Prockedings of Fii^th Annuai, Meeting 115 



been passed by the Legislature to provide for the drainage or 

 reclamation of the wet lands of this state. 



Under the drainage act of 1871 commissioners were appointed 

 by the Supreme Court of the state to execute plans prepared by 

 the managers of the Geological Survey to drain the meadow 

 lands in the Passaic Valley above Little Falls. 



The plans contemplated: 



The lowering of the stone dam at Little Falls 20 inches and 

 the installation of gates in the dam to provide an opening 25 

 feet wide and 16 feet deep, the said gates to be opened in time 

 of freshets. 



The improvement of the channel just above and below the 

 dam to make the openings in the dam effective. 



The cutting of a channel through the rock reefs above the 

 dam and the gravel bar in the bed of the river at Two Bridges, 

 not less than 200 feet or more than 250 feet wide, and not less 

 than 4 feet or more than 5^/3 feet below the level of the crest of 

 the dam when reduced; above the junction of the Pompton and 

 Passaic Rivers the channel to be carried up the Passaic River 

 to the same depth but only 100 feet wide, to deep water. 



The removal of obstructions between Little Falls and Two 

 Bridges. 



The cutting of a channel at Pine Brook 75 feet wide and 5 

 feet deep through the Slank Bridge. 



Not until 1889 did the work actually start. For about three 

 years it progressed slowly, and then the panic of 1893 struck 

 the country. The bonds no longer found a market, the work 

 stopped and nothing has been done since then. 



The managers of the New Jersey Geological Survey were 

 greatly interested in this project, and in 1894 a committee ap- 

 pointed by the managers, assisted by Mr. Vermeule, made a 

 special report on the subject. 



The report showed that substantial progress had been made 

 and urged the continuance of the work. 



As it stands to-day the gravel bar at Two Bridges is the 

 chief obstruction. From the plans filed in 1871 it appears that 

 this bar is about 900 feet long. The cross-section of the pro- 

 posed channel has already been mentioned. 



