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Riser Ditch
Background Information
TETERBORO - Undersized and ineffectively-routed storm sewer pipes at the
Teterboro station appear to be the primary bottleneck that results in severe flooding in
south-central Hackensack, especially around Green Street. Theoretically, floodwaters in
the Green Street and South Newman Street areas could be routed to an existing
low-elevation drainage ditch between the Bendix campus and the railroad.
This ditch starts at the Teterboro station and runs straight to the existing Teterboro
pump station further downstream. Local elected officials have yet to conduct any studies
to outline a course of action to address the flooding problem. Any redevelopment around
this rail station would have to address the regional drainage problem.
Unknown to the average resident of Bergen County, a tide gate on Berry’s Creek (known
as Riser Ditch in Hasbrouck Heights and Hackensack) keeps the tide from flooding out the
west side of Teterboro and adjacent portions of Moonachie and Hasbrouck Heights.
Here’s an amazing piece of trivia: the headwaters of the broad and winding
Berry’s Creek that runs behind Giant Stadium is a fenced-off drainage basin on South
Newman Street, just north of PSE&G.
Source: Save Hackensack website
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The Riser Ditch was constructed in the 1600's by Dutch settlers. No public or
private entity owns it or is responsible for it. Riser Ditch is totally blocked from
Hackensack to Carlstadt and no town along the ditch will take responsibility to clean it
-- in order that it will flow.
Riser Ditch represents several drainage ditches that were originally constructed in the
1600's. These ditches merge into Berry's Creek which flows about 2 miles before
connecting with the Hackensack River, south of Route 3. Hackensack River is part of the
Kills and Newark Bay water system.
There is a tide gate a Berry's Creek. The highest concentration of mercury in freshwater
sediments in the world in in Berry's Creek. It is a superfund clean-up site.
Hasbrouck Heights storm sewers along Field
Avenue drain into the Riser ditch. Hasbrouck Heights has gone to Bergen County government
asking that they assume responsibility for the ditch and clean it and they have refused.
In late October 1999, Mayor Torre announced at the Teterboro Pump Station
where a fund of $1 million from legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Heck for flood
control studies, design, engineering and construction projects in the Hackensack River
Basin area and specifically Riser Ditch.
The Hasbrouck Heights Council has also requested a proposal from an engineering firm to
come up with an alternate plan to bypass the Riser Ditch and drain into an adjacent ditch
in another municipality. (Source: Mayor William J. Torre)
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Older News Articles
Meadowlands
Feds rule out acquiring Meadowlands [Record, June 6, 2001]
New coalition looks to make Meadowlands a U.S. refuge [Record, June 5, 2001]
Hasbrouck Heights
Homeowners insulted by borough's offer [Record, April 25, 2001]
Town, residents spar over sewage damage [The Record, Feb. 2, 2001]
Related Links
Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission [www.hmdc.state.nj.us]
HMDC on-line [Index] Maps, reports,
images, links, etc.
[Interactive maps] --
Zoning, parcel, land use, aerial photos, elevation, etc.
HMDC [Water quality] Program
[MERI] Meadowlands Environmental Research
Institute (HMDC & Rutgers)
www.hackensackriver.com
Berry's Creek [Map]
Background
Hackensack Meadowlands [History] Walden Swamp
Watershed Information
NOAA's [web-site] Watershed
Database and Mapping Project [pdf]
Tide Charts
[www.tidesonline.com/NewJersey.htm]
FishCreek/Berry's Creek listing
[www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/newjerseysites.html]
The Kills and Newark Bay/Hackensack River
[www.harbortides.com/region_stations.asp?region=28]
Hackensack River, Fish Creek, Berry's Creek
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