TheRaritan River is a major river ofNew Jersey in theUnited States. It is receives water from the mountainous area of the central part of the state. The water empties into theRaritan Bay on theAtlantic Ocean.
Geologists believe that the Raritan provided the course of the mouth of theHudson River.[1]
The river forms at near the border ofSomerville, ofBridgewater,Branchburg, andHillsborough Townships. It flows for 16 mi (25.7 km). Then it slows into in tidewater atNew Brunswick. Itsestuary extends 14 mi (22.5 km) m.oIt re ensing the western end ofRaritan Bay atSouth Amboy.[2]
The river has served an important water transportation route for a while. The name Raritan comes from theRaritan people, anAlgonquian Native American tribe that inhabitedStaten Island. In colonial days, the river allowed the development of early industry aroundNew Brunswick. During theAmerican Revolutionary War, the river provided a means for troop conveyance.
Efforts have been taken to reduce the pollution and increase water quality. These actions have helped the resident fish population. These includelargemouth bass,smallmouth bass,sunfish,catfish,trout,chain pickerel,american eels,carp andyellow perch. Some parts of the river includestriped bass,fluke,winter flounder,weakfish andbluefish. Many birds live along the length of the river. Crustaceans such asblue claw crab,fiddler crabs andgreen crabs are also found in the tidal sections of the river.Crayfish can be found farther upstream.
The river is also used for recreational boating, including use by the rowing team ofRutgers University in New Brunswick. The river is featured in the title of Rutgers'alma mater,On the Banks of the Old Raritan, and its flooding is mentioned in the song.[3] The musical1776 mentions troops bathing in the Raritan River.
Near its mouth, the river has aNew Jersey Transit railroad bridge. There is theVictory Bridge that carriesRoute 35 (connectingPerth Amboy andSayreville, New Jersey); theEdison Bridge, which carriesU.S. Route 9 (connecting Woodbridge Township andSayreville); and theDriscoll Bridge, which carries theGarden State Parkway (connectingWoodbridge Township and Sayreville).
The Raritan River is an important source of drinking water for the central portion of New Jersey.
The Raritan River has flooding problems when massive rain from storms affects the river basin.
In August 2011, record flooding occurred once again afterHurricane Irene swept through the area.[4]