Over the course of three days, storms brought 7 inches (180 mm) of rain to the region, swelling Sunset Lake and other local interconnected waterways.
Eventually the pressure was too much and the dams gave way sending a torrent of water down the Cohansey River as well as tributaries connected to the Lakes.
The wall of water surged down through the banks of the Cohansey, emptying the lakes and the Raceway and flowing into and through downtown Bridgeton, which straddles the river.
The citizens were given short term relief when a Troop of Sea Scouts (associated with the Boy Scouts of America) used a donated lifeboat to set up a temporary ferry service by stringing a rope across the river and pulling the boat back and forth, earning $85 by charging a five-cent fare for an estimated 5,000 passengers.
Due to the surge of water during the flood, much debris was deposited in the Cohansey River, making navigation of the waterway dangerous.