The pond at Deer Path Park in Readington Township washed away when the dam was destroyed in the heavy rains that hit on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31, 2016.
READINGTON -- The pond at Deer Path Park has been reduced to a puddle, following a weekend deluge that brought more than 7 inches of rain to the area.
"The dam at the pond was breached from all the rain we had," Parks and Recreation Division Head Carol Bodder confirmed Thursday.
The dam was located by a bridge on the path that rings the pond. "You could see the concrete that washed downstream," Bodder said.
Flood waters prompt rescues in Hunterdon
She got a call at her Holland Township home on Sunday from a park ranger, and was amazed to find out that while she was out in the sun, the park was getting inundated with rain. "We had maybe four drops of rain at home," she said.
It was another story in Raritan and Readington townships, where more than 7 inches of rain fell between Saturday night and early Sunday afternoon. Several drivers were stranded on roads where water rose quickly from swollen streams and rivers, and the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning at Solberg Airport in Readington was canceled on Sunday.
Bodder said work has started on assessing the damage. The state Department of Environmental Protection "has already looked at it," Bodder said. "We have to have the engineer assess it, then go through the DEP. We have to come up with a plan."
For now, the bridge on the path around the pond is closed off by netting and warning tape, and a stream that feeds the pond from the upper end keeps a good-sized puddle filled enough to attract a variety of ducks and wading birds.
Sallie Graziano may be reached at sgraziano@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SallieGraziano. Find NJ.com on Facebook.