Pompton Lakes Flood Advisory

Programmed and Donated by

 Councilman Ellis L. Marples

Flood Advisory Liaison

1903 Flood

THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1903

On October 9, 1903, a record rain fell on Pompton Lakes and the entire East Coast. The rain came out of two separate storms, one out of the Great Lakes and another out of the South. During twenty-four hours, 10.04 inches fell. At 5:45 A.M., a 100 yard breach occurred in the Dam that contained Pompton Lake. The furious waters that resulted, flooded the country for miles around. At least 100 homes were entirely under water, an iron bridge was carried away, and a wooden bridge across the lake from Oakland was under water.

In Paterson, all the mills were closed and damaged. Thousands of people were put out of work and the damage from water alone was estimated at $2,000,000, a huge sum at the time.

Another Account

On October 9th, 1903, a record rainfall along the eastern coast of more than ten inches within a 24 hour period, caused the timber dam of Ludlum Steel & Iron Company, which created Pompton Lake, to give way - the victim of a domino effect. This set in motion a series of catastrophes which resulted in the extensive flooding of Pompton Plains, the carrying away of the iron bridge just below the dam, as well as the stores of Ludlum Steel. The company's riverfront was destroyed, "along with the coal docks at the head of the Morris Canal Feeder" (Leighton 1903:3). Ludlum Steel announced that their water power facilities would not be rebuilt, rather, they would switch to steam power to drive the mill (Ibid).

The collapse of the dam supplying power to the Company and steady pressure from local residents to establish new routes for vehicles carrying coal from the railway supply point, combined with the drop in sales to create an atmosphere of crisis in the company offices (Ludlum Steel Co. 1934:3).                                 

It was about this time, circa 1906, that Erastus Corning and his family entered the business and took control. Edwin Corning became Manager and it was he who directed the movement of the company to Watervliet, N.Y. on September 25, 1907. It was in Watervliet that Ludlum Steel and Spring became the Bar Products Division of Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation.

The damage at Pompton Lakes was especially severe. During the early part of the flood the timber dam of the Ludlum Steel and Iron Company, which raised the water to a height of 27 feet, and afforded 7.04 horsepower per foot fall, was carried away with a part of the headrace. This sudden emptying of Pompton Lake, an expanse of 196 acres was extremely destructive to Pompton Plains, and the destruction of the dams above on Ramapo River, which followed some time after the bursting of the lower dam, refilled Pompton Lake above its former level, and caused greater damage than that which resulted from the failure of Pompton dam itself. The large iron bridge just below the dam was carried away, with the stores of the Ludlum Steel and Iron Company. The river front along this company's property was destroyed, along with coal docks at the head of Morris Canal feeder. The channel of the river below the dam is filled with debris, which will raise the height of the water in the tailrace, and unless it is cleared will diminish the available power at the iron works. It has been authoritatively announced, however, that the power facilities will not be restored, as the Ludlum Steel and Iron Company is preparing to use steam power exclusively.

                Before the breach in 1903                                      After the dam breached in 1903