Borough of Ringwood Lakes and Watershed Assessment

Providing drinking water to millions of New Jersey residents, the Borough of Ringwood is situated in the heart of the New Jersey Highlands and is home to several public and private lakes that sit within the Ramapo Mountains. In order to take an active role in the management of these natural resources within multiple watersheds, the Borough of Ringwood was the first municipality in the state of New Jersey to take a regional approach to private lake management through a public-private partnership (PPP) with four lake associations.

Princeton Hydro assisted the Borough in securing a Highlands Council Planning Grant to conduct a Lakes and Watershed-based Assessment for four private lakes. The four private sets of lakes targeted in the plan— Cupsaw, Erskine, Skyline, and Riconda —were created by the Ringwood Company in the 1920’s and 1930’s to promote the municipality as a hunting and fishing retreat and a summer resort. They currently provide private beach clubs and recreational opportunities for surrounding homeowners who can opt to join as members.

Princeton Hydro completed the Watershed-based Assessment and Report, which met the following objectives:
1.Identification, quantification, and prioritization of watershed-based factors which may cause eutrophication;
2.Identification of watershed management measures needed to address general causes of water quality impairments;
3. Identification of the relative cost of the recommended general watershed management measures;
4. The generation of a schedule, based on priority, for the implementation of the recommended watershed management measures; and
5. A general assessment report was authored at the conclusion of the study.

As part of the PPP, the Borough of Ringwood reviewed the plan and suggested actions surrounding the lakes. The final report identified, prioritized, and provided cost projections for watershed management techniques and measures that are best suited for immediate and long-term implementation. The Borough has since applied for federal and state grant funding, using the plan as its cornerstone.