Amre Youssef

Floods of Northern New Jersey Amre Youssef

Situated between winding rivers and prone to turbulent storms, northern New Jersey has had an extensive and tumultuous history of flooding. The most severe flood occurred in 1903 when three days of nonstop rain, averaging 12 inches per day, melted more than 23 inches of snow and ice--inundating the cities of Passaic and Wallington and splitting Paterson in two. Since 1945, more than 60 documented storms have wreaked havoc and shaken the region. In 2011, the second-worst storm in North Jersey's history, Hurricane Irene, struck with more than 11 inches of rain, displacing 6,000 residents in Paterson alone and hitting Bergen and Passaic Counties with a vengeance. Only one year later, Superstorm Sandy rolled into North Jersey, flooding Moonachie and Little Ferry with surges up to five feet. Floods of Northern New Jersey showcases the rich documentation of flooding through a unique and significant photographic collection.