o that of the
Ramapo, was particularly disastrous over the Pompton Plains. Three

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U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 92 PL. II

[Illustration: _A._ POMPTON LAKES DAM AND WATER FRONT OF LUDLUM STEEL
AND IRON COMPANY.]

[Illustration: _B._ DRY BED OF POMPTON LAKE.]

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 92 PL. III

[Illustration: FLOOD DISTRICT OF PATERSON, N. J.]

* * * * *

bridges at Pompton station, over Wanaque and Pequanac rivers, were
carried away, and in the end one bridge only remained over Pompton
River, that at Pequanac station. In all about 100 houses were inundated
on Pompton Plains, and the damage to roads and culverts was particularly
severe.

The total loss in the drainage area of Pompton River was $350,000.

CENTRAL BASIN.

Over the Central Basin there was the usual impounding of flood waters,
but the effects were not materially different from those described in
the report on the flood of 1902. The damage along this basin from floods
of this character is accumulative by reason of the fact that the
presence of water over the land for so long a period kills the desirable
feed grasses and fosters in their place the coarse meadow grass. This
effect has been observed for some years, particularly since the flood of
1896. It is estimated that over the Central Basin the damage to crops
and arable land alone arising from the floods of 1902 and 1903 amounts
to $300,000. A statement of the damage arising from the later flood can
not separately be made, as its effect upon the fertility of the meadow
lands can not be determined without the experience of a planting season.

LOWER VALLEY.

The flow of the stream through the constricted channel at Little Falls
and on to Great Falls at Paterson is given in the weir measurements on
page 17. It was attended by comparatively large damages, the features of
which were not materially different from those described in the previous
report. The pumping station of the East Jersey Water Company, situated
just below Little Falls dam, did not suffer as severely as during the
previous flood, by reason of the fact that extensive and effective
barricades were placed so as to keep a large part of the water away from
the pumps. This was not accomplished in the flood of 1902. The total
damage in this district amounted to nearly $200,000.

The channel contours were changed somew