Flash Flood in New Jersey, June 14 to 17, 1998

A third day of thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused some small stream and poor drainage flooding the morning of the 14th and led to flooding along the larger rivers in eastern Morris County from the afternoon of the 14th through midday on the 17th. In Boonton along the Rockaway River, a half dozen Overlook Road homes voluntarily evacuated. Eighty percent of the houses on the river side of the street were surrounded by about half a foot of water. The heavy rain softened the ground enough to topple a tree in Chatham. Storm totals for the 14th alone included 3.38 inches in Marcella, 3.31 inches in Oak Ridge, 3.26 inches in Chatham and 2.02 inches in Boonton. Three day storm totals within the county averaged between 4 and 5 inches. The Rockaway River below the reservoir at Boonton reached flood stage (5 feet) at 2 p.m. EDT on the 14th, crested at 6.38 feet at 4 a.m. EDT on the 15th and was back within bankfull at 530 a.m. EDT on the 16th. The Rockaway River above the reservoir at Boonton reached flood stage (5 feet) at 5 p.m. EDT on the 14th, crested at 5.33 feet at 11 p.m. EDT on the 14th and was back within bankfull at 5 a.m. EDT on the 15th. The Passaic River at Pine Brook exceeded its 19 foot flood stage from 8 p.m. EDT on the 15th through 130 p.m. EDT on the 16th. It crested at 19.21 feet at 10 a.m. EDT on the 16th.