Flooding in South Hackensack, New Jersey: the flood zone, the record, and what to do
South Hackensack is a small township in three separate pieces, and its flood risk is unevenly spread among them. Its record is modest beside its Meadowlands neighbours, but it is not nothing.
The Bergen County 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan places 22.6 per cent of South Hackensack's land in the 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, far below Little Ferry or Moonachie. FEMA counts 83 flood insurance claims and 12 repetitive-loss properties for the township's 952 homes. Sandy, Irene and the April 2007 nor'easter account for most of the claims, which reflects two separate risks: tidal water from the Hackensack and Losen Slote on the low southern side, and heavy rain on the developed land around Route 46.
The short version
- The county hazard mitigation plan puts 22.6 per cent of South Hackensack's land in the 1 per cent annual chance flood zone.
- FEMA counts 83 flood insurance claims, 10 of them filed under the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission community.
- Sandy, Irene and the April 2007 nor'easter produced most of the township's claims.
- FEMA's flood study describes a discontinuous dike on the southern parcel that allows some flooding.
- FEMA lists 12 repetitive-loss properties, none severe, as of August 2026.
A township in three parts
South Hackensack is divided into three noncontiguous sections: a main, mostly residential section beside Hackensack, Little Ferry and Teterboro, crossed by Interstate 80; a small western piece known as Garfield Park; and a southern sliver of industrial property in the Meadowlands between Carlstadt, Moonachie and Ridgefield. That layout explains a lot about its flood exposure. Table 4.6-1 of the Bergen County 2026 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan puts 107.75 of its 476.37 acres, 22.62 per cent, in the FEMA 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, and 24.33 per cent including the 0.2 per cent zone. The county plan still lists South Hackensack among the municipalities subject to coastal flooding from the Hackensack, and the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute includes it in its tidal surge maps.
Losen Slote and the dike
Losen Slote Creek runs along the border of Little Ferry and South Hackensack before reaching the Hackensack River. The Meadowlands institute notes that a tide gate near its outlet, installed around 1921 by the Bergen County Mosquito Commission, keeps the tide out, so the creek normally carries only fresh water from the land around it. The state's recovery report for Little Ferry adds that Losen Slote provides stormwater capacity for South Hackensack as well as Moonachie and Carlstadt. FEMA's Flood Insurance Study says part of the township's southern parcel is partially protected from tidal flooding from the Hackensack and Losen Slote by a discontinuous dike, and that the dike does allow some flooding. In other words, when a surge is high enough, the defence has gaps.
Pumping on Route 46
The same FEMA study records that the township maintains a pumping station at State Route 46 and Huyler Street in its northern parcel, and that Bergen County replaced the Saddle River Avenue bridge. A pump station in that location is a reminder that low ground away from the river can still collect water faster than it drains. South Hackensack is also one of the five municipalities named by the state as benefiting from the Rebuild by Design Meadowlands pump station work announced in October 2023, aimed at flooding during and after rainfall in the Losen Slote basin.
The claim record
FEMA files 73 National Flood Insurance Program claims under the Township of South Hackensack and 10 from its ZIP code under the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission community, a total of 83. (The township's hub page quotes 89 claims for ZIP 07606, a slightly different measure.) Among the township's own claims, the largest years were 2012 with 22, 2011 with 17, 2007 with 12 and 2021 with 6. FEMA ties 22 to Sandy, 17 to Irene, 12 to the April 2007 nor'easter and 6 to Ida. The April 2007 storm produced the flood of record on the Hackensack River at the New Milford gauge, according to FEMA's flood study, so a share of the township's claims comes from river and rain events rather than surge. FEMA's multiple-loss records, as of 2 August 2026, list 12 repetitive-loss properties and no severe repetitive loss properties. The county plan shows 18 active NFIP policies as of October 2024.
What this means if you own or rent here
Which of the three pieces you are in matters more than the township average, so check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Near the southern Meadowlands parcel, take coastal flood warnings for the Hackensack seriously. Elsewhere, the more likely problems are surface water in heavy rain and basements that take water through drains or walls. About half of the township's 952 homes are rented, according to the US Census Bureau, and a landlord's policy does not cover a tenant's belongings. Flood is a separate policy from homeowners insurance, FEMA states that a new one normally takes effect 30 days after purchase, and sewer backup is commonly a separate endorsement. Whether a particular loss is covered is decided by your insurer and your policy wording.
Common questions
Does South Hackensack, NJ flood?
Parts of it do. About 23 per cent of the township is in the FEMA high-risk zone, FEMA records 83 flood insurance claims, and the southern Meadowlands parcel is exposed to tidal flooding.
What protects South Hackensack from the tide?
A tide gate on Losen Slote Creek and, on the southern parcel, a dike that FEMA describes as discontinuous and allowing some flooding. A township pump station also operates at Route 46 and Huyler Street.
Is South Hackensack part of Rebuild by Design?
Yes. The state lists it among the five Meadowlands municipalities that the Rebuild by Design pump station work is meant to help.
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