Pequannoc Spillway facts for kids
The Pequannoc Spillway is a special kind of dam built in the 1920s. It was an important part of the old Morris Canal system. You can find it in Pequannock, New Jersey, with one side in Pompton Plains and the other in Wayne.
This spillway helps turn swampy areas into useful land near the water. It also holds back water, creating a calm area called a backwater on the Ramapo River. The Pequannoc Spillway is so important that it is listed on both the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. It is like a twin to the Pompton dam, which is on the Pompton River.
What is the Pequannoc Spillway?
The Pequannoc Spillway is a large concrete structure built in the early 1900s. It is more than 270 feet wide, which is about the same width as the famous Great Falls of Paterson. This spillway is located along the Pompton River in Pequannock Township's Aquatic Park.
It is a "run-of-the-river" spillway. This means that when the water level is normal, water flows right over its top. The structure stands 22 feet tall. There is also an old guard house nearby, but it is not in good condition.
History of the Pequannoc Spillway
Just like its twin, the Pompton Dam, the Pequannoc Spillway was first made completely out of wood. It was built in the early 1800s. For almost 100 years, the Pequannoc Spillway helped boats travel upriver along the Morris Canal.
It was also part of a system that kept water levels steady. This was important for parts of the Pompton River and Ramapo River that were then part of the Morris Canal.
In the 1920s, some people wanted to remove the spillway. But two important engineers, C.C. Vermeule and Dr. Henry B. Kümmel, argued against it. They said that removing the spillway would turn the surrounding lands into "ill smelling mud flats." They also noted that this would make the nearby land less valuable.
Because of their advice, the State of New Jersey decided to upgrade the spillway. They rebuilt it using strong concrete. This new concrete structure worked just as well as the old wooden one.
Today, the water behind the Pequannoc Spillway has a lot of silt (mud and sand) built up. This means boats can no longer travel there. However, water still flows over the spillway's entire face. This makes it a popular spot for people to visit in the area.
