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Increasing concerns regarding water quality conditions of Mountain Lake prompted the Liberty Township Committee to establish a Lake Study Group which was tasked to develop a long-term monitoring plan, analyze and synthesize data, and provide comprehensive lake and watershed management planning. [gallery columns="2" link="none" size="medium" ids="18811,18807"] For this project, Princeton Hydro conducted a thorough review of the background data, logistical and equipment capabilities of the group, and developed a monitoring implementation plan for the 2021 growing season. Following plan development, Princeton Hydro aquatic ecologists conducted a field-based volunteer training session which taught the volunteers how to collect in-situ, laboratory, and plankton data in addition to general field observations. Data handling, quality control, and analysis techniques were also reviewed with the group. This data is currently being used by the group to provide the scientific data necessary to diagnose potential lake problems and as an objective benchmark for the recommendation of management solutions. [gallery link="none" size="medium" ids="18812,18808,18809"] [post_title] => Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Training with the Mountain Lake Community Association [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => volunteer-water-quality-monitoring-training-with-the-mountain-lake-community-association [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-08 21:45:24 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-08 21:45:24 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18806 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18800 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-12-02 20:22:29 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-12-02 20:22:29 [post_content] => The New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (NJDMAVA) retained Princeton Hydro to implement ecological services at the Sea Girt National Guard Training Center in the Borough of Sea Girt, Monmouth County, New Jersey. To facilitate portions of the 2025-2029 Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP), Princeton Hydro conducted a series of tasks such as delineating the extent of the northern and southern dune protection areas, where suitable habitat for the federally threatened, state endangered piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is present and confirming the extent of wetlands associated with a prior Letter of Interpretation. The project team also conducted an ecological assessment of the existing ecological communities with a focus on identifying the presence/extent/type of invasive species present to inform future targeted habitat management efforts identified within the INRMP and procured, on behalf of NJDMAVA, a Letter of Interpretation – Line Verification, Freshwater Wetlands General Permit 16 – Creation, restoration, and enhancement of habitat and water quality functions and values, and Coastal Zone Management General Permit 24 – Habitat creation, restoration, enhancement, and living shoreline activities. [gallery link="none" columns="2" size="large" ids="18801,18803"] [post_title] => Sea Girt Nation Guard Training Center Habitat Enhancement Project [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => sea-girt-nation-guard-training-center-habitat-enhancement-project [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-08 21:44:33 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-08 21:44:33 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18800 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18799 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-12-02 20:14:40 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-12-02 20:14:40 [post_content] => Since 2023, Princeton Hydro has been working with the local nonprofit group, Trenton South Ward Neighborhood Association (TSWNA), on projects and initiatives to obtain and transform vacant lots in Trenton to accessible green, community parks. Princeton Hydro assisted the TSWNA in obtaining a grant from the Xerces Society to plant 500-native pollinator plants in their community garden. The Xerces Society habitat kit program aims to increase access to high-quality pollinator habitat plants, especially in marginalized populations. The project strives to achieve multiple objectives: 1) provide the TSWNA with a new configuration to increase the amount of planting beds, and 2) incorporate a shed/workspace area in addition to the native plant plugs in a way that creates distinct spaces within the garden. The inclusion of native plant plugs provides a valuable opportunity for the TSWNA to engage residents through educational experiences. The native pollinator garden project highlights the critical role native pollinator plants play in supporting vegetable and fruit production, in turn fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation among the community. Princeton Hydro’s role in the project involved developing three design concepts and presenting the alternatives to the TSWNA Board President for review. Once the concept was selected, Princeton Hydro created a planting plan and a maintenance package to assist the TSWNA in identifying and managing the plants provided through the grant. Additionally, Princeton Hydro collaborated with the TSWNA to organize volunteer site preparation and plant installation days, promoting community involvement and engagement throughout the process. [gallery columns="2" link="none" size="medium" ids="18797,15167"] [post_title] => Trenton South Ward Neighborhood Association Community Garden Pollinator Grant [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => trenton-south-ward-neighborhood-association-community-garden-pollinator-grant [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-08 21:44:27 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-08 21:44:27 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18799 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18594 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-10-11 14:00:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-10-11 14:00:49 [post_content] => Moorestown Township, located in Southern New Jersey, has about 22 miles of streams and 106 acres of lakes and ponds within its borders, including Strawbridge Lake. There are portions of three watersheds for Strawbridge Lake in the Township: the Rancocas Creek, the Pennsauken Creek, and Pompeston Creek/Swede Run. These are subdivided into eight subwatersheds located within Moorestown. In 2010, all eight of these subwatersheds were impaired for one or more designated uses. The most common cause of impairment was phosphorus. As a result, in 2017, Princeton Hydro authored the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan, a USEPA 9-Element Plan for the management and restoration of the lake and its watershed. Since 2017, our team has implemented several nonpoint source targeted stormwater management projects in the watershed for the Township. Specifically, the Township has restored and upgraded a passive stormwater basin at the site of Strawbridge Lake Park. The basin was upgraded to be passive, vegetated stormwater conveyance and treatment BMPs that filter and attenuate stormwater runoff from adjacent areas. This project was identified in the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan. Additionally, the Children’s Pond forebay area of Strawbridge Lake was also recently dredged and restored. This dredging was also identified in the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan. [gallery link="none" size="medium" ids="834,890,894"] These projects act as an excellent example of green infrastructure within the community and provide both public access and education opportunities explaining the overall lake and stormwater quality. These projects have also included a major education and outreach element. Through education and outreach efforts, the Township has promoted on-lot green infrastructure techniques, including such techniques as: rainwater harvesting, bioretention systems, porous pavement, and other easy-to-implement, grassroots best management practices and low impact development techniques that the surrounding community can use. [post_title] => Strawbridge Lake US EPA 8-Element Watershed Plan & Restoration Implementation [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => strawbridge-lake-us-epa-8-element-watershed-plan-restoration-implementation [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-11-05 14:51:42 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-11-05 14:51:42 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18594 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18304 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-09-30 13:25:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-09-30 13:25:15 [post_content] => Along the Third River and Spring Brook, two freshwater tributaries of the Passaic River, a highly disturbed, flood-prone former industrial site, were transformed into a thriving public park allowing for both passive and active recreational activities. By removing a little over four acres of upland historic fill in this densely developed area and converting it into 4.2 acres of a functioning floodplain wetland, the project restored valuable ecological functions, enhances wetland and riparian zone habitat, and increases flood storage capacity for urban stormwater runoff. Princeton Hydro served as the ecological engineer to Bloomfield Township. Our scientists and engineers played a crucial role in this important urban wetland creation project by assisting in obtaining grant acquisition, collecting background ecological data through field sampling and surveying, developing a water budget, completing all necessary permitting, designing both the conceptual and final restoration plans, and conducting construction oversight during implementation. The site includes 1,360 feet along the east bank of the Third River and 3,040 feet along the banks of the Spring Brook. These waterways are freshwater tributaries of the Passaic River and share a history of flooding above the site’s 100-year floodplain. The Third River, like many urban streams, tends to be the victim of excessive volume and is subjected to erosion and chronic, uncontrolled flooding. This green infrastructure project re-established the natural floodplain wetland and riparian plant communities, which led to a species-rich forest community through the removal of invasive species, setting the stage for native plants. Over 500 trees and shrubs were planted in the new wetland, with additional trees and shrubs planted along Lion Gate Drive and in existing woodlands. The selected native plant species all provide important wildlife value, such as providing fruit for migratory birds. Phase One of the project, which includes the wetland construction and plantings, was completed in April 2020. The sports fields and playground were completed in June 2021 and are now open to the public. For this project’s design and construction, Bloomfield Township, Strauss and Associates, ARH, and Princeton Hydro secured $1.76 million in funding from the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Mitigation Council and several million more from NJDEP’s Office of Natural Resource Restoration. Acquisition of part of the property was funded by New Jersey Green Acres. [gallery size="large" link="none" columns="2" ids="18307,18306"] [post_title] => Urban Wetland Creation in Bloomfield Township [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => urban-wetland-creation [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-11-03 21:18:25 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-11-03 21:18:25 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18304 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18036 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-08-05 17:20:25 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-08-05 17:20:25 [post_content] => The Gloucester County Solid Waste Complex (GCSWC) was required to implement a grassland bird habitat and hibernacula mitigation and maintenance plan, totaling 71.34-acres, within an undeveloped southern portion of GCSWC land (Site). This mitigation and maintenance plan was required to offset an expansion of the existing landfill into an area which presently provides suitable grassland bird habitat. In addition to the creation of grassland bird habitat, the Permit Modification also required the implementation of periodic grassland bird surveys to document the development of the grassland and to ensure that suitable grassland habitat has been created which supports breeding grassland bird species. Princeton Hydro assessed the existing ecological communities within a portion of the undeveloped land within the GCSWC, which was being targeted for the creation of grassland bird habitat and a hibernacula mitigation and maintenance plan. This effort identified the existing ecological communities, documented plant species, provided recommendations for grassland habitat enhancement within the existing ecological communities where warranted, provided guidelines for hibernaculum creation, and provided seed mix recommendations to create quality grassland bird habitat. This report, the “Grassland Habitat Ecological Communities Analysis”, served as the basis for the habitat creation efforts on-Site. Concomitant to the implementation of the recommended restoration measures outlined in the Grassland Habitat Ecological Communities Analysis document, Princeton Hydro developed a systematic monitoring plan for the avian species on-Site, titled “The Grassland Bird Species and Hibernacula Monitoring Plan”. In 2023, the recommended management measures were implemented, including the application of the recommended upland and wet meadow seed mixes installed within a 70-acre portion of the Site. The seed mixes were selected to include native, desirable grassland flora which are preferred by grassland nesting avifauna. In addition to the creation of grassland bird habitat, approximately 1.34-acres of wildlife hibernacula, designed by Princeton Hydro, were installed. Subsequent to habitat implementation measures, it was determined in early 2024 that the grassland seed mix had germinated successfully, and in response, the grassland bird species monitoring was initiated for the 2024 breeding season. Results of the first monitoring of the grassland indicate that it has developed quality habitat in its initial growing season. Additionally, the created habitat was supporting a number of grassland obligate and grassland edge breeding bird species. Point count and incidental avian surveys of the Site documented the presence of grassland and grassland edge breeding birds throughout the breeding season. These species included New Jersey State Threatened Breeding Species Grasshopper Sparrow, Horned Lark, and American Kestrel, and Special Concern Breeding Species Field Sparrow, Bank Swallow, and Brown Thrasher. In addition to these species which possess a New Jersey State listing designation, a number of additional grassland obligate, open country, and grassland edge species were documented, including a rare New Jersey breeding species in Dickcissel, along with Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Orchard Oriole, and Eastern Kingbird. Confirmations of successful breeding (i.e. nests, fledged young, feeding young, etc.) were observed in many of these species, indicating that the Site is already productive for the targeted grassland avifauna. [post_title] => Development of Grassland Bird Species and Hibernacula Monitoring Plan/Grassland Bird Surveys [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => development-of-grassland-bird-species-and-hibernacula-monitoring-plan-grassland-bird-surveys [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-08-05 17:22:43 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-08-05 17:22:43 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18036 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18033 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-08-05 16:02:32 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-08-05 16:02:32 [post_content] => The N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) received a grant for this project from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation. Grantees were charged with providing increased resilience to natural infrastructure that will in turn increase the resiliency of coastal communities in the face of future storms like Hurricane Sandy. Due to the need to maintain navigation channels and assist in the adaptation of tidal marshes to sea level rise and subsidence, the project was completed to investigate and assess the use of dredged material disposal placement, and the effectiveness of this method in maintaining marshes at an elevation that supports native marsh vegetation to reinforce the subsoils and protect the local community. One of the metrics analyzed was the impact, if any, of the placement of dredged material on the community composition, abundance, and distribution of avian species within the two dredged material placement sites, one proximal to the Atlantic Ocean in Avalon, New Jersey and the other proximal to Delaware Bay Fortescue, New Jersey. [gallery link="none" size="large" columns="2" ids="18032,18028"] Princeton Hydro, in conjunction with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Wetlands Institute, and The Nature Conservancy, developed a monitoring plan that utilized the BACI (before, after, control, impact) study design and the protocols from the “Standardized North American Marsh Bird Monitoring Protocols” developed by Courtney Conway in 2012 for both the Fortescue and Avalon sites. Surveys were implemented over a period of four years, 2014-2017, occurring during the spring, summer, and fall periods to capture the avian community composition changes both seasonally and year over year at both sites with seven survey areas at Fortescue and nine at Avalon. Post thin layer placement surveys indicated that (1) avian species richness increased at Avalon, but was negligible at Fortescue; (2) species guild assemblage experienced a shift, with an increase in shorebirds coinciding with a decrease in waders and passerines at Avalon, while there was an increase in gulls and waders and a decrease in passerines at Fortescue; (3) loafing by shorebirds and gulls increased at Avalon, while Fortescue had negligible changes in loafing. Over time, loafing activities at both sites decreased with an increase in foraging observed and the communities of both sites shifted from gull/shorebird dominated to passerine/wader dominated as the marsh vegetation developed. [post_title] => Avian Monitoring of Coastal Salt Marshes [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => avian-monitoring-of-coastal-salt-marshes [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-08-05 16:03:34 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-08-05 16:03:34 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=18033 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [7] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 17715 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-07-01 14:59:08 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-07-01 14:59:08 [post_content] => The Cooper River Watershed is a 39.5 square mile tributary to the Delaware River within the Delaware River Basin. It is characterized by extensive residential and commercial development and a number of highly degraded waterbodies. Near the mouth of the Cooper River, a tidal dam forms Cooper River Lake (CRL). This 192-acre public lake has a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for total phosphorus (TP) and a variety of other nonpoint source pollutants. Immediately upstream of CRL are Wallworth Lake and Evans Pond which suffer the same impairments as CRL. CRL is the centerpiece of Camden County’s 347-acre Cooper River Park; Evans Pond and Wallworth Lake are within Camden County’s Wallworth Park (56 acres). These waterbodies are part of Camden County’s greenway and provide recreational opportunities to the overburdened communities (OBCs) that surround them. These waterbodies also provide significant water quality services to the watershed, such as regional stormwater attenuation and sediment trapping. Unfortunately, the highly degraded condition of this watershed is well documented. Further, in 2020 a harmful algal bloom (HAB) was confirmed by NJDEP within Hopkins Pond, a waterbody upstream of CRL, with toxin levels posing a high risk of adverse health effects. Camden County Soil Conservation District (CCSCD) was awarded funding through NJDEP’s Lake Restoration Grant program to develop a USEPA 9-Element Plus 1 Watershed Implementation Plan (9E+1 WIP) for the CRL watershed, including Evans Pond, Wallworth Lake, and Hopkins Pond. The goal of the WIP is to develop a strategy to cost effectively identify and address the potential watershed impacts through in-lake and watershed-based management activities, with designs to address impacts driven by climate change. Through stakeholder engagement and the review of historical data, the project team is determining sources of pollutant loading in the watershed. The team will utilize the results, and the data collected during the water quality monitoring and watershed assessment to characterize and prioritize areas that and locations that would be optimal for best management practices and green infrastructure. Ultimately, the project team will develop a comprehensive Cooper River Lake Watershed Implementation Plan. Princeton Hydro is in the process of completing a 1-year detailed sampling and surveying exercise of the CRL watershed for the purpose of collecting the data needed to assess the lake and streams within and design the lake/stream protection and watershed management plan. In addition to the above mentioned tasks, Princeton Hydro also conducted bathymetric assessments of CRL, Evans Pond, and Wallworth Lake. [post_title] => Watershed Implementation Plan for Cooper River Lake [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => watershed-implementation-plan-for-cooper-river-lake [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-07-01 14:59:08 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-01 14:59:08 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=17715 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [8] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 17622 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-06-03 11:47:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-03 11:47:38 [post_content] => Princeton Hydro was part of a two-firm team tasked with the completion of Phase II detail scour analyses for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), a major state-wide transportation authority. Princeton Hydro was specifically tasked with the completion of scour analyses for 13 individual major highway bridges. These bridges were distributed throughout the state and included structures in both the coastal plain and piedmont physiographic provinces. The road crossings at the focus of the study range from single lane exit ramps to five-lane single direction major highways. The average daily traffic load of combined 13 road crossings which were studied is 1.3 million vehicles per day. The detailed Phase II studies were conducted on structures which were previously identified during separate Phase I scour investigations and Biennial Bridge Inspection Reports. Inspections and investigations ultimately either confirmed the existing Federal Highway Authority Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation’s Bridges (SI&A) codes including Items 61 (Channel and Channel Protection), Item 71 (Waterway Adequacy) and Item 113 (Scour Critical Bridges). Princeton Hydro provided a wide range of services as it related to the scour assessments. These services included field inspection service planning and logistics as well and watercraft access to bridge structures. In-field engineering inspections of bridge structures with a focus on scour were also completed for the 13 structures. These inspections included the collection of photographs of the bridge and surrounding channel conditions as well as the collection of representative soil samples. The soil samples were then delivered to our in-house soil laboratory, which is accredited under the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Accreditation Program (AAP), for analysis with the results of the soil analyses being applied in the scour analysis hydraulic calculations. Our engineering services included a detailed review of previous documentation for each bridge including original as-built drawing, previous inspection reports, and other National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) reporting. The Phase II detailed scour analysis also included a hydrologic analysis for each road crossing with consequent hydraulic modeling of the bridge structure and stream channel being performed in HEC-RAS. Results from HEC-RAS were then used to conduct additional scour analysis in the Federal Highway Administration Hydraulic Toolbox. [post_title] => New Jersey Turnpike Authority Phase II Detail Scour Analysis [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => new-jersey-turnpike-authority-phase-ii-detail-scour-analysis [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-06-03 11:47:38 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-06-03 11:47:38 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?post_type=project&p=17622 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => project [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [9] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 17621 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-06-03 11:31:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-03 11:31:15 [post_content] => Over 40 years ago, Mercer County purchased 279 acres of flood-prone land along Miry Run as part of a restoration and flood mitigation initiative. In 2018, Mercer County Park Commission (MCPC) contracted Princeton Hydro and Simone Collins Landscape Architecture to develop the Miry Run Ponds Master Plan with three primary goals: (1) Provide passive recreation to complement other County activities; (2) Preserve and enhance the habitat, water quality, and natural systems that currently exist onsite; and (3) Provide linkage to adjacent trails and parks. [caption id="attachment_7488" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Miry Run Ponds Master Plan won the 2021 Landscape Architectural Chapter Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects New Jersey Chapter.[/caption] The team assessed the land area and proposed a concept plan to enhance the area and create recreational lake activities. Applying expertise in science-based assessment and evaluations, we performed:
The Mountain Lake Community Association and Watershed Advisory Group is the oldest and largest nonprofit organization in Warren County, New Jersey. Increasing concerns regarding water quality conditions of Mountain Lake prompted the Liberty Township Committee to establish a Lake Study Group which was tasked to develop a long-term monitoring plan, analyze and synthesize data, and provide comprehensive lake and watershed management planning.
For this project, Princeton Hydro conducted a thorough review of the background data, logistical and equipment capabilities of the group, and developed a monitoring implementation plan for the 2021 growing season.
Following plan development, Princeton Hydro aquatic ecologists conducted a field-based volunteer training session which taught the volunteers how to collect in-situ, laboratory, and plankton data in addition to general field observations. Data handling, quality control, and analysis techniques were also reviewed with the group. This data is currently being used by the group to provide the scientific data necessary to diagnose potential lake problems and as an objective benchmark for the recommendation of management solutions.
The New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (NJDMAVA) retained Princeton Hydro to implement ecological services at the Sea Girt National Guard Training Center in the Borough of Sea Girt, Monmouth County, New Jersey. To facilitate portions of the 2025-2029 Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP), Princeton Hydro conducted a series of tasks such as delineating the extent of the northern and southern dune protection areas, where suitable habitat for the federally threatened, state endangered piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is present and confirming the extent of wetlands associated with a prior Letter of Interpretation.
The project team also conducted an ecological assessment of the existing ecological communities with a focus on identifying the presence/extent/type of invasive species present to inform future targeted habitat management efforts identified within the INRMP and procured, on behalf of NJDMAVA, a Letter of Interpretation – Line Verification, Freshwater Wetlands General Permit 16 – Creation, restoration, and enhancement of habitat and water quality functions and values, and Coastal Zone Management General Permit 24 – Habitat creation, restoration, enhancement, and living shoreline activities.
Since 2023, Princeton Hydro has been working with the local nonprofit group, Trenton South Ward Neighborhood Association (TSWNA), on projects and initiatives to obtain and transform vacant lots in Trenton to accessible green, community parks. Princeton Hydro assisted the TSWNA in obtaining a grant from the Xerces Society to plant 500-native pollinator plants in their community garden. The Xerces Society habitat kit program aims to increase access to high-quality pollinator habitat plants, especially in marginalized populations. The project strives to achieve multiple objectives: 1) provide the TSWNA with a new configuration to increase the amount of planting beds, and 2) incorporate a shed/workspace area in addition to the native plant plugs in a way that creates distinct spaces within the garden. The inclusion of native plant plugs provides a valuable opportunity for the TSWNA to engage residents through educational experiences. The native pollinator garden project highlights the critical role native pollinator plants play in supporting vegetable and fruit production, in turn fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation among the community.
Princeton Hydro’s role in the project involved developing three design concepts and presenting the alternatives to the TSWNA Board President for review. Once the concept was selected, Princeton Hydro created a planting plan and a maintenance package to assist the TSWNA in identifying and managing the plants provided through the grant. Additionally, Princeton Hydro collaborated with the TSWNA to organize volunteer site preparation and plant installation days, promoting community involvement and engagement throughout the process.
Moorestown Township, located in Southern New Jersey, has about 22 miles of streams and 106 acres of lakes and ponds within its borders, including Strawbridge Lake. There are portions of three watersheds for Strawbridge Lake in the Township: the Rancocas Creek, the Pennsauken Creek, and Pompeston Creek/Swede Run. These are subdivided into eight subwatersheds located within Moorestown. In 2010, all eight of these subwatersheds were impaired for one or more designated uses. The most common cause of impairment was phosphorus. As a result, in 2017, Princeton Hydro authored the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan, a USEPA 9-Element Plan for the management and restoration of the lake and its watershed.
Since 2017, our team has implemented several nonpoint source targeted stormwater management projects in the watershed for the Township. Specifically, the Township has restored and upgraded a passive stormwater basin at the site of Strawbridge Lake Park. The basin was upgraded to be passive, vegetated stormwater conveyance and treatment BMPs that filter and attenuate stormwater runoff from adjacent areas. This project was identified in the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan.
Additionally, the Children’s Pond forebay area of Strawbridge Lake was also recently dredged and restored. This dredging was also identified in the Strawbridge Lake Watershed and Restoration Plan.
These projects act as an excellent example of green infrastructure within the community and provide both public access and education opportunities explaining the overall lake and stormwater quality. These projects have also included a major education and outreach element. Through education and outreach efforts, the Township has promoted on-lot green infrastructure techniques, including such techniques as: rainwater harvesting, bioretention systems, porous pavement, and other easy-to-implement, grassroots best management practices and low impact development techniques that the surrounding community can use.
Along the Third River and Spring Brook, two freshwater tributaries of the Passaic River, a highly disturbed, flood-prone former industrial site, were transformed into a thriving public park allowing for both passive and active recreational activities. By removing a little over four acres of upland historic fill in this densely developed area and converting it into 4.2 acres of a functioning floodplain wetland, the project restored valuable ecological functions, enhances wetland and riparian zone habitat, and increases flood storage capacity for urban stormwater runoff.
Princeton Hydro served as the ecological engineer to Bloomfield Township. Our scientists and engineers played a crucial role in this important urban wetland creation project by assisting in obtaining grant acquisition, collecting background ecological data through field sampling and surveying, developing a water budget, completing all necessary permitting, designing both the conceptual and final restoration plans, and conducting construction oversight during implementation.
The site includes 1,360 feet along the east bank of the Third River and 3,040 feet along the banks of the Spring Brook. These waterways are freshwater tributaries of the Passaic River and share a history of flooding above the site’s 100-year floodplain. The Third River, like many urban streams, tends to be the victim of excessive volume and is subjected to erosion and chronic, uncontrolled flooding. This green infrastructure project re-established the natural floodplain wetland and riparian plant communities, which led to a species-rich forest community through the removal of invasive species, setting the stage for native plants.
Over 500 trees and shrubs were planted in the new wetland, with additional trees and shrubs planted along Lion Gate Drive and in existing woodlands. The selected native plant species all provide important wildlife value, such as providing fruit for migratory birds. Phase One of the project, which includes the wetland construction and plantings, was completed in April 2020. The sports fields and playground were completed in June 2021 and are now open to the public.
For this project’s design and construction, Bloomfield Township, Strauss and Associates, ARH, and Princeton Hydro secured $1.76 million in funding from the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Mitigation Council and several million more from NJDEP’s Office of Natural Resource Restoration. Acquisition of part of the property was funded by New Jersey Green Acres.
The Gloucester County Solid Waste Complex (GCSWC) was required to implement a grassland bird habitat and hibernacula mitigation and maintenance plan, totaling 71.34-acres, within an undeveloped southern portion of GCSWC land (Site). This mitigation and maintenance plan was required to offset an expansion of the existing landfill into an area which presently provides suitable grassland bird habitat. In addition to the creation of grassland bird habitat, the Permit Modification also required the implementation of periodic grassland bird surveys to document the development of the grassland and to ensure that suitable grassland habitat has been created which supports breeding grassland bird species.
Princeton Hydro assessed the existing ecological communities within a portion of the undeveloped land within the GCSWC, which was being targeted for the creation of grassland bird habitat and a hibernacula mitigation and maintenance plan. This effort identified the existing ecological communities, documented plant species, provided recommendations for grassland habitat enhancement within the existing ecological communities where warranted, provided guidelines for hibernaculum creation, and provided seed mix recommendations to create quality grassland bird habitat. This report, the “Grassland Habitat Ecological Communities Analysis”, served as the basis for the habitat creation efforts on-Site.
Concomitant to the implementation of the recommended restoration measures outlined in the Grassland Habitat Ecological Communities Analysis document, Princeton Hydro developed a systematic monitoring plan for the avian species on-Site, titled “The Grassland Bird Species and Hibernacula Monitoring Plan”. In 2023, the recommended management measures were implemented, including the application of the recommended upland and wet meadow seed mixes installed within a 70-acre portion of the Site. The seed mixes were selected to include native, desirable grassland flora which are preferred by grassland nesting avifauna. In addition to the creation of grassland bird habitat, approximately 1.34-acres of wildlife hibernacula, designed by Princeton Hydro, were installed. Subsequent to habitat implementation measures, it was determined in early 2024 that the grassland seed mix had germinated successfully, and in response, the grassland bird species monitoring was initiated for the 2024 breeding season.
Results of the first monitoring of the grassland indicate that it has developed quality habitat in its initial growing season. Additionally, the created habitat was supporting a number of grassland obligate and grassland edge breeding bird species. Point count and incidental avian surveys of the Site documented the presence of grassland and grassland edge breeding birds throughout the breeding season. These species included New Jersey State Threatened Breeding Species Grasshopper Sparrow, Horned Lark, and American Kestrel, and Special Concern Breeding Species Field Sparrow, Bank Swallow, and Brown Thrasher. In addition to these species which possess a New Jersey State listing designation, a number of additional grassland obligate, open country, and grassland edge species were documented, including a rare New Jersey breeding species in Dickcissel, along with Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Orchard Oriole, and Eastern Kingbird. Confirmations of successful breeding (i.e. nests, fledged young, feeding young, etc.) were observed in many of these species, indicating that the Site is already productive for the targeted grassland avifauna.
The N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) received a grant for this project from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation. Grantees were charged with providing increased resilience to natural infrastructure that will in turn increase the resiliency of coastal communities in the face of future storms like Hurricane Sandy. Due to the need to maintain navigation channels and assist in the adaptation of tidal marshes to sea level rise and subsidence, the project was completed to investigate and assess the use of dredged material disposal placement, and the effectiveness of this method in maintaining marshes at an elevation that supports native marsh vegetation to reinforce the subsoils and protect the local community.
One of the metrics analyzed was the impact, if any, of the placement of dredged material on the community composition, abundance, and distribution of avian species within the two dredged material placement sites, one proximal to the Atlantic Ocean in Avalon, New Jersey and the other proximal to Delaware Bay Fortescue, New Jersey.
Princeton Hydro, in conjunction with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Wetlands Institute, and The Nature Conservancy, developed a monitoring plan that utilized the BACI (before, after, control, impact) study design and the protocols from the “Standardized North American Marsh Bird Monitoring Protocols” developed by Courtney Conway in 2012 for both the Fortescue and Avalon sites.
Surveys were implemented over a period of four years, 2014-2017, occurring during the spring, summer, and fall periods to capture the avian community composition changes both seasonally and year over year at both sites with seven survey areas at Fortescue and nine at Avalon. Post thin layer placement surveys indicated that (1) avian species richness increased at Avalon, but was negligible at Fortescue; (2) species guild assemblage experienced a shift, with an increase in shorebirds coinciding with a decrease in waders and passerines at Avalon, while there was an increase in gulls and waders and a decrease in passerines at Fortescue; (3) loafing by shorebirds and gulls increased at Avalon, while Fortescue had negligible changes in loafing. Over time, loafing activities at both sites decreased with an increase in foraging observed and the communities of both sites shifted from gull/shorebird dominated to passerine/wader dominated as the marsh vegetation developed.
The Cooper River Watershed is a 39.5 square mile tributary to the Delaware River within the Delaware River Basin. It is characterized by extensive residential and commercial development and a number of highly degraded waterbodies. Near the mouth of the Cooper River, a tidal dam forms Cooper River Lake (CRL). This 192-acre public lake has a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for total phosphorus (TP) and a variety of other nonpoint source pollutants. Immediately upstream of CRL are Wallworth Lake and Evans Pond which suffer the same impairments as CRL.
CRL is the centerpiece of Camden County’s 347-acre Cooper River Park; Evans Pond and Wallworth Lake are within Camden County’s Wallworth Park (56 acres). These waterbodies are part of Camden County’s greenway and provide recreational opportunities to the overburdened communities (OBCs) that surround them. These waterbodies also provide significant water quality services to the watershed, such as regional stormwater attenuation and sediment trapping. Unfortunately, the highly degraded condition of this watershed is well documented. Further, in 2020 a harmful algal bloom (HAB) was confirmed by NJDEP within Hopkins Pond, a waterbody upstream of CRL, with toxin levels posing a high risk of adverse health effects.
Camden County Soil Conservation District (CCSCD) was awarded funding through NJDEP’s Lake Restoration Grant program to develop a USEPA 9-Element Plus 1 Watershed Implementation Plan (9E+1 WIP) for the CRL watershed, including Evans Pond, Wallworth Lake, and Hopkins Pond. The goal of the WIP is to develop a strategy to cost effectively identify and address the potential watershed impacts through in-lake and watershed-based management activities, with designs to address impacts driven by climate change.
Through stakeholder engagement and the review of historical data, the project team is determining sources of pollutant loading in the watershed. The team will utilize the results, and the data collected during the water quality monitoring and watershed assessment to characterize and prioritize areas that and locations that would be optimal for best management practices and green infrastructure. Ultimately, the project team will develop a comprehensive Cooper River Lake Watershed Implementation Plan. Princeton Hydro is in the process of completing a 1-year detailed sampling and surveying exercise of the CRL watershed for the purpose of collecting the data needed to assess the lake and streams within and design the lake/stream protection and watershed management plan. In addition to the above mentioned tasks, Princeton Hydro also conducted bathymetric assessments of CRL, Evans Pond, and Wallworth Lake.
Princeton Hydro was part of a two-firm team tasked with the completion of Phase II detail scour analyses for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), a major state-wide transportation authority. Princeton Hydro was specifically tasked with the completion of scour analyses for 13 individual major highway bridges. These bridges were distributed throughout the state and included structures in both the coastal plain and piedmont physiographic provinces. The road crossings at the focus of the study range from single lane exit ramps to five-lane single direction major highways. The average daily traffic load of combined 13 road crossings which were studied is 1.3 million vehicles per day.
The detailed Phase II studies were conducted on structures which were previously identified during separate Phase I scour investigations and Biennial Bridge Inspection Reports. Inspections and investigations ultimately either confirmed the existing Federal Highway Authority Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation’s Bridges (SI&A) codes including Items 61 (Channel and Channel Protection), Item 71 (Waterway Adequacy) and Item 113 (Scour Critical Bridges).
Princeton Hydro provided a wide range of services as it related to the scour assessments. These services included field inspection service planning and logistics as well and watercraft access to bridge structures. In-field engineering inspections of bridge structures with a focus on scour were also completed for the 13 structures. These inspections included the collection of photographs of the bridge and surrounding channel conditions as well as the collection of representative soil samples.
The soil samples were then delivered to our in-house soil laboratory, which is accredited under the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Accreditation Program (AAP), for analysis with the results of the soil analyses being applied in the scour analysis hydraulic calculations.
Our engineering services included a detailed review of previous documentation for each bridge including original as-built drawing, previous inspection reports, and other National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) reporting. The Phase II detailed scour analysis also included a hydrologic analysis for each road crossing with consequent hydraulic modeling of the bridge structure and stream channel being performed in HEC-RAS. Results from HEC-RAS were then used to conduct additional scour analysis in the Federal Highway Administration Hydraulic Toolbox.
Over 40 years ago, Mercer County purchased 279 acres of flood-prone land along Miry Run as part of a restoration and flood mitigation initiative. In 2018, Mercer County Park Commission (MCPC) contracted Princeton Hydro and Simone Collins Landscape Architecture to develop the Miry Run Ponds Master Plan with three primary goals: (1) Provide passive recreation to complement other County activities; (2) Preserve and enhance the habitat, water quality, and natural systems that currently exist onsite; and (3) Provide linkage to adjacent trails and parks.
The team assessed the land area and proposed a concept plan to enhance the area and create recreational lake activities. Applying expertise in science-based assessment and evaluations, we performed:
Our project team facilitated focus groups with local municipalities, residents, interest groups, and County stakeholders to seek their input and report on site evaluation findings. In partnership with the County, we held public meetings to gather feedback on the conceptual site designs. This helped to inform the park planning process and determine how best to manage the site to meet the needs of the community and future generations.
The final Miry Run Pond Master Plan goes above and beyond the original vision, proposing considerable improvements to the area prioritizing valuable natural features, including 34 acres of reforestation, 64 acres of new meadows, 19 acres of vernal pools, and 7.9 miles of walking trails. It serves as a long-term vision and will be implemented over multiple phases. Dredging of the lake began in 2023.
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