THE CHALLENGE
Mullica Hill’s historic beginnings date back to the eighteenth century and the Civil War era. The village developed along a single roadway, Main Street, and centered on Raccoon Creek—the source of waterpower for its early industrial buildings. The existing Mullica Hill Pond Dam did not conform to NJDEP’s Dam Safety Standards, and the bridge over the spillway was in poor condition, structurally deficient, and functionally obsolete. The structures posed a serious threat to public safety.
Located on U.S. Route 322 at the Raccoon Creek Bridge crossing, the roadway is part of a major transportation route that channels a high volume of traffic to historic Main Street, a corridor known for its rows of antique shops and specialty stores. Over time, the existing dam and bridge reached the end of their useful lives. The dam spillway was inadequately sized to pass the required 100-year design storm, and the timber stop logs had a history of failing and emptying the pond. In 2011, Tropical Storm Irene slammed the region with heavy rainfall, causing the dam to overflow and incur significant damage.
