In 1955 a proposal was made by Congress for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to alleviate flooding on the Delaware River by constructing a dam at the site of Tocks Island. This dam, south of Walpack, would have created a lake roughly long and wide. Approximately of the surrounding land, including Walpack, were claimed under eminent domain by the government for this project and thousands of area residents were forced to move out. Although the dam was never actually constructed, the township's population has been on the decline ever since.