Flooding in Lyndhurst, New Jersey: the flood zone, the record, and what to do
Lyndhurst has more of its land in the mapped flood zone than all but four Bergen County towns, and most of that land is on the Meadowlands side, not along the Passaic. This page sets out what the county plan, FEMA and the Meadowlands authorities record about how and where the township floods.
Bergen County's 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan puts 50.92 per cent of Lyndhurst's land inside the FEMA 1 per cent annual chance flood zone. FEMA counts 513 flood insurance claims in the township and lists 114 repetitive-loss properties. Hurricane Sandy, a tidal surge with little rain in Bergen County, produced more of those claims than any other storm. The township is a Meadowlands District municipality, flooded from the Hackensack side by the tide and from the Passaic side by the river.
The short version
- The Bergen County 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan puts 50.92 per cent of Lyndhurst inside the FEMA 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, the fifth-highest share in the county.
- An earlier county draft split that zone into 4 per cent riverine and 46 per cent coastal: most of the risk is tidal, on the Meadowlands side.
- FEMA counts 513 flood insurance claims in Lyndhurst, led by Sandy (138), Irene (114) and Ida (95), and lists 114 repetitive-loss properties.
- Sandy brought little rain to Bergen County; the damage came from record tides and surge acting through the Hackensack and Passaic.
- More Lyndhurst owner-occupants registered for FEMA assistance after Ida (339) than after Sandy (204).
Half the township in the flood zone
Table 4.6-1 of the Bergen County 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan measures Lyndhurst at 3,178.68 acres of land, of which 1,618.43 acres, or 50.92 per cent, lie in FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Area, the zone with a 1 per cent chance of flooding in any year. Adding the 0.2 per cent annual chance zone takes the figure to 52.04 per cent. An earlier 2014 draft of the county plan divided each town's flood zone into riverine and coastal parts and showed Lyndhurst at 4 per cent riverine and 46 per cent coastal. Almost all of the mapped zone is the low, tidal Meadowlands ground in the east of the township, and only a thin strip follows the Passaic on the west. The US Census Bureau counts 9,704 housing units in Lyndhurst, with a median year built of 1956.
What FEMA's claim record shows
FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program data list 513 claims in Lyndhurst over the life of the programme: 501 filed under the township as an NFIP community and 12 filed under the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission community at addresses in the township's ZIP code. That total is the eighth highest in Bergen County. The heaviest year was 2012, with 139 claims, followed by 2011 with 116, 2021 with 96 and 2007 with 60. FEMA attributes 138 claims to Hurricane Sandy, 114 to Hurricane Irene, 95 to Hurricane Ida and 58 to the April 2007 nor'easter. FEMA's multiple-loss records, as of 2 August 2026, list 114 repetitive-loss properties in Lyndhurst, 21 of them severe repetitive loss; only four Bergen towns have more. The county plan also records five Lyndhurst properties as mitigated, more than any other municipality row in its table.
Sandy: a flood without much rain
FEMA's Flood Insurance Study for Bergen County notes that Sandy brought less than 2 inches of rain to the county, but that a full moon made high tides about 20 per cent higher than normal and the shoreline of New York-New Jersey Harbor saw record surge. The same study says the principal flooding in southern Bergen County results from the tidal stages of Newark Bay acting on the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers. FEMA's Individual Assistance records list 204 valid registrations from Lyndhurst owner-occupants after Sandy, 76 of them approved for assistance. The study adds a point that surprises people: because the Meadowlands marshes store water, a long, lower nor'easter tide can be more critical than a higher but brief hurricane surge. Parts of the township can flood on a day of light rain if the tide is high and the wind holds it there.
Irene and Ida came from the other direction
Irene in 2011 and Ida in 2021 were rain storms, and they reached Lyndhurst differently. Irene's water came down the Passaic, which is tidal along the township's western edge; the Environmental Protection Agency describes the tidal river as running 17 miles from Newark Bay up to Dundee Dam. Ida was an intense downpour that overwhelmed drainage across northern New Jersey. FEMA's Individual Assistance records show 339 valid owner-occupant registrations in Lyndhurst after Ida, more than after Sandy, against 95 Ida flood insurance claims. Far more households sought federal help than filed flood insurance claims.
Pumps, tide gates and the Meadowlands authority
Lyndhurst is one of ten Bergen municipalities partly inside the Meadowlands District. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which manages floodplain matters there, says it inspects tide gates, pump stations and major drainage ditches every year and continuously monitors eight tide gates. It has taken part in FEMA's Community Rating System since 1992, which makes policies on Special Flood Hazard Area properties within the district eligible for a 15 per cent discount. The authority's research institute publishes storm surge maps for Lyndhurst, dated July 2023 and based on 2022 lidar, showing what water levels from 2 to 8 feet would cover if the tide gates were absent; the sheet labels Valley Brook Avenue, Polito Avenue and Chubb Avenue on the Meadowlands side, and states that it does not replace FEMA maps. The 2014 county draft listed four Lyndhurst pump stations among critical facilities vulnerable to storm surge.
What this means if you own or rent here
Start by finding out which half of Lyndhurst you live in. An address on the Meadowlands side faces tidal flooding, which follows the tide and surge forecast for the Hackensack rather than the rainfall forecast; an address near the Passaic faces a slower river flood that can arrive a day or two after the rain. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center shows whether a property is in the mapped zone. If you are in the district and in the Special Flood Hazard Area, ask your agent whether the Community Rating System discount applies. Flood is a separate policy from homeowners insurance, and FEMA states that a new policy normally takes effect 30 days after purchase. About 40 per cent of Lyndhurst homes are rented, according to the US Census Bureau; a landlord's policy does not cover a tenant's belongings. Whether a given loss is covered is decided by your insurer and your policy wording.
Common questions
Does Lyndhurst, NJ flood?
Yes. The county hazard plan places about half the township's land in the FEMA 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, and FEMA counts 513 flood insurance claims there, with Sandy, Irene and Ida the largest events.
Is Lyndhurst flooding caused by the Passaic or the Meadowlands?
Mostly the Meadowlands. A 2014 county draft split Lyndhurst's flood zone into 4 per cent riverine and 46 per cent coastal, and FEMA's flood study attributes the principal flooding in southern Bergen County to the tidal stages of Newark Bay. Properties near the Passaic on the west side face river flooding as well.
Can Lyndhurst flood when it is not raining?
Parts of it can. Tidal flooding depends on the height and duration of the tide and surge, not on local rain. FEMA's study notes that Sandy delivered less than 2 inches of rain to Bergen County, yet it produced more Lyndhurst flood claims than any other storm.
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