Geology of New Jersey

The state's geological features have impacted the course of settlement, development, commerce and industry over the past four centuries.

One is the Lowland section, which comprises flat, frequently inundated areas of tidal marshes, back bays, and barrier islands.

The intermediate upland section comprises raised areas inland and is best suited for farming and other agriculture.

Much of the northern segment of this region was glaciated and the resultant shaping help to form New York and Newark harbors.

[2] The Highland Province consists of the remnants of a billion year old mountain range that stretched from Newfoundland to Mexico on the edge of the North American continent and was created in the Grenville Orogeny.

The New Jersey Highlands geology is complicated due to complex patterns of folds, faults and intrusions.

[2] The harder granites and gneisses produce steep sided hills and mountains since they are relatively resistant to erosion.

The Kittatinny Ridge was created about four hundred million years ago when a small continent that was long and thin collided with proto North America.

Millions of years of erosion from rain, wind, snow, ice shaped the mountain and valley to its present configuration.

The Delaware River is deflected by ridges and travels generally southwest, along the strike of the upturned beds of shale sedimentary rock.