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Passaic River near Chatham NJ water level

River gauge, Passaic River, New Jersey, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.05ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
161 cfs
5 8 Highest onrecord 9.36 ft Minor floodstage 6.00 ft

History

3.84.04.2ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 19Oct 20Oct 223.84.04.2ftOct 16Oct 19Oct 22
Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.70 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 08:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:25 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Passaic River near Chatham NJ reads 4.05 ft, a normal level.

It is 1.95 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.70 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.05 ft and 4.32 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record
9.36 ftAugust 2, 1973
Forecast peak
4.00 ftMonday, October 19 at 02:00 PM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 6.00 ft, still 1.95 ft away.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft
Flooding begins between University Avenue and Route 24, north of Main Street.
10.00 ft
Charwood and Brook Roads begin to flood. Passaic Street begins to flood near the intersection of Osborne Avenue. Edward Court begins to flood.
9.00 ft
Business parking lots between Chatham Road and the Passaic River flood.
8.00 ft
Businesses along John F. Kennedy Parkway, west of the Morris Turnpike, begin to flood.
6.50 ft
The Central and Bridge Avenue bridges in Chatham Township are subject to closures. Edgewood Road is closed.
6.00 ft
Portions of the Shepard Kolluck Park in Chatham floods. River Road by Henry Drive is subject to closures.
5.50 ft
Open areas adjacent to the Passaic River flood in New Providence, Chatham Township, and Berkley Heights.
4.05 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 10 %.

RankLevelDate
19.36 ftAugust 2, 1973
28.41 ftSeptember 2, 2021
38.16 ftAugust 28, 1971
48.14 ftSeptember 27, 1975
58.00 ftMarch 18, 1907
67.97 ftSeptember 26, 1975
77.91 ftMarch 15, 2010
87.90 ftMay 29, 1968
97.76 ftAugust 29, 2011
107.60 ftSeptember 17, 1999

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Passaic River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Passaic River near Millington NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 5.05 ft Below flood stage −0.15 ft 8 mi
Passaic River at Pine Brook NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 15.52 ft Below flood stage −0.53 ft 10 mi
Passaic River below Pompton River at Two Bridges NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 4.65 ft No reference yet −0.15 ft 13 mi
Passaic River at I-80 at Singac NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 3.64 ft Below flood stage −0.15 ft 13 mi
Passaic River above Beatties Dam at Little Falls NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 8.88 ft Below flood stage −0.09 ft 14 mi
Passaic River at Little Falls NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 2.32 ft Below flood stage −0.16 ft 14 mi
Passaic River at Dundee Dam at Clifton NJRiver gauge, Passaic River 1.51 ft Below flood stage −0.06 ft 18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Canoe Brook near Summit NJRiver gauge, Canoe Brook 3.2 cfs Normal −1.0 cfs 2.3 mi
Green Brook at Seeley Mills NJRiver gauge, Green Brook 1.81 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 4.2 mi
Rahway River near Springfield NJRiver gauge, Rahway River 1.39 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 4.9 mi
Whippany River at Morristown NJRiver gauge, Whippany River 2.11 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 7 mi
Stony Brook at Watchung NJRiver gauge, Stony Brook 9.62 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 7 mi
Stony Brook at North Plainfield NJRiver gauge, Stony Brook 1.91 ft Below flood stage +0.03 ft 8 mi
Whippany River near Pine Brook NJRiver gauge, Whippany River 3.91 ft High −0.50 ft 9 mi
Whippany River near Morristown NJRiver gauge, Whippany River 12.8 cfs Normal +0.4 cfs 9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Passaic River near Chatham NJ?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 1.95 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Passaic River near Chatham NJ today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:15 PM EDT, the water level was 4.05 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Passaic River near Chatham NJ rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Passaic River near Chatham NJ normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Passaic River near Chatham NJ?

The highest level on record is 9.36 ft on August 2, 1973.

Is Passaic River near Chatham NJ expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.70 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:01379500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.72611, -74.38972 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NGVD29
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 4.05 ft 2026-10-19 19:15 Provisional
Flow 161 cfs 2026-10-19 19:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Passaic River near Chatham NJ (usgs:01379500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-jersey/passaic-river-near-chatham-nj

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer