Woodcliff Lake Reservoir

Infobox lake
lake_name = Woodcliff Lake Reservoir
image_lake =
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location = New Jersey
coords = coord|41.019089|N|74.043388|W|type:waterbody_region:US-NJ|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
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basin_countries = United States
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elevation = convert|98|ft|m|abbr=on [Gnis|881917]
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Woodcliff Lake is the name of a reservoir in Woodcliff Lake and portions of Hillsdale and Park Ridge, in Bergen County, New Jersey. It was created circa 1903 by damming the Pascack Brook and is also fed by the Bear Brook which joins the Pascack at the reservior. The creation of the lake led what had been the Borough of Woodcliff to change its name to Woodcliff Lake, to match the name of the new reservoir. The reservoir is owned by United Water, a private utility.

The reservoir has a capacity of approximately 871 million US gallons (3,300,000 m³) of water. [ [http://sec.edgar-online.com/1994/03/30/00/0000950130-94-000533/Section3.asp Hackensack Water Company properties] , Hackensack Water Company 10-K Report, March 30. 1994. Accessed July 5, 2007.] Water released into the Pascack Brook flows downstream into the Oradell Reservoir. When the water levels become low, the old stone bridge over the Pascack Brook becomes visible just south of the causeway.

Several species of fish inhabit the reservoir including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, carp, pumpkinseed, bluegill, brown and yellow bullheads, as well as large schools of both yellow and white perch. Fishing is restricted to those with a valid New Jersey Fishing License [ [https://www1.wildlifelicense.com/nj/ New Jersey Fishing License] , accessed July 20, 2006] and a Watershed Permit [ [http://www.unitedwater.com/uwny/pdfs/WatershedApplic.pdf Watershed Recreation Permit Application] , accessed July 20, 2006] obtained by payment of a yearly fee to the owner of the reservoir, United Water. Numerous waterfowl including various species of ducks and heron also live on and around the resovior. [ [http://www.unitedwater.com/uwny/pdfs/UW_WatershedGuide.pdf Watershed Recreation Brochure] , accessed July 20, 2006.]

The reservoir may be crossed at two points, either by a narrow road over the dam, Church Road, or a higher traffic county road over a causeway, Woodcliff Avenue. On the eastern side of the reservoir is the New Jersey Transit Pascack Valley Line, with the Woodcliff Lake station stop at Woodcliff Avenue.

On March 11, 2003, Governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey visited the nearby Lake Tappan reservoir and proposed protecting it, Woodcliff Lake and their tributaries with Category 1 water purity status. [ [http://www.waterindustry.org/New%20Projects/new-jersey-2.htm New Jersey Governor McGreevey Seeks Purity Standards for 2 Bergen Reservoirs] , accessed July 19, 2006.]

References

External links

* [http://www.unitedwater.com/ United Water] (utility)
* [http://nj.usgs.gov/monthly_summary/ Summary of Monthly Hydrologic Conditions in New Jersey]