Flooding in Carlstadt, New Jersey: the flood zone, the record, and what to do
Carlstadt sits between the tidal Hackensack River and Berry's Creek, and most of its land is low enough for the tide to reach. Here is what the county plan, FEMA and the Meadowlands researchers have recorded about how it floods.
The Bergen County 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan maps 77.3 per cent of Carlstadt's land in the 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, and lists the whole borough as exposed to coastal flooding from the Hackensack River. FEMA counts 218 flood insurance claims, of which 139 are filed under the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission rather than the borough. Sandy set a confirmed high-water mark of 8.6 feet at River Barge Park, and smaller storms can still put two feet of water on Route 120 when rain meets a high tide.
The short version
- The county hazard mitigation plan places 77.3 per cent of Carlstadt's land in the 1 per cent annual chance flood zone.
- FEMA counts 218 flood insurance claims for the borough; 139 are filed under the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission community.
- Sandy's confirmed high-water mark at River Barge Park was 8.6 feet, with three tidal cycles over the berms.
- In December 2022 rain plus surge up Berry's Creek Canal put 2 feet or more of water on Route 120 and Broad Street.
- A second Rebuild by Design pump station is planned for Carlstadt.
How much of Carlstadt is in the flood zone
Table 4.6-1 of the Bergen County 2026 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan counts 2,079.32 of Carlstadt's 2,690.54 acres, 77.28 per cent, inside the FEMA 1 per cent annual chance flood zone. Including the 0.2 per cent zone adds less than a tenth of a point, to 77.35 per cent, which says something about the terrain: land here is either low enough to flood in a 1 per cent event or high enough to escape almost entirely. The county plan lists Carlstadt, in full, among the municipalities subject to coastal flooding from the Hackensack. The figure measures land area, not homes, so it describes the borough's exposure rather than the share of households at risk.
The watercourses
Carlstadt fronts the Hackensack River, where River Barge Park sits. Two tidal channels run inland from it. Berry's Creek, which US EPA describes as a 6.5-mile tributary of the Hackensack, passes through Carlstadt on its way from near Teterboro Airport, and with its surrounding wetlands forms the Berry's Creek Study Area of the Ventron/Velsicol Superfund site, which lies partly in Carlstadt. Berry's Creek Canal, a second channel, joins the creek before it reaches the river. Moonachie Creek also crosses the borough to the river, according to the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute. Because these channels are tidal, a storm surge in Newark Bay travels up them, and local drainage must wait for the tide to fall before it can empty.
What Sandy and smaller storms showed
After Sandy, the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute confirmed a high-water mark of 8.6 feet at River Barge Park. Three separate tidal cycles rose above the 5-foot mean height of the berms, and one stayed above it for about seven hours; most of the berms failed, opening spillways into the streets behind. The county hazard mitigation plan records Carlstadt, Little Ferry and Moonachie inundated with 4 to 5 feet of water that night. Lesser events matter as well. The National Weather Service documented that in December 2022 between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain, combined with surge up the Hackensack and then up Berry's Creek Canal, put 2 feet or more of water on Route 120 and Broad Street. Police worked to evacuate businesses and cars were almost completely submerged. Neither the rain nor the tide was exceptional on its own.
Reading the claim count carefully
FEMA files 79 National Flood Insurance Program claims under the Borough of Carlstadt and another 139 from ZIP 07072 under the separate New Jersey Meadowlands Commission community, for a total of 218. That split is unusual: most of Carlstadt's claims sit outside its own community record. (The borough's hub page on this site gives 227 claims for the ZIP code, a slightly different measure.) Among the 79 borough-community claims, 17 date from 2012 and Sandy, 8 from Irene in 2011, 6 from 1999 and 4 from Ida. FEMA's multiple-loss data, as of 2 August 2026, list 6 repetitive-loss properties, 2 of them severe. The county plan shows only 9 active NFIP policies under the borough community in October 2024, a figure that probably leaves out policies filed under the Meadowlands Commission and so understates cover in the town.
Homes and the work under way
The US Census Bureau counts 6,378 residents in 2,721 homes, with a median build year of 1957 and about 37 per cent rented. In March 2025 the borough described a new stormwater utility created to address flooding from sea-level rise on the Hackensack, along with aging stormwater pipes and their upkeep. Under the state's Rebuild by Design Meadowlands programme, a second pump station is planned for Carlstadt, followed by channel improvements and bridge replacements in Carlstadt and Moonachie to increase the capacity of the East Riser Ditch. This guide has not confirmed a construction date for the Carlstadt station.
What this means if you own or rent here
Look up your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center; the borough-wide share does not tell you about a single street. Watch coastal flood statements for the Hackensack as closely as the rain forecast, because the 2022 event shows how little of either it takes. If you drive or park near Route 120 and Broad Street, move cars before high tide in a storm. In homes of the 1950s, basements often hold the boiler and panel, so lift what you can. Flood is a separate policy from homeowners insurance, and FEMA states that a new one normally takes effect 30 days after purchase; renters need contents cover of their own. Whether a particular loss is covered is decided by your insurer and your policy wording.
Common questions
Does Carlstadt, NJ flood?
Yes, mainly from tidal water. More than three-quarters of the borough is in the FEMA high-risk zone, FEMA records 218 flood insurance claims, and Sandy flooded the low side of town by several feet.
Why are most Carlstadt flood claims listed under the Meadowlands Commission?
FEMA files some Meadowlands claims under a separate New Jersey Meadowlands Commission community. In ZIP 07072 that accounts for 139 claims, more than the 79 filed under the borough itself.
Can Carlstadt flood without a hurricane?
Yes. The National Weather Service recorded more than two feet of water on Route 120 and Broad Street in December 2022 from under two inches of rain arriving with a surge up the Hackensack.
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