooding worse. This is because less natural land is left to soak up the rainwater.