Passaic River
The Passaic River has always been a vital resource, supporting life and livelihoods in northern New Jersey since the first indigenous communities settled there, up through the industrial revolution and into the present day. The river flows approximately 80 miles through protected forest land in the New Jersey Highlands region and a patchwork of wetlands and suburbs before joining with the Rockaway and Pompton rivers and entering the dense urban landscapes of Patterson and Newark near its outlet in Newark Bay. In pre-colonial times, the Passaic river region was settled by the Mohican and Munsee-Lenape people, but due to colonization and displacement there are currently no federally recognized Tribal lands along the river.
Today the Passaic river watershed is home to ten reservoirs and three drinking water facilities that serve more than two million people. Its publicly-accessible parks and natural areas serve over two and a half million people residing in its watershed. High school and college crew teams practice and compete out of a boathouse at Riverside County Park in Lyndhurst, alongside boaters of all ages and levels of experience.
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the river has played an important role the region’s economic development, allowing large manufacturing companies to grow and prosper on its banks along the lower portion of the river. But that industrial legacy also left its mark, as toxic contamination in the form of heavy metals, PCBs, and very high levels of carcinogenic dioxins left behind in the riverbed sediments.
Where is the Passaic River?
The Passaic River is in Northern New Jersey
How long is the Passaic River?
The Passaic River is about 80 miles long.
Did you know?
Ten different high school crew teams use the Passaic River to practice and compete.
In 1984, after nearly two centuries of pollution from heavy industry—from the manufacture of early textiles, to DDT and Agent Orange—the lower Passaic River was designated as a Superfund site. The Superfund region spans the river’s tidal zone below Dundee Dam. The worst of the contamination is located in the lowermost eight miles, from Belleville, New Jersey to Newark Bay. For this reason, commercial fishing is banned, and nearby residents have been advised not to eat fish caught from the river.
America’s Most Endangered Rivers®
The Passaic River was named as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2025. The Passaic River has always been a vital resource, supporting livelihoods and economic growth. But it has also been badly contaminated by the chemical manufacturing industry. Thanks to the work of many committed people, there is now a plan in place to clean up the contamination and begin to restore the river. We urge the federal government to help see this cleanup through to completion — restoring fisheries, boosting tourism and recreation, creating jobs, and improving public health. A cleaner Passaic River means a stronger economy and a healthier future for New Jersey’s communities.
Restore the Passaic River
Ask the EPA to fulfill its commitment to clean up the Passaic River to ensure safe, reliable drinking water for the millions that depend on it.
The Future
To restore the Passaic River to its full potential, contamination must be fully remediated as quickly and efficiently as possible. That will involve addressing dioxins, PCBs, sewage, and other contaminants in the full length of the Lower Passaic River. But the work must not stop there. We envision a future where the Passaic River is not only toxin-free, but healthy and enjoyable for the people who live along it.
Many of the companies responsible for the pollution have agreed to fund a portion of the cleanup effort, which is estimated to cost in total as much as $1.8 billion. In 2022–nearly 40 years after the site was added to the Superfund list–a group of 85 companies entered into an agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency to pay $150 million toward the cleanup and restoration of the lower portion of the river. But the question of who will pay for the rest of the cleanup remains disputed.
As the leading government driver of the cleanup, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 2 Office must maintain its commitment to the people of New Jersey and ensure that the cleanup continues to be a top priority. This means continued support of the experienced federal staff working to advance the cleanup, as well as maintaining proactive oversight of the Superfund legal process to ensure participation by all responsible parties.
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Community organizations and residents—many of whom have worked tirelessly for decades—will also be essential to keeping the momentum moving forward for the Passaic river. The Ironbound Community Corporation, the NY/NJ Baykeeper, the Trust for Public Land, the Great Swamp Watershed Association, the Passaic River Community Advisory Group, and others have been important advocates for the cleanup and can help guide future investments.