Rivers, Streams, Watersheds and Urban Oases

I love finding little urban oases hidden away in our densely populated state. They are often found surrounding little streams, creeks and ponds. It's easy to write about the Jersey shore and the Pinelands and Highlands, but most of us live in less natural areas of the state.

I have explored all of the little streams, creeks and ponds in my area. For example, in my part of North Jersey, I know of five little streams that flow eastward through neary Montclair. There is Toney's Brook in the center, Nishuane Brook in the southeast, the Wigwam Brook in the southwest, the Pearl Brook in the northwest, and the Yantacaw Brook in the northeast. They are all part of the Passaic River watershed. (Montclair is just north of the northern border of the Rahway River watershed.)

The Yantacaw and Toney's brooks are dammed in parks to create ponds. The Wigwam, Nishuane, and Toney's brook flow into the Second River, and the others flow into the Third River. At one time, north of Bloomfield Avenue between Grove Street and Pine Street there was another dam and another pond that powered a factory.

The Third River is called that because it is the third (upstream) main tributary of the Passaic River in the northern portion of New Jersey. The Third River (AKA Yanticaw River) originates in the Great Notch from the Great Notch Reservoir in Woodland Park, New Jersey. It runs through the towns of Little Falls, Clifton and Montclair, goes into Clifton a second time, then runs through Bloomfield, through the grounds of the Upper Montclair Country Club, the Glen Ridge Country Club, and Bloomfield's North Middle School where it forms Clarks Pond.

Clarks Pond is a good example of a little oasis. (It should not be confused with Clarks Pond Fish and WMA in Cumberland County) The pond is sometimes used by the school's science classes to help teach biology.

The pond has an elevation of 48 meters, or 157 feet and is at Latitude: 40-49'30'' N and Longitude: 074-10'47'' W (40.8251; -74.1795891) if you like precision.

This is a NJDEP-stocked Brook Trout Pond. The 12 acre pond and wooded area is located in back of the Middle School. I recently visited on a weekend so as not to disturb school activities and be assured of parking. I saw two egrets doing some fishing. No other humans that day were fishing or visiting.

If you want to visit, set your GPS for 60 Huck Rd, Bloomfield, NJ 07003.  The school is at the end of Huck Rd and you can park in the Middle School parking lot.