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WP_Query Object ( [query] => Array ( [tag] => njdep ) [query_vars] => Array ( [tag] => njdep [error] => [m] => [p] => 0 [post_parent] => [subpost] => [subpost_id] => [attachment] => [attachment_id] => 0 [name] => [pagename] => [page_id] => 0 [second] => [minute] => [hour] => [day] => 0 [monthnum] => 0 [year] => 0 [w] => 0 [category_name] => natural-resource-management [cat] => 10 [tag_id] => 807 [author] => [author_name] => [feed] => [tb] => [paged] => 1 [meta_key] => [meta_value] => [preview] => [s] => [sentence] => [title] => [fields] => all [menu_order] => [embed] => [category__in] => Array ( [0] => 10 ) [category__not_in] => Array ( ) [category__and] => Array ( ) [post__in] => Array ( ) [post__not_in] => Array ( ) [post_name__in] => Array ( ) [tag__in] => Array ( ) [tag__not_in] => Array ( ) [tag__and] => Array ( ) [tag_slug__in] => Array ( [0] => njdep ) [tag_slug__and] => Array ( ) [post_parent__in] => Array ( ) [post_parent__not_in] => Array ( ) [author__in] => Array ( ) [author__not_in] => Array ( ) [search_columns] => Array ( ) [ignore_sticky_posts] => [suppress_filters] => [cache_results] => 1 [update_post_term_cache] => 1 [update_menu_item_cache] => [lazy_load_term_meta] => 1 [update_post_meta_cache] => 1 [post_type] => [posts_per_page] => 10 [nopaging] => [comments_per_page] => 5 [no_found_rows] => [order] => DESC ) [tax_query] => WP_Tax_Query Object ( [queries] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [taxonomy] => category [terms] => Array ( [0] => 10 ) [field] => term_id [operator] => IN [include_children] => ) [1] => Array ( [taxonomy] => post_tag [terms] => Array ( [0] => njdep ) [field] => slug [operator] => IN [include_children] => 1 ) ) [relation] => AND [table_aliases:protected] => Array ( [0] => ph_term_relationships [1] => tt1 ) [queried_terms] => Array ( [category] => Array ( [terms] => Array ( [0] => 10 ) [field] => term_id ) [post_tag] => Array ( [terms] => Array ( [0] => njdep ) [field] => slug ) ) [primary_table] => ph_posts [primary_id_column] => ID ) [meta_query] => WP_Meta_Query Object ( [queries] => Array ( ) [relation] => [meta_table] => [meta_id_column] => [primary_table] => [primary_id_column] => [table_aliases:protected] => Array ( ) [clauses:protected] => Array ( ) [has_or_relation:protected] => ) [date_query] => [queried_object] => WP_Term Object ( [term_id] => 807 [name] => NJDEP [slug] => njdep [term_group] => 0 [term_taxonomy_id] => 807 [taxonomy] => post_tag [description] => [parent] => 0 [count] => 41 [filter] => raw [term_order] => 0 ) [queried_object_id] => 807 [request] => SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS ph_posts.ID FROM ph_posts LEFT JOIN ph_term_relationships ON (ph_posts.ID = ph_term_relationships.object_id) LEFT JOIN ph_term_relationships AS tt1 ON (ph_posts.ID = tt1.object_id) WHERE 1=1 AND ( ph_term_relationships.term_taxonomy_id IN (10) AND tt1.term_taxonomy_id IN (807) ) AND ((ph_posts.post_type = 'post' AND (ph_posts.post_status = 'publish' OR ph_posts.post_status = 'acf-disabled'))) GROUP BY ph_posts.ID ORDER BY ph_posts.menu_order, ph_posts.post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 10 [posts] => Array ( [0] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18685 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-11-07 17:08:03 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-11-07 17:08:03 [post_content] => The Borough of Mountain Lakes has received grant funding from the New Jersey Highlands Council to develop a comprehensive Lake and Watershed Management Plan for nine lakes within the Borough. To lead this effort, the Borough engaged Princeton Hydro, a leader in ecological and engineering consulting. The initiative will focus on characterizing hydrologic and nutrient dynamics within the Borough’s lake systems and watersheds to guide targeted water quality improvement and management strategies. “Mountain Lakes takes great pride in our lakes, which play an important role in defining our community. Through our partnership with the Highlands Council and Princeton Hydro, we’re taking a proactive, data-driven approach to protecting both the environmental and recreational value of our lakes and waterways, with the goal of preserving these vital natural resources for generations to come,” said Borough of Mountain Lakes Manager Mitchell Stern. A selection process was undertaken by the Borough of Mountain Lakes, Princeton Hydro, and the New Jersey Highlands Council to define the scope of this Lake and Watershed Management Program. In accordance with Policy 1L2 and Objective 1L2a of the NJHC Regional Master Plan, which establish lake management tiers and prioritize lakes greater than 10 acres for protection and management, nine lakes were selected for the study: Birchwood Lake, Crystal Lake, Wildwood Lake, Sunset Lake, Mountain Lake, Shadow Pond, Olive Pond, Grundens Pond, and Cove Pond. These lakes represent the waterbodies in the Borough and were chosen to ensure the program focuses on areas with the greatest potential impact on water quality, watershed function, and community value. Princeton Hydro’s work will include watershed modeling, hydrologic and pollutant load analyses, and in-lake and watershed-based water quality monitoring. Once the data is analyzed, Princeton Hydro will develop a General Assessment Report that identifies the primary drivers of eutrophication and outlines a prioritized set of management strategies to effectively reduce nutrient loading and enhance long-term lake health. “The regional, science-based approach to lake and watershed management has proven to be a powerful tool for municipalities in the Highlands Region,” said Christopher Mikolajczyk, CLM, Senior Manager of Aquatics at Princeton Hydro, Certified Lake Manager, and lead designer for this initiative. “We’re excited to collaborate with Mountain Lakes to help identify cost-effective, data-driven strategies that will enhance water quality throughout the watershed and help safeguard these treasured natural resources.” The New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council (Highlands Council) is a regional planning agency that partners with municipalities and counties in the Highlands Region to promote proactive watershed protection. Established under the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004, the Council has funded numerous water-quality-related planning initiatives. Historically, municipalities and private lake associations have managed water quality issues independently. However, taking a coordinated, watershed-based approach enables communities to more effectively address pollution sources, improve water quality, and prevent the spread of invasive species and harmful algal blooms. Mountain Lakes joins several other Highlands region municipalities that have received Highlands council funding to implement similar lake and watershed management initiatives. In 2019, the Borough of Ringwood became the first municipality in New Jerey to adopt a regional, public-private approach to lake management, partnering with four lake associations across six lakes. Since the completion of the Ringwood plan, NJDEP has funded recommendations from the plan. This model has since inspired additional projects, including watershed assessments for West Milford Township, Rockaway Township, Byram Township, Vernon Township, and Somerset County Parks Commission. Princeton Hydro worked with each agency to develop the respective scope of work to secure grant funding from the Highlands Council. Photo from the Borough of Mountain Lakes. [post_title] => Borough of Mountain Lakes Launches Lake and Watershed Management Program with Funding from NJ Highlands Council [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => borough-of-mountain-lakes-launches-lake-and-watershed-management-program-with-funding-from-the-new-jersey-highlands-council [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-11-11 17:38:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-11-11 17:38:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=18685 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18586 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-11-06 00:15:54 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-11-06 00:15:54 [post_content] => The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) recently announced $8 million in Water Quality Restoration Grants to support projects that reduce nonpoint source pollution, mitigate harmful algal blooms, restore riparian areas, and enhance watershed and climate resilience. Funded through Section 319(h) of the federal Clean Water Act and administered by the DEP's Watershed and Land Management Program, these grants were awarded to municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions across the state. Princeton Hydro is proud to be a partner on five of the 17 funded projects. Our contributions vary by project and encompass activities such as engineering design, water quality assessment, watershed-based planning, and technical support for implementing stormwater and habitat restoration measures. Let's take a deeper look at these collaborative efforts: 1. The Watershed Institute – Watershed-Based Planning for Assunpink Creek The Watershed Institute received $205K in 319(h) grant funding to develop a watershed-based plan for the Assunpink Creek watershed, located within the Raritan River Basin. This watershed spans 11 municipalities across two counties, where varied landscapes and demographics share common challenges such as localized flooding, stormwater management, and water quality degradation, highlighting the need for a coordinated, watershed-wide, science-driven approach. The plan will evaluate pollution sources and identify large-scale restoration opportunities, including green infrastructure and riparian buffer restoration, to improve water quality and reduce flooding. It will also assess the cost, feasibility, and pollutant reduction potential of proposed measures to ensure practical implementation. Princeton Hydro supported the Institute in developing the grant proposal and planning framework, leveraging our expertise in watershed-based planning to prioritize nature-based solutions that address both water quality and climate resilience. This initiative represents a critical step toward regional collaboration, enabling upstream and downstream communities to work together on strategies that strengthen watershed health, protect public safety, and build long-term resilience. 2. Lake Hopatcong Commission – Watershed-Based Stormwater BMPs The Lake Hopatcong Commission (LHC) was awarded $366K to retrofit an existing stormwater detention basin between King Road and Mount Arlington Boulevard in Roxbury Township. This retrofit is part of a larger Watershed Implementation Plan that Princeton Hydro developed in collaboration with LHC, which prioritizes nutrient reduction and stormwater management strategies across the Lake Hopatcong watershed. Over the past several years, LHC has actively implemented multiple elements of this plan to address harmful algal blooms (HABs) and improve water quality. For this project, Princeton Hydro is providing engineering design and technical oversight to transform the existing basin into a green stormwater infrastructure system that slows, captures, and naturally treats runoff before it enters King Cove. The design incorporates native vegetation, invasive species management, and erosion control measures to stabilize soils and filter pollutants, reducing nutrient loading, which is one key driver of HABs. Public outreach and pre- and post-construction water quality monitoring will ensure performance tracking and measurable improvements. This basin retrofit represents a critical step in a coordinated, science-based approach to restoring ecological health and water quality in New Jersey’s largest lake. 3. Cozy Lake, Jefferson Township – Addressing Emerging Contaminants Jefferson Township received $350K in grant funding to develop an Emerging Contaminants Management Plan for Cozy Lake, focusing on cyanotoxins and HABs. Cozy Lake is a 28-acre waterbody within a 1,152-acre sub-watershed that includes both forested (60%) and developed (29%) land. The lake is fed by the Rockaway River at its northern end and a smaller southeastern inlet, with outflow through a dam on the western edge. The shoreline is primarily residential lawn with minimal emergent wetlands, and several inlets and rock-lined drainage ditches exhibit erosion and lack slope protection, contributing to sediment loading. Princeton Hydro provided early technical input to shape this innovative project with the creation of a comprehensive Jefferson Township Lake and Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan. As part of the plan, Princeton Hydro made recommendations for Cozy Lake, which included enhancing shoreline buffers with native vegetation and installing living shorelines at select properties to stabilize soils, filter stormwater and reduce nutrient loading, improve habitat quality, and enhance community access. These measures, combined with in-lake monitoring and proactive management strategies, will help mitigate HABs and protect ecological and public health. 4. Rockaway Township – Watershed-Based Green Infrastructure Rockaway Township received $399K in grant funding to implement elements of its Watershed Implementation Plan, focusing on green infrastructure stormwater management and nutrient reduction to improve water quality. The project will retrofit the municipal complex by converting a rock-lined drainage swale into a vegetated swale with a bioretention basin, designed to filter stormwater runoff and reduce nonpoint source pollutants entering Fox’s Pond and Fox Brook. Princeton Hydro played a key role in developing the Watershed Implementation Plan, which encompasses 11 private lakes within the Rockaway River watershed, prioritizing critical locations for intervention and designing cost-effective green infrastructure BMPs. This regional approach aligns with strategies recommended by NJDEP and the Highlands Council. The plan included a comprehensive watershed-based assessment to identify and quantify factors contributing to eutrophication, evaluate management measures, estimate costs, and establish an implementation schedule. Princeton Hydro authored the final report, which guided the Township in applying for the Section 319(h) grant and now informs the design and construction of green stormwater infrastructure that will deliver measurable water quality improvements while supporting ecological restoration goals. 5. Green Trust Alliance – Green Infrastructure and Community Engagement Green Trust Alliance (GTA), a nationally accredited land trust and public charity dedicated to accelerating large-scale conservation, received $1.39 million in NJDEP funding to implement green infrastructure improvements at Pinelands Regional High School in Tuckerton, New Jersey. This initiative targets the Tuckerton Creek watershed, which drains into Tuckerton Creek and ultimately flows into Barnegat Bay—a critical estuary spanning 33 municipalities in Ocean County and four in Monmouth County. The retrofit will transform the school’s stormwater detention basin into a multi-functional system that mimics natural hydrology, enhances flow control, and improves water quality locally and in the larger Barnegat Bay watershed. Working with GTA and GreenVest, Princeton Hydro is serving as the design engineer, applying nature-based engineering and ecological restoration techniques to intercept, evapotranspire, and infiltrate stormwater runoff at its source. In addition to its technical objectives, the effort includes a strong community engagement component and an educational platform for students. By bringing green infrastructure into the school environment, the initiative provides hands-on experience with water resources, stormwater management, and ecological engineering, help to build STEM skills while fostering a deeper connection to the surrounding landscape and an understanding of how natural systems work together to support environmental and community health. Princeton Hydro also assisted several of these partners in developing successful NJDEP Section 319(h) grant applications, providing technical documentation, conceptual designs, and pollutant load reduction estimates to strengthen the proposals. To date, the Murphy Administration has awarded more than $33M in Water Quality Restoration grants to improve the health of waterways in all corners of the state. Click here to read about all the 2025 grant funding recipients and their innovative projects. As NJDEP Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette noted in the department's press release, “Enhancing the ecological health of our lakes, rivers, streams and coastal waters has long been a priority of the Murphy Administration. The Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to award these grants that will help our partners advance a variety of strategies to improve the health of these waterways and enhance the quality of life in our communities.” We are proud to play a continued role in advancing that mission: helping communities implement practical, data-driven solutions that make a measurable difference for New Jersey’s waterways and the people who depend on them. Click here to learn more about our work to protect natural habitat and restore water quality throughout the New Jersey. [post_title] => NJDEP Awards $8M for Water Quality Restoration Projects [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => njdep-319h-grants-2025 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-11-07 01:20:58 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-11-07 01:20:58 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=18586 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 13535 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2023-08-25 15:21:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-08-25 15:21:48 [post_content] => By Mikhail Velez, Communications Coordinator The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has launched its third annual Youth Inclusion Initiative. The program hopes to enrich young participants, who may not have the opportunity to explore open spaces in their community, with hands-on environmental field experience under the tutelage of NJDEP professionals and mentors. This year’s youth consists of 47 participants from ages 16-20 that hail from five different community-based organizations. These partners include Neighborhood Improvement Association (Trenton), Rutgers-Camden, Groundwork Elizabeth, Ironbound Community Corporation (Newark), and The Work Group (Camden). [caption id="attachment_13546" align="aligncenter" width="1230"] The youth program participants gather together with their certificates for a final group photo.[/caption] Over the course of this six week program, the youth participated in a curriculum that showcased career pathways in the water resources and natural resources management fields. Participants learned through classroom instruction and by receiving some in-field experience across sectors regulated by NJDEP such as touring an air monitoring station, visiting a trout hatchery, conducting stream assessments, and practicing proper tool and equipment recognition at a state park. After their time with the initiative is through, they will have nurtured the skills to pursue these job opportunities and develop a deeper appreciation for our environment. Princeton Hydro representatives Mark Gallagher, Dana Patterson, and Michael Rehman, CERP, PWS led one of the mentorships. This is the second year NJDEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection Mitigation Unit invited Princeton Hydro to teach a portion of the program. The goal in participating was to educate the youth about the importance of restoring native landscapes and explore the job responsibilities of environmental scientists, water resource engineers, geologists, ecologists, pesticide applicators, and regulatory compliance specialists, while building upon and cultivating fascination with nature. The Abbott Marshlands in Trenton, New Jersey The program kicked off with a presentation in Mercer County Park Commission’s Tulpehaking Nature Center located in John A. Roebling Park. After learning about the history of the site from representatives from Mercer County and Friends of the Abbott Marshlands, Princeton Hydro discussed opportunities for careers in conservation and gave a brief overview of the restoration efforts in the park to eradicate the invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). Prior to heading out to explore the Abbott Marshlands, the northernmost freshwater tidal wetlands on the Delaware River, the Princeton Hydro team went through a health and safety briefing, a very important part of our job, to make sure everyone was aware of the potential risks and exposures. [gallery link="none" ids="13543,13540,13552"] Princeton Hydro team members and NJDEP’s Environmental Specialist Jessica Klein led the participants through the park. Right away, the first group witnessed one of nature’s marvels when they spotted a Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris) laying her eggs along the side of the main road. Participants learned of the marshland and surrounding upland’s rich cultural significance. On their trek through this natural oasis, they followed in the footsteps of the Lenape, a tribe of Native Americans who regularly visited and eventually settled in the area at least 13,000 years ago. These early nomadic people relied on the land for food, fuel, and other readily available resources until they were displaced due to European settlement along the Delaware River. Learn more about the Abbott Marshland cultural history here. Eventually, the group made it to the area of the restoration site. Here, the students gained a better understanding of the harsh effects that invasive species have on an ecosystem. The 3000-acre freshwater tidal marsh provides habitat to many rare and endangered species, but it has experienced a significant amount of degradation due to monoculture of the invasive Common Reed. In order to improve the area’s biodiversity and elevate visitors’ recreational experience, Princeton Hydro implemented a restoration plan that aimed to eradicate the aggressive non-native plants within a 40-acre stretch of the marsh and enable native plants like Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica) to flourish. Learn more about this project. NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette surprised the Rutgers-Camden group with his joyful presence. After giving a zealous speech to the class, he accompanied them on their journey to the marshland. [caption id="attachment_11299" align="aligncenter" width="1230"] NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette joins the class.[/caption] Overall, participants had fun learning how to use a field guide to identify invasive species found within the area. They were taught how to differentiate them with native flora like sensitive fern, poison ivy, and wild rice. With a wide survey of the marshland, the youth were taught about wetland delineation and got a peek into the process of using a hand auger and a Munsell Soil Color Book to identify wetland soils. Utilizing binoculars, the last group was lucky to spot a Northern Harrier, an uncommon visitor for the marshland, soaring circles in the sky in search of prey. The rare sighting led to the successful end of the final tour. [gallery link="none" ids="13538,13541,13545,13590,13592,13595,13596,13597,13594"] The NJDEP Youth Inclusion Initiative began on July 6 and culminated on August 16 with a graduation and NJDEP Career Day where students had the opportunity to meet and discuss career options with various organizations who tabled at the event, including Princeton Hydro. To learn more about the NJDEP education program, click here. If you’re interested in learning more about Princeton Hydro’s ecological restoration services, click here. [post_title] => Another Successful Year Mentoring Participants from NJDEP's Youth Inclusion Initiative [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => njdep-youth-inclusion-initiative-2023 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-11-11 16:09:06 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-11-11 16:09:06 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=13535 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 13468 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2023-08-18 06:00:22 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-08-18 06:00:22 [post_content] => A wetland is a unique ecosystem that is permanently or seasonally saturated by water, including swamps, marshes, bogs, vernal pools, and similar areas. They provide water quality improvement, flood protection, shoreline erosion control, food for humans and animals, and critical habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants, aquatic organisms, and wildlife. [gallery link="none" ids="14309,13487,13472"] Princeton Hydro is regionally recognized for its capabilities in the restoration of freshwater and saltwater wetland ecosystems. Our ecologists also regularly conduct wetland delineations. A wetland delineation, a requirement of most permitting efforts, is the field work conducted to determine the boundary between the upper limit of a wetland and the lower limit of an upland thus identifying the approximate extent and location of wetlands on a requested site. For this edition of our “A Day in the Life” blog series, we join Environmental Scientist Ivy Babson and Regulatory Compliance & Wildlife Surveys Project Manager Emily Bjorhus, PWS out in the field for a wetland delineation. To Delineate a Wetland We Must First Define It Most commonly, wetlands are delineated based on the Routine Onsite Determination Method set forth in the Federal Manual Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands (FICWD 1989) with supplemental information provided by the applicable United States Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) regional supplement manual. USACE’s “three-parameter” approach defines an area as a wetland if it exhibits, under normal circumstances, all the following characteristics: The land supports a dominance of hydrophytic vegetation; The substrate is hydric soil; and The soil/substrate is at least periodically saturated or inundated during a portion of the growing season. Step 1: Prepare for Delineation Day Ivy and Emily begin by coordinating with the client to ensure they’ve been granted site access approval. They then perform a comprehensive desktop analysis of the project site, identifying existing features like wetlands, open waters (streams, lakes), and potential hydric soils. This involves utilizing resources like USFWS's National Wetland Inventory Mapper, the U.S. Geological Survey's SSURGO Soils Survey, and, for New Jersey-based delineations, NJDEP's GeoWeb. The desktop review also allows Ivy and Emily to assemble the proper safety gear and create a Model Health & Safety Plan (HASP). A HASP must always be prepared before the field work begins. Then, the field-day packing begins; the following items are a requirement for any wetland delineation: Field notebook and writing utensils Soil auger (for examining soil profiles) Munsell soil color chart book (for assessing soil types) High-vis flagging and pin flags Hi-vis surveyors or wetland delineator’s vest Muck boots or waders (depending on the type of environment and existing features) Field map, usually an up-to-date aerial, showing the boundaries of the site Sunscreen and bug spray (ticks are a common occurrence) Plenty of water and food - wetland delineations can be quite strenuous, especially in the summer Appropriate clothing - wetland delineations can be conducted year-round Step 2: Set the Game Plan & Review HASP It's always important to make a plan for the project. If we are delineating a large property, it might take several days to traverse, and each day, the weather might be different. So planning ahead, but also being prepared for unexpected changes, will make the day go that much smoother. And, as part of the HASP, we must identify important points of contact and know where the closest hospital is in case of a serious emergency. So, reviewing this information and planning ahead prior to heading into the field is a very important step in the process. Step 3: Perform the Three-Parameter Wetland Delineation While wetland delineations can be conducted any time of the year, they are best conducted during the “growing season” when soil temperatures are above the biologic zero and vegetation is easily identifiable by leaves, inflorescence, or other unique identifying characteristics that would otherwise be difficult to identify during the winter months. Ivy and Emily begin by locating known (mapped) wetland or waterbody features and writing a list of all plants observed on-site. They maintain the plant list throughout the day. If, during the desktop review, they find a mapped wetland or stream, they walk there first to determine if wetlands are actually present. Even if a wetland is mapped on a database, it may not actually exist for various reasons. On the flip side, even if a site is not mapped as containing wetlands, the site could very well contain them. As such, the wetland delineation determines exactly what is on-site and supplements the desktop review. As mentioned above, a wetland delineation considers three determining factors: 1) vegetation, 2) soils, and 3) hydrology. While on site, Ivy and Emily must identify hydrophytic vegetation, take soil borings, and look for wetland hydrology to identify whether a wetland is present or not. Parameter 1: Vegetation Wetlands are dominated by hydrophytes which are plants that can grow in water or on a substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen because of excessive water content and depleted soil oxygen levels. The USACE and NJDEP definition of hydrophytes is based on the USFWS classification system. In general, any plant species that is found growing in wetlands more than 50% of the time is considered a hydrophyte. These plants include those classified by the USFWS as “facultative," “facultative wetland," or “obligate." As a wetland delineator, it is important to possess strong plant identification skills and an eye for recognizing various ecological plant communities, which are groups of plants that share a common environment and environmental requirements. They are often defined by dominant plant species. Once Ivy and Emily identify the hydrophytic plant community, they determine what type of ecological community they are in (e.g., freshwater forested wetland, estuarine scrub-shrub wetland, or freshwater tidal emergent marsh). Today, they are in a freshwater forested wetland, which means Ivy and Emily must now assess each stratum of the forested wetland by writing down the species and associated percent species cover. [gallery link="none" ids="13448,13450,14314"] To accurately describe the vegetation at each sampling point, we collect data on each horizontal strata or layer. Vegetative strata for which dominants are determined include (1) tree (> 5.0 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) and 20 feet or taller); (2) sapling (0.4 to <5.0 inches DBH and <20 feet tall); (3) shrub (usually 3 to 20 feet tall including multi-stemmed, bushy shrubs); (4) woody vine; and (5) herb (herbaceous plants including graminoids, forbs, ferns, fern allies, herbaceous vines, and tree seedlings). They repeat this process for each representative wetland. Next, Ivy and Emily look for the upland plant community that is directly upslope of the wetland and make note of the proximity to the wetland, repeating the same vegetation documentation process. Parameter 2: Soils Ivy and Emily must determine whether the soils within the hydrophytic plant community are hydric. Hydric soils are defined as soils that are saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. Hydric soil indicators are features in the soil that predominantly form by biogeochemical processes in a saturated and anaerobic environment and result in the accumulation of loss of iron, manganese, sulfur, or carbon compounds. Emily uses a soil auger to collect a sample of the first 6 - 12 inches of soil where the most significant parts of a hydric soil would be occurring. Once Ivy and Emily identify that the soil is indeed hydric, Ivy uses her Munsell soil color book to determine the value of the soil and each hydric soil indicator. [gallery link="none" columns="2" ids="13489,13485"] They also document additional characteristics of each soil layer: Is it loam, silty loam, sand, sandy loam, silt, muck, clay, clayey loam, etc.? What is the percentage of rocks, plant roots, or other organic matter in each layer? What is the percentage of redoximorphic features of each layer and are they faint or prominent? Each layer of the soil profile, which is typically documented to a depth of at least 18 inches, is sectioned out and thoroughly described. Parameter 3: Hydrology The identification of positive indicators of wetland hydrology includes direct observation of indicator groups, such as the observation of surface water or saturated soils, evidence of recent inundation, evidence of current or recent soil saturation, and evidence from other site conditions or data. Each group contains several indicators, which are classified into categories known as “primary” or “secondary” indicators. To positively identify the area as being a wetland, at least one primary wetland indicator (from any group) or at least two secondary wetland indicators (from any group) must be present. Additionally, for an area to be designated as a wetland, the area must have the presence of water for a week or more during the growing season. Areas with wetland hydrology characteristics are those where the presence of water has an overriding influence on characteristics of vegetation and soils due to anaerobic and reducing conditions, respectively. [caption id="attachment_13488" align="aligncenter" width="483"] This red maple developed morphologic adaptations in the form of buttressed roots.[/caption] Today, Emily and Ivy observe a depression (secondary) along with a few inches of standing water (primary), water-stained leaves (primary), frogs hopping around (primary), and moss trim lines on the tree trunks (secondary). All signs point to a forested wetland; however, there is more to consider. Ivy and Emily’s soil boring assessment showed that the soils within the top 12 inches of the soil surface were saturated (primary) and bright orange streaks were visible along the plant roots, which they documented as oxidized rhizospheres along living roots (primary). Because they identified more than one primary and two secondary wetland indicators, they can confidently delineate the wetland. Step 4: Delineate Between the Wetland and Upland Now that Ivy and Emily established that a wetland is present, they must find the boundary of the upland. They are now looking for the absence of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and positive indicators of wetland hydrology as well as the dominance of upland ecological plant communities. The same analysis and documentation process they completed for the wetland area is also required for the upland area. Once they locate the boundary, they flag the wetland line, labeling the flagging with the wetland nomenclature and either hanging it or pinning it into the ground. While the description sounds relatively simple, finding the boundary between a wetland and upland can be tricky and time consuming. For example, there may be some hydrophytic vegetation growing within an upland and there may be one secondary positive indicator of wetland hydrology, but hydric soils are missing. To positively classify an area as a wetland, a slam dunk on all three parameters is required. [caption id="attachment_13513" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Marked up image indicating the upland, wetland, and stream. The red line marks the boundary between a wetland and an upland. The blue line marks the boundary between a stream and the wetlands on either side of the stream’s banks.[/caption] Step 5: Delineate Waterbodies Ivy and Emily must also delineate waterbodies concurrent with wetlands. Waterbodies may include, but are not limited to, streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. To delineate a waterbody, they hang labeled flagging along the waterbody’s top of bank or its ordinary high water mark. Throughout this process, they take pictures to document the existing waterbody conditions. [gallery link="none" ids="13457,13460,13455"] Step 6: Post-Delineation Wrap-up Once the wetland delineation is complete, Ivy and Emily draw out a field sketch that depicts the approximate extent and location of the wetland and waterbody boundaries with their respective nomenclature. Depending on the project scope, the field sketch is either submitted to a Professional Licensed Surveyor who will then visit the site to survey each wetland and waterbody flag, or Ivy and Emily will return to the site to survey each flag with a survey-grade GPS. Once the survey is complete, Ivy and Emily will conduct a final review of the plans to ensure accuracy. If requested, they will also prepare a wetland delineation report, which outlines the delineation method, findings, results, and thorough description of each wetland and its soils, hydrology, and vegetation. “Wetland delineations aren’t for the faint of heart,” said Ivy. “At the end of the day, you might emerge from a dense stand of Phragmites garnering strange looks from passersby with muck smeared on your face, sticks and leaves poking out of your hair, a belly full of mosquitos that you might have accidentally swallowed, and fingernails stuffed with dirt. However, there isn’t any other type of field that I would rather be in. As a wetland delineator, I can access environments that most people would steer clear of and, as a result, I get to see things that I wouldn’t get to see anywhere else. I get to improve my plant identification skills and expand my knowledge of how wetlands function as an ecosystem.” [caption id="attachment_13478" align="aligncenter" width="566"] Ivy standing in a tidal marsh at Spring Creek North in Brooklyn and Queens, New York. "This wetland delineation is one of my favorite delineating experiences yet. And, I'm looking forward to many more to come!"[/caption] A big thanks to Ivy and Emily for taking us out in the field for a wetland delineation! Emily Bjorhus is a Project Manager that specializes in environmental regulatory compliance, ecological services and wildlife surveys. She leads federal, state and local environmental permitting processes, NEPA compliance and documentation, Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultations, and Clean Water Act Section 404(b)1 analyses. Mrs. Bjorhus is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist. As an Environmental Scientist, Ivy Babson regularly conducts wetland delineations and monitoring, flora/fauna surveys, water quality sampling, fishery surveys, permitting, and regulatory compliance for a series of projects. She earned her Wetland Delineation Certification from Rutgers University. Ivy graduated from the University of Vermont in 2019 with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Ecological Design, and minor in Geospatial Technologies. To read more about our wetland restoration work, go here: http://bit.ly/PHwetland. If you enjoyed this blog, check out another one from our “A Day in the Life” series, and stay tuned for more. [post_title] => A Day in the Life: Performing a Wetland Delineation [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => a-day-in-the-life-performing-a-wetland-delineation [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-16 20:58:57 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-16 20:58:57 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=13468 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 11558 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2022-12-20 05:17:55 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-12-20 05:17:55 [post_content] => When New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group (NJM) developed their new Regional Operations Facility, a 55-acre corporate campus in Hammonton, New Jersey, they approached the construction with one major goal at the forefront: stormwater management. Fundamental to that goal was designing a green infrastructure stormwater management system capable of containing on site nearly all the stormwater runoff generated by storm events up to and including a 100-year frequency, 24-hour duration storm. The group hired Princeton Hydro, recognized as a leader in innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally sound stormwater management, to develop a concept plan that could be built within the context of proper stormwater management and meet the stringent requirements of the NJ Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan. To accomplish the ambitious stormwater management goals, the project team designed and implemented an integrated stormwater management system that combined traditional and green infrastructure components, and consisted of bioinfiltration basins, parking lot islands, a wetland basin, and a bioretention island. These features were designed to promote the interception, evapotranspiration, and infiltration of stormwater runoff at its source. Emphasis was given to green infrastructure BMPs specifically capable of treating and infiltrating large volumes of runoff. Thus, all of the infiltration areas were designed using a soil amendment process where the underlying soils were excavated and amended with organic material to improve the underlying recharge capabilities of the soils. To complement the BMPs, the team designed and installed 120,000 gallon below-grade rainwater capture and reuse system. The system captures roof runoff to be used for on-site irrigation, which not only reduces stormwater volume but also decreases the facility’s water usage. The project is one of the first projects in New Jersey built to infiltrate nearly 100% of the on-site runoff and uses site-design-based stormwater capacity to determine allowable impervious cover. [gallery link="none" ids="11591,11590,14396"] Before construction began, the team implemented a comprehensive study, which began with a detailed analysis of the site’s soils, with particular attention given to physical properties of the soil and the depth to seasonal high water (groundwater). During construction, Princeton Hydro provided monitoring services for all earthwork activities. Our team was on site full-time during critical activities to ensure that the project was built in accordance with the intent of the original design and ensure the maintenance of the project schedule. The team also provided environmental and geotechnical design and engineering services throughout the corporate campus construction, including the analysis of subsurface structures shop drawings and providing consultation support to the general contractor. For the project, we partnered with Burgis Associates, Inc. who created site designs, provided landscape architectural and professional planning services, and helped to obtain agency approvals. The landscape program sought to establish native plant communities that filter runoff, provide an aesthetically pleasing visual, reduce invasive species, create habitat for pollinators and other critical species, and require limited maintenance to stay healthy and flourishing. Post construction, the Princeton Hydro team led the preparation of the scope of services, budget, and proposal for the Stormwater Basin Maintenance, which included mowing and clearing the vegetation in nine infiltration basins. The basins were inspected monthly for functionality and for the presence of invasive plants. And, we are happy to report that the basins are all working properly and invasive plants have been eradicated. At Princeton Hydro, we are experts in stormwater management; we recognize the numerous benefits of green infrastructure; and we’ve been incorporating green infrastructure into our engineering designs since before the term was regularly used in the stormwater lexicon. Click below to read about a Stormwater Treatment Train we designed and implemented in Thompson Park, a 675-acre recreation area in Middlesex County, New Jersey. [post_title] => Designing a Stormwater Management System for a 55-Acre Corporate Campus [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => designing-a-stormwater-management-system-for-a-55-acre-corporate-campus [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-01-19 02:18:14 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-01-19 02:18:14 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=11558 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 11837 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2022-11-23 19:13:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-11-23 19:13:46 [post_content] => The Metedeconk River flows through over 40 miles of New Jersey's woodlands, freshwater wetlands, forested wetlands, tidal wetlands, and densely developed areas before emptying into the Barnegat Bay. The river and its watershed provide drinking water from ground and surface water sources to about 100,000 homes in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. A tributary to the North Branch of the Metedeconk River that flows directly through Ocean County Park in Lakewood, NJ. This tributary was deemed to have water quality impairments, including fecal coliform due to the Canada Goose population and high temperature due to the exposed stream channels, which lack a significant tree-canopy. The increasing amounts of impervious land cover associated with the continued urbanization of the Metedeconk River’s Watershed was also a primary cause of water quality impairments. American Littoral Society (ALS) partnered with Princeton Hydro and local stakeholders to implement green infrastructure projects with the goal of remedying the fecal coliform and water temperature impairments in the Park's tributary as well as improving the overall health and water quality of the Metedeconk River, its surrounding watershed, and, ultimately, the greater Barnegat Bay. Green Infrastructure Design & Implementation Project The project team designed and implemented a stormwater treatment train, which combined multiple green infrastructure stormwater management best management practices (BMPs) that work in unison to decrease NPS pollutant loading to the Metedeconk River and increase ecological diversity in Ocean County Park. The project, which was funded by a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 2014 319(h) Implementation Grant, included four primary BMPs in Ocean County Park: 1. Installation of two Filterra curb-side tree boxes; 2. Construction of a vegetated bioretention/biofiltration swale; 3. Creation of a section of living shoreline along the banks of Duck Pond; and 4. Installation of two floating wetland islands in Duck Pond. Filterra Curb-Side Tree Boxes Built at street level, the Filterra™ tree box is a pre-manufactured, in-ground concrete box filled with soil media and planted with a native, noninvasive tree or shrub. It is designed to collect stormwater, absorb nutrients, and treat water before it discharges into surrounding waterbodies. For this project, two Filterra™ tree box units were installed in the parking lot to the north of Ocean County Park's swimming beach and each planted with serviceberry shrubs. The boxes serve to catch and treat stormwater runoff flowing from the parking lot. Vegetated Bioswale Unlike a traditional drainage basin that simply collects water, a vegetated bioswale uses native plants to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff, decrease total phosphorus loading, and prevent debris, sediment, and pollutants from flowing into the Metedeconk River and other surrounding waterbodies. For this project, the team designed and implemented a .07-acre bioswale adjacent to the park's main parking lot. Installation of the vegetated bioswale began by removing existing vegetation, excavating the ground north of the parking lot, and then regrading it per the specifications on the plans. Once proper grading was established, the basin was planted with native species including Joe Pye Weed, Blue Mistflower, Jacob Cline Bee Balm, Orange Coneflower, and Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod. Living Shoreline Along Duck Pond [caption id="attachment_14374" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Photo by ALS[/caption] Living shorelines use a variety of native plants to filter runoff, create and improve habitat for aquatic animals, increase water quality, and protect the shoreline from erosion. Two sections of bulkhead along the North and South edges of Ocean County Park's Duck Pond were removed so that the bank could be sloped naturally into the pond and populated with vegetation. The design serves as an additional point of stormwater collection and filtration, significantly reducing the amount of water flowing into nearby paved parking areas. The northern portion of the living shoreline encompasses 0.06 acres and spans 100 feet along the shore. The southern portion encompasses 0.18 acres and spans 40 feet along the shore. The living shorelines were seeded and then planted with Green Bulrush, Helen’s Flower, Switchgrass, Blue Mistflower, New England Aster, Upright Sedge, and Little BlueStem. Floating Wetland Islands in Duck Pond A floating wetland island is made up of a plastic matrix that is planted with water-loving native vegetation. The matrix promotes the growth of a healthy microbial community. The biofilm that develops on the plants' roots and within the island matrix, contribute toward the uptake of nutrients within the waterbody thus improving water quality. Floating wetland islands are anticipated to remove an estimated 17.33 lbs of phosphorus and 566.67 lbs of nitrogen each year, as well as promote a balanced ecosystem through the promotion of “healthy” bacteria and plankton. Two 250-square-foot floating wetland islands made of polyethylene terephthalate layers were populated with native wetland plants and installed in Duck Pond. The plant pockets were then filled with a biomix of soil and peat, and a variety of native plant species were planted on both islands, including: Swamp Milkweed, Upright Sedge, Common Boneset, Crimson Eyed Rosemallow, and Blue Flag Iris. Volunteer Involvement & Community Education Given the magnitude of the project and the high-profile nature of Barnegat Bay, community education and outreach was an essential element of the project and its long-term success. Throughout the course of the project, efforts were made to increase public understanding of the project and to encourage public input in the design of the green infrastructure BMPs and the living shoreline. The education and outreach was a collaborative effort led by ALS, with support provided by the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation, Georgian Court University, Brick Municipal utilities Authority, NJDEP, and Princeton Hydro. The team conducted public presentations and meetings, installed educational signs to accompany the water quality improvement techniques that were implemented, created a website dedicated to providing project details and updates, and invited local residents to participate in shoreline restoration and floating wetland island planting efforts. Successful Outcome Following the project, in-situ and discrete water quality monitoring was conducted in stream in order to assess the effectiveness of the above BMPs. The combined green infrastructure and living shoreline elements of this project set the stage for a much needed effort to reduce nonpoint source pollution loading and address waterfowl-related pathogen impacts to Ocean County Park’s lakes and the Metedeconk River. It also heightened public awareness of nonpoint source pollution and the benefits of green infrastructure measures in the abatement of water quality problems. The project serves as a model for proper stormwater management and living shoreline creation throughout both the Metedeconk River and Barnegat Bay Watersheds. To learn more about Princeton Hydro’s robust natural resource management and restoration services, click here. Click here to read about another stormwater management green infrastructure project recently completed in Thompson Park, the largest developed park in the New Jersey's Middlesex County park system. [post_title] => Designing & Implementing Green Infrastructure in the Metedeconk River Watershed [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => designing-implementing-green-infrastructure-in-the-metedeconk-river-watershed [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-10-13 15:59:23 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-10-13 15:59:23 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=11837 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 11289 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2022-08-26 19:06:38 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-08-26 19:06:38 [post_content] => The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) launched a Youth Inclusion Initiative to help the State of New Jersey develop the next generation of environmental protection, conservation and stewardship leaders while also providing an avenue for young adults from open space-constrained communities to engage with nature as they provide valuable stewardship services to the public through jobs at NJDEP. This year, the youth inclusion program is partnering with Groundwork Elizabeth, Rutgers University Camden, and Newark’s Ironbound Community Corporation to create a workforce development curriculum for people ages 17 to 24. Groundwork Elizabeth sent 12 participants to this year’s program, and Rutgers Camden and the Ironbound Community Corporation each sent 10. [caption id="attachment_11299" align="aligncenter" width="771"] Photo by NJDEP[/caption] The curriculum provides career education in the environmental protection field and helps the young participants develop the skills necessary to pursue those career paths in New Jersey. Participants learn through classroom instruction and by working across sectors regulated by the NJDEP, including water resources, air quality, energy and sustainability, public lands management, and wildlife. Susan Lockwood of NJDEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection’s Mitigation Unit reached out to Princeton Hydro to showcase ecosystem restoration and mitigation efforts across the state as well as discuss the variety of career roles that make these projects possible. Our portion of the curriculum entailed each group of students visiting two sites to learn about the benefits of restoring a landscape with native vegetation. Our discussion explored different fields of work related to urban environmental restoration and water resource protection and the job responsibilities of environmental scientists, water resource engineers, geologists, ecologists, pesticide applicators, and regulatory compliance specialists. The Abbott Marshlands in Trenton, New Jersey [gallery link="none" ids="11287,11288,11281"] After a quick stop at NJDEP’s office in Trenton to learn about NJ invasive species, all three groups popped over to the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Mercer County’s John A. Roebling Park to see the restoration site in the Abbott Marshlands. The 3,000-acre Abbott Marshlands is the northernmost freshwater tidal marsh on the Delaware River and contains valuable habitat for many rare species like River Otter, American Eel, Bald Eagle, and various species of wading birds. Unfortunately, the area has experienced a significant amount of loss and degradation, partially due to the introduction of the invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). For Mercer County Park Commission, Princeton Hydro implemented a restoration plan to remove Common Reed and expose the native seed bank in 40-acres of the marsh to increase biodiversity, improve recreational opportunities, and enhance visitor experience. Students learned how to tell the difference between the invasive Common Reed vs. native Wild Rice (Zizania palustris L.). They utilized tools of the trade like field guides and binoculars to identify flora and fauna in the marsh. Learn more about this project. Mullica River Wetland Mitigation Site in Evesham, New Jersey [gallery link="none" ids="11343,11342,11282"] After visiting the Roebling site, students from Camden traveled down to Evesham Township in Burlington County to visit the Mullica River Wetland Mitigation Site. For this project, Princeton Hydro worked with GreenVest, LLC to restore a highly degraded 34-acre parcel of land which was previously used for cranberry cultivation. Through the implementation of restoration activities focused on removing the site’s agricultural infrastructure, Princeton Hydro and GreenVest were able to restore a natural wetland system on the site and over 1,600 linear feet of stream, providing forested, scrub-shrub, and emergent wetlands, forested uplands, headwater stream and riparian buffer, and critical wildlife habitat. The project also significantly uplifted threatened and endangered species habitats including Timber Rattlesnake. Susan Lockwood of NJDEP, Owen McEnroe of GreenVest, and Dana Patterson of Princeton Hydro, lead the group of 10 students. They learned the difference between restoration and mitigation and got to experience the remoteness of Pinelands habitat. Walking through the site, we shared how the dam and dike removal helped to restore the river back to its natural free-flowing state and the numerous resulting environmental benefits.The site was chosen for the Camden students in order to demonstrate that successful mitigation and restoration projects happen throughout the State and not far from urban centers like Camden. Learn more about this project. 3. Third River Floodplain Wetland Enhancement Project in Bloomfield, New Jersey [gallery link="none" ids="11344,11279,11277"] After visiting the Roebling site, students from Newark and Elizabeth trekked up to Essex County to visit an urban wetland creation project now known as Lion Gate Park. The once densely developed, abandoned Scientific Glass Factory in Bloomfield Township was transformed into a thriving public park with 4.2 acres of wetlands. Students heard the story of how this project came to be; decades of advocacy and litigation by community members and environmental nonprofits to stop redevelopment of the site into 148 townhomes. Bloomfield Township eventually secured the property to preserve as open space through a range of grants from NJDEP. Serving as the ecological engineer to Bloomfield Township, Princeton Hydro designed, permitted, and oversaw construction for the restoration project and is currently monitoring the site. The restoration work brought back to the land valuable ecological functions and natural floodplain connection, enhanced aquatic and wildlife habitat, and increased flood storage capacity for urban stormwater runoff. Learn more about this project. The NJDEP Youth Inclusion Initiative began on July 5 with a week of orientation classes, and continued through August with classroom and in-field learning. The initiative culminates on August 26 with a graduation and NJDEP Career Day, during which students will have the opportunity to meet with and discuss career options with various organizations tabling at the event, including Princeton Hydro. Click here to learn more about the NJDEP education program. If you’re interested in learning more about Princeton Hydro’s ecological restoration services, click here. [post_title] => Students from NJDEP's Youth Inclusion Initiative Tour Restored Landscapes with Princeton Hydro [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => njdep-youth-inclusion-initiative [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2022-08-26 19:13:55 [post_modified_gmt] => 2022-08-26 19:13:55 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=11289 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [7] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 10522 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2022-03-28 21:25:01 [post_date_gmt] => 2022-03-28 21:25:01 [post_content] => The NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) hosted its 3rd Annual Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Summit! The all-day, virtual seminar included expert presentations and facilitated open-forum discussions related to HAB science, monitoring, response, management, treatment and communication. Approximately 220 people from around the country participated in the virtual summit, which was free and open to the public. The audience of stakeholders included government officials (local, state, federal); lake and other environmental commissions; watershed associations; environmental nonprofits; businesses; academics; lake management and HAB treatment experts; and folks interested in protecting their community lakes. Participants heard presentations about “Keeping Your Pets Safe from HABs,” “The Benefit of Riparian Buffers;” and “Stormwater Management and the Use of Green Infrastructure.” Additionally, two members of the NJDEP HAB Expert Team - Dr. Fred Lubnow Director and Dr. Meiyin Wu - gave a presentation on best management practices to prevent, mitigate, and/or control HABs. The 10-person expert team was established as part of Governor Phil Murphy’s plan to enhance scientific expertise around water quality management and bolster the State’s response to HABs. The Governor’s HABs Initiative was launched in 2019 after lakes throughout NJ (and the entire Continental U.S.) suffered from HAB outbreaks, which caused local and county health agencies to close off all beaches and issue advisories. These unprecedented conditions had significant negative impacts on lake-related ecological, recreational, and economic resources. The Governor’s initiative designated $13 million in funding to local communities for HABs reduction/prevention; established the aforementioned HABs expert team; and coordinated annual HABs summits in order to encourage continued community education and discussion. If you were unable to attend the 2022 HAB Summit, NJDEP has made the complete morning and afternoon sessions available online: Watch the Morning Session: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KzeIP4FY60[/embed] Watch the Afternoon Session: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSfJXhcaPCo[/embed] The NJDEP Division of Water Monitoring and Standards has an entire website dedicated to HABs. Click here to access educational fact sheets, stay informed on HAB alerts and advisories, and report a HAB sighting. For more information about HABs, watch a live interview with Dr. Fred Lubnow on Jersey Matters during which he discusses what steps should be taken to prevent HABs: [embed]https://youtu.be/BzesLJI2pLA?si=-S8AGu5e1ERnjTX6[/embed] [post_title] => WATCH: NJDEP's 2022 Harmful Algal Bloom Virtual Summit [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => njdep-hab-summit-2022 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-11-04 02:31:34 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-11-04 02:31:34 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=10522 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [8] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9813 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2021-12-28 02:38:00 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-12-28 02:38:00 [post_content] => Thousands of native flowering plants and grasses were planted at Thompson Park in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Once established, the native plant meadow will not only look beautiful, it will reduce stormwater runoff and increase habitat for birds, pollinators, and other critical species. The planting was completed by community volunteers along with Eric Gehring of Kramer+Marks Architects, Middlesex County Youth Conservation Corps, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, and Princeton Hydro Landscape Architect Cory Speroff, PLA, ASLA, CBLP. All of the plants that were installed are native to the north-central region of New Jersey. Volunteers planted switchgrass (panicum virgatum), orange coneflower (rudbeckia fulgida), blue wild indigo (baptisia australis), partridge pea (chamaecrista fasciculata), Virginia mountain mint (pycnanhemum virginianum), and aromatic aster (symphyotrichum oblongifolium). In selecting the location for each of the plants, special consideration was given to each species' drought tolerance and sunlight and shade requirements. The selected plant species all provide important wildlife value, including providing food and shelter for migratory birds. Photos provided by: Michele Bakacs The planting initiative is one part of a multi-faceted Stormwater Treatment Train project recently completed in Thompson Park. The project is funded by a Water Quality Restoration 319(h) grant awarded to South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council by the NJDEP. Middlesex County Office of Parks and Recreation and Office of Planning, NJDEP, South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, Middlesex County Mosquito Extermination Commission, Freehold Soil Conservation District, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Enviroscapes, and Princeton Hydro worked together to bring this project to fruition. To learn more about the Thompson Park Zoo stormwater project, check out our recent blog: Stormwater Management at Thompson Park ZooWhat is Stormwater Runoff? Stormwater runoff is all of the rainfall or snowmelt water that is not absorbed into the ground and instead flows over land. When not managed properly, stormwater runoff causes issues like pollution in our waterways, flooding, and erosion. Stormwater runoff has been cited in multiple studies as a leading cause of... [post_title] => Thousands of Native Plants Installed in Thompson Park [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => thompson-park-native-plant-meadow [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2021-12-27 12:58:34 [post_modified_gmt] => 2021-12-27 12:58:34 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=9813 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [9] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 9891 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2021-11-24 08:48:53 [post_date_gmt] => 2021-11-24 08:48:53 [post_content] => Over the past year, the Deal Lake Commission (DLC) has implemented a variety of stormwater management projects aimed at reducing the volume of stormwater runoff, decreasing total phosphorus loading, and preventing debris, sediment, and pollutants from flowing into waterbodies throughout the Deal Lake, Wesley Lake, and Sunset Lake Watersheds. These projects encompass a strategic combination of stormwater best management practices (BMPs), including structural BMPs, non-structural controls, and green infrastructure techniques. These stormwater management projects were funded by a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant awarded by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to the DLC. Let’s take a look at some of the recently completed initiatives: Manufactured Treatment Devices Manufactured Treatment Devices (MTDs) are pre-fabricated stormwater treatment structures used to address stormwater issues in highly developed, urban areas. MTDs capture and remove sediments, metals, hydrocarbons, and other pollutants from stormwater runoff before the runoff reaches surrounding waterbodies and/or storm sewer systems. This year, Princeton Hydro worked with the DLC and Leon S. Avakian Engineers to design and install three MTDs throughout Asbury Park, NJ with the purpose of improving water quality in Sunset Lake. [gallery columns="2" ids="9896,9897,9894,9895"] Students from the Asbury Park High School Engineering Academy, led by their teacher Kevin Gould, were invited to observe one of the MTD installations. The educational field trip was combined with a presentation from Princeton Hydro’s Senior Aquatic Ecologist Dr. Jack Szczepanski, which was titled, “Ecology and Engineering in Asbury Park.” Click below to watch one of the recent MTD installations: [visual-link-preview encoded="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"] Rain Garden Renovation Rain gardens are a cost effective, attractive, and sustainable way to minimize stormwater runoff and filter out pollutants. This aesthetic, low-maintenance addition to any outdoor landscape creates a functioning habitat that attracts pollinators, beneficial insects, and birds. And, in a small way, it helps reduce erosion, promote groundwater recharge, and minimize flooding. The DLC along with the Deal Lake Watershed Alliance, Asbury Park's Environmental Shade Tree Commission (ESTC), Asbury Park Department of Public Works (DPW) and Princeton Hydro completed a major renovation to an existing rain garden located in front of the Asbury Park bus terminal and municipal building. The rain garden, which was originally constructed by the ESTC, was not functioning properly due to one of the inlets being completely obstructed by sediment. The DPW helped clear the sediment and regrade it, while the ESTC removed invasive weeds and replanted it with native shrubs, perennials, and flowers. For more information about rain gardens and instructions on how to build your own, check out our recent blog: [visual-link-preview encoded="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"] Floating Wetland Islands Floating Wetland Islands (FWIs) are a low-cost, effective green infrastructure solution used to mitigate phosphorus and nitrogen stormwater pollution. FWIs are designed to mimic natural wetlands in a sustainable, efficient, and powerful way. They improve water quality by assimilating and removing excess nutrients that could fuel harmful algae blooms; provide valuable ecological habitat for a variety of beneficial species; help mitigate wave and wind erosion impacts; provide an aesthetic element; and add significant biodiversity enhancement within open freshwater environments. The DLC worked with Princeton Hydro to design and install a total of 12 floating wetland islands, six in Sunset Lake and six in Wesley Lake. A team of volunteers, led by the DLC and Princeton Hydro, planted vegetation in each of the FWIs and launched and secured each island into the lakes. [gallery link="none" columns="2" ids="8942,8945,8936,8935"] Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant related efforts will continue in the Spring of 2022 with the design and installation of “bioscape” gardens and tree boxes. Stay tuned for updates! ... To learn more about the Deal Lake Commission, click here. To read about one of Princeton Hydro’s recently completed stormwater management projects, click here. [post_title] => 3 Techniques to Manage Stormwater & Improve Water Quality [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => 3-stormwater-management-techniques [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2026-03-27 16:15:51 [post_modified_gmt] => 2026-03-27 16:15:51 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=9891 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 10 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 18685 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2025-11-07 17:08:03 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-11-07 17:08:03 [post_content] => The Borough of Mountain Lakes has received grant funding from the New Jersey Highlands Council to develop a comprehensive Lake and Watershed Management Plan for nine lakes within the Borough. To lead this effort, the Borough engaged Princeton Hydro, a leader in ecological and engineering consulting. The initiative will focus on characterizing hydrologic and nutrient dynamics within the Borough’s lake systems and watersheds to guide targeted water quality improvement and management strategies. “Mountain Lakes takes great pride in our lakes, which play an important role in defining our community. Through our partnership with the Highlands Council and Princeton Hydro, we’re taking a proactive, data-driven approach to protecting both the environmental and recreational value of our lakes and waterways, with the goal of preserving these vital natural resources for generations to come,” said Borough of Mountain Lakes Manager Mitchell Stern. A selection process was undertaken by the Borough of Mountain Lakes, Princeton Hydro, and the New Jersey Highlands Council to define the scope of this Lake and Watershed Management Program. In accordance with Policy 1L2 and Objective 1L2a of the NJHC Regional Master Plan, which establish lake management tiers and prioritize lakes greater than 10 acres for protection and management, nine lakes were selected for the study: Birchwood Lake, Crystal Lake, Wildwood Lake, Sunset Lake, Mountain Lake, Shadow Pond, Olive Pond, Grundens Pond, and Cove Pond. These lakes represent the waterbodies in the Borough and were chosen to ensure the program focuses on areas with the greatest potential impact on water quality, watershed function, and community value. Princeton Hydro’s work will include watershed modeling, hydrologic and pollutant load analyses, and in-lake and watershed-based water quality monitoring. Once the data is analyzed, Princeton Hydro will develop a General Assessment Report that identifies the primary drivers of eutrophication and outlines a prioritized set of management strategies to effectively reduce nutrient loading and enhance long-term lake health. “The regional, science-based approach to lake and watershed management has proven to be a powerful tool for municipalities in the Highlands Region,” said Christopher Mikolajczyk, CLM, Senior Manager of Aquatics at Princeton Hydro, Certified Lake Manager, and lead designer for this initiative. “We’re excited to collaborate with Mountain Lakes to help identify cost-effective, data-driven strategies that will enhance water quality throughout the watershed and help safeguard these treasured natural resources.” The New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council (Highlands Council) is a regional planning agency that partners with municipalities and counties in the Highlands Region to promote proactive watershed protection. Established under the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004, the Council has funded numerous water-quality-related planning initiatives. Historically, municipalities and private lake associations have managed water quality issues independently. However, taking a coordinated, watershed-based approach enables communities to more effectively address pollution sources, improve water quality, and prevent the spread of invasive species and harmful algal blooms. Mountain Lakes joins several other Highlands region municipalities that have received Highlands council funding to implement similar lake and watershed management initiatives. In 2019, the Borough of Ringwood became the first municipality in New Jerey to adopt a regional, public-private approach to lake management, partnering with four lake associations across six lakes. Since the completion of the Ringwood plan, NJDEP has funded recommendations from the plan. This model has since inspired additional projects, including watershed assessments for West Milford Township, Rockaway Township, Byram Township, Vernon Township, and Somerset County Parks Commission. Princeton Hydro worked with each agency to develop the respective scope of work to secure grant funding from the Highlands Council. Photo from the Borough of Mountain Lakes. 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The Borough of Mountain Lakes has received grant funding from the New Jersey Highlands Council to develop a comprehensive Lake and Watershed Management Plan for nine lakes within the Borough. To lead this effort, the Borough engaged Princeton Hydro, a leader in ecological and engineering consulting. The initiative will focus on characterizing hydrologic and nutrient dynamics within the Borough’s lake systems and watersheds to guide targeted water quality improvement and management strategies.
“Mountain Lakes takes great pride in our lakes, which play an important role in defining our community. Through our partnership with the Highlands Council and Princeton Hydro, we’re taking a proactive, data-driven approach to protecting both the environmental and recreational value of our lakes and waterways, with the goal of preserving these vital natural resources for generations to come,” said Borough of Mountain Lakes Manager Mitchell Stern.
A selection process was undertaken by the Borough of Mountain Lakes, Princeton Hydro, and the New Jersey Highlands Council to define the scope of this Lake and Watershed Management Program. In accordance with Policy 1L2 and Objective 1L2a of the NJHC Regional Master Plan, which establish lake management tiers and prioritize lakes greater than 10 acres for protection and management, nine lakes were selected for the study: Birchwood Lake, Crystal Lake, Wildwood Lake, Sunset Lake, Mountain Lake, Shadow Pond, Olive Pond, Grundens Pond, and Cove Pond. These lakes represent the waterbodies in the Borough and were chosen to ensure the program focuses on areas with the greatest potential impact on water quality, watershed function, and community value.
Princeton Hydro’s work will include watershed modeling, hydrologic and pollutant load analyses, and in-lake and watershed-based water quality monitoring. Once the data is analyzed, Princeton Hydro will develop a General Assessment Report that identifies the primary drivers of eutrophication and outlines a prioritized set of management strategies to effectively reduce nutrient loading and enhance long-term lake health.
“The regional, science-based approach to lake and watershed management has proven to be a powerful tool for municipalities in the Highlands Region,” said Christopher Mikolajczyk, CLM, Senior Manager of Aquatics at Princeton Hydro, Certified Lake Manager, and lead designer for this initiative. “We’re excited to collaborate with Mountain Lakes to help identify cost-effective, data-driven strategies that will enhance water quality throughout the watershed and help safeguard these treasured natural resources.”
The New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council (Highlands Council) is a regional planning agency that partners with municipalities and counties in the Highlands Region to promote proactive watershed protection. Established under the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004, the Council has funded numerous water-quality-related planning initiatives.
Historically, municipalities and private lake associations have managed water quality issues independently. However, taking a coordinated, watershed-based approach enables communities to more effectively address pollution sources, improve water quality, and prevent the spread of invasive species and harmful algal blooms.
Mountain Lakes joins several other Highlands region municipalities that have received Highlands council funding to implement similar lake and watershed management initiatives. In 2019, the Borough of Ringwood became the first municipality in New Jerey to adopt a regional, public-private approach to lake management, partnering with four lake associations across six lakes. Since the completion of the Ringwood plan, NJDEP has funded recommendations from the plan. This model has since inspired additional projects, including watershed assessments for West Milford Township, Rockaway Township, Byram Township, Vernon Township, and Somerset County Parks Commission. Princeton Hydro worked with each agency to develop the respective scope of work to secure grant funding from the Highlands Council.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) recently announced $8 million in Water Quality Restoration Grants to support projects that reduce nonpoint source pollution, mitigate harmful algal blooms, restore riparian areas, and enhance watershed and climate resilience. Funded through Section 319(h) of the federal Clean Water Act and administered by the DEP's Watershed and Land Management Program, these grants were awarded to municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions across the state.
Princeton Hydro is proud to be a partner on five of the 17 funded projects. Our contributions vary by project and encompass activities such as engineering design, water quality assessment, watershed-based planning, and technical support for implementing stormwater and habitat restoration measures. Let's take a deeper look at these collaborative efforts:
The Watershed Institute received $205K in 319(h) grant funding to develop a watershed-based plan for the Assunpink Creek watershed, located within the Raritan River Basin. This watershed spans 11 municipalities across two counties, where varied landscapes and demographics share common challenges such as localized flooding, stormwater management, and water quality degradation, highlighting the need for a coordinated, watershed-wide, science-driven approach.
The plan will evaluate pollution sources and identify large-scale restoration opportunities, including green infrastructure and riparian buffer restoration, to improve water quality and reduce flooding. It will also assess the cost, feasibility, and pollutant reduction potential of proposed measures to ensure practical implementation. Princeton Hydro supported the Institute in developing the grant proposal and planning framework, leveraging our expertise in watershed-based planning to prioritize nature-based solutions that address both water quality and climate resilience. This initiative represents a critical step toward regional collaboration, enabling upstream and downstream communities to work together on strategies that strengthen watershed health, protect public safety, and build long-term resilience.
The Lake Hopatcong Commission (LHC) was awarded $366K to retrofit an existing stormwater detention basin between King Road and Mount Arlington Boulevard in Roxbury Township. This retrofit is part of a larger Watershed Implementation Plan that Princeton Hydro developed in collaboration with LHC, which prioritizes nutrient reduction and stormwater management strategies across the Lake Hopatcong watershed. Over the past several years, LHC has actively implemented multiple elements of this plan to address harmful algal blooms (HABs) and improve water quality.
For this project, Princeton Hydro is providing engineering design and technical oversight to transform the existing basin into a green stormwater infrastructure system that slows, captures, and naturally treats runoff before it enters King Cove. The design incorporates native vegetation, invasive species management, and erosion control measures to stabilize soils and filter pollutants, reducing nutrient loading, which is one key driver of HABs. Public outreach and pre- and post-construction water quality monitoring will ensure performance tracking and measurable improvements. This basin retrofit represents a critical step in a coordinated, science-based approach to restoring ecological health and water quality in New Jersey’s largest lake.
Jefferson Township received $350K in grant funding to develop an Emerging Contaminants Management Plan for Cozy Lake, focusing on cyanotoxins and HABs. Cozy Lake is a 28-acre waterbody within a 1,152-acre sub-watershed that includes both forested (60%) and developed (29%) land. The lake is fed by the Rockaway River at its northern end and a smaller southeastern inlet, with outflow through a dam on the western edge.
The shoreline is primarily residential lawn with minimal emergent wetlands, and several inlets and rock-lined drainage ditches exhibit erosion and lack slope protection, contributing to sediment loading. Princeton Hydro provided early technical input to shape this innovative project with the creation of a comprehensive Jefferson Township Lake and Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan. As part of the plan, Princeton Hydro made recommendations for Cozy Lake, which included enhancing shoreline buffers with native vegetation and installing living shorelines at select properties to stabilize soils, filter stormwater and reduce nutrient loading, improve habitat quality, and enhance community access. These measures, combined with in-lake monitoring and proactive management strategies, will help mitigate HABs and protect ecological and public health.
Rockaway Township received $399K in grant funding to implement elements of its Watershed Implementation Plan, focusing on green infrastructure stormwater management and nutrient reduction to improve water quality. The project will retrofit the municipal complex by converting a rock-lined drainage swale into a vegetated swale with a bioretention basin, designed to filter stormwater runoff and reduce nonpoint source pollutants entering Fox’s Pond and Fox Brook.
Princeton Hydro played a key role in developing the Watershed Implementation Plan, which encompasses 11 private lakes within the Rockaway River watershed, prioritizing critical locations for intervention and designing cost-effective green infrastructure BMPs. This regional approach aligns with strategies recommended by NJDEP and the Highlands Council. The plan included a comprehensive watershed-based assessment to identify and quantify factors contributing to eutrophication, evaluate management measures, estimate costs, and establish an implementation schedule. Princeton Hydro authored the final report, which guided the Township in applying for the Section 319(h) grant and now informs the design and construction of green stormwater infrastructure that will deliver measurable water quality improvements while supporting ecological restoration goals.
Green Trust Alliance (GTA), a nationally accredited land trust and public charity dedicated to accelerating large-scale conservation, received $1.39 million in NJDEP funding to implement green infrastructure improvements at Pinelands Regional High School in Tuckerton, New Jersey. This initiative targets the Tuckerton Creek watershed, which drains into Tuckerton Creek and ultimately flows into Barnegat Bay—a critical estuary spanning 33 municipalities in Ocean County and four in Monmouth County. The retrofit will transform the school’s stormwater detention basin into a multi-functional system that mimics natural hydrology, enhances flow control, and improves water quality locally and in the larger Barnegat Bay watershed.
Working with GTA and GreenVest, Princeton Hydro is serving as the design engineer, applying nature-based engineering and ecological restoration techniques to intercept, evapotranspire, and infiltrate stormwater runoff at its source. In addition to its technical objectives, the effort includes a strong community engagement component and an educational platform for students. By bringing green infrastructure into the school environment, the initiative provides hands-on experience with water resources, stormwater management, and ecological engineering, help to build STEM skills while fostering a deeper connection to the surrounding landscape and an understanding of how natural systems work together to support environmental and community health.
Princeton Hydro also assisted several of these partners in developing successful NJDEP Section 319(h) grant applications, providing technical documentation, conceptual designs, and pollutant load reduction estimates to strengthen the proposals.
To date, the Murphy Administration has awarded more than $33M in Water Quality Restoration grants to improve the health of waterways in all corners of the state. Click here to read about all the 2025 grant funding recipients and their innovative projects.
As NJDEP Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette noted in the department's press release, “Enhancing the ecological health of our lakes, rivers, streams and coastal waters has long been a priority of the Murphy Administration. The Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to award these grants that will help our partners advance a variety of strategies to improve the health of these waterways and enhance the quality of life in our communities.”
We are proud to play a continued role in advancing that mission: helping communities implement practical, data-driven solutions that make a measurable difference for New Jersey’s waterways and the people who depend on them. Click here to learn more about our work to protect natural habitat and restore water quality throughout the New Jersey.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has launched its third annual Youth Inclusion Initiative. The program hopes to enrich young participants, who may not have the opportunity to explore open spaces in their community, with hands-on environmental field experience under the tutelage of NJDEP professionals and mentors.
This year’s youth consists of 47 participants from ages 16-20 that hail from five different community-based organizations. These partners include Neighborhood Improvement Association (Trenton), Rutgers-Camden, Groundwork Elizabeth, Ironbound Community Corporation (Newark), and The Work Group (Camden).
Over the course of this six week program, the youth participated in a curriculum that showcased career pathways in the water resources and natural resources management fields. Participants learned through classroom instruction and by receiving some in-field experience across sectors regulated by NJDEP such as touring an air monitoring station, visiting a trout hatchery, conducting stream assessments, and practicing proper tool and equipment recognition at a state park. After their time with the initiative is through, they will have nurtured the skills to pursue these job opportunities and develop a deeper appreciation for our environment.
Princeton Hydro representatives Mark Gallagher, Dana Patterson, and Michael Rehman, CERP, PWS led one of the mentorships. This is the second year NJDEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection Mitigation Unit invited Princeton Hydro to teach a portion of the program. The goal in participating was to educate the youth about the importance of restoring native landscapes and explore the job responsibilities of environmental scientists, water resource engineers, geologists, ecologists, pesticide applicators, and regulatory compliance specialists, while building upon and cultivating fascination with nature.
The program kicked off with a presentation in Mercer County Park Commission’s Tulpehaking Nature Center located in John A. Roebling Park. After learning about the history of the site from representatives from Mercer County and Friends of the Abbott Marshlands, Princeton Hydro discussed opportunities for careers in conservation and gave a brief overview of the restoration efforts in the park to eradicate the invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). Prior to heading out to explore the Abbott Marshlands, the northernmost freshwater tidal wetlands on the Delaware River, the Princeton Hydro team went through a health and safety briefing, a very important part of our job, to make sure everyone was aware of the potential risks and exposures.
Princeton Hydro team members and NJDEP’s Environmental Specialist Jessica Klein led the participants through the park. Right away, the first group witnessed one of nature’s marvels when they spotted a Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris) laying her eggs along the side of the main road. Participants learned of the marshland and surrounding upland’s rich cultural significance. On their trek through this natural oasis, they followed in the footsteps of the Lenape, a tribe of Native Americans who regularly visited and eventually settled in the area at least 13,000 years ago. These early nomadic people relied on the land for food, fuel, and other readily available resources until they were displaced due to European settlement along the Delaware River. Learn more about the Abbott Marshland cultural history here.
Eventually, the group made it to the area of the restoration site. Here, the students gained a better understanding of the harsh effects that invasive species have on an ecosystem. The 3000-acre freshwater tidal marsh provides habitat to many rare and endangered species, but it has experienced a significant amount of degradation due to monoculture of the invasive Common Reed. In order to improve the area’s biodiversity and elevate visitors’ recreational experience, Princeton Hydro implemented a restoration plan that aimed to eradicate the aggressive non-native plants within a 40-acre stretch of the marsh and enable native plants like Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica) to flourish. Learn more about this project.
NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette surprised the Rutgers-Camden group with his joyful presence. After giving a zealous speech to the class, he accompanied them on their journey to the marshland.
Overall, participants had fun learning how to use a field guide to identify invasive species found within the area. They were taught how to differentiate them with native flora like sensitive fern, poison ivy, and wild rice. With a wide survey of the marshland, the youth were taught about wetland delineation and got a peek into the process of using a hand auger and a Munsell Soil Color Book to identify wetland soils. Utilizing binoculars, the last group was lucky to spot a Northern Harrier, an uncommon visitor for the marshland, soaring circles in the sky in search of prey. The rare sighting led to the successful end of the final tour.
A wetland is a unique ecosystem that is permanently or seasonally saturated by water, including swamps, marshes, bogs, vernal pools, and similar areas. They provide water quality improvement, flood protection, shoreline erosion control, food for humans and animals, and critical habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants, aquatic organisms, and wildlife.
Princeton Hydro is regionally recognized for its capabilities in the restoration of freshwater and saltwater wetland ecosystems. Our ecologists also regularly conduct wetland delineations. A wetland delineation, a requirement of most permitting efforts, is the field work conducted to determine the boundary between the upper limit of a wetland and the lower limit of an upland thus identifying the approximate extent and location of wetlands on a requested site.
For this edition of our “A Day in the Life” blog series, we join Environmental Scientist Ivy Babson and Regulatory Compliance & Wildlife Surveys Project Manager Emily Bjorhus, PWS out in the field for a wetland delineation.
Most commonly, wetlands are delineated based on the Routine Onsite Determination Method set forth in the Federal Manual Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands (FICWD 1989) with supplemental information provided by the applicable United States Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) regional supplement manual.
USACE’s “three-parameter” approach defines an area as a wetland if it exhibits, under normal circumstances, all the following characteristics:
Ivy and Emily begin by coordinating with the client to ensure they’ve been granted site access approval.
They then perform a comprehensive desktop analysis of the project site, identifying existing features like wetlands, open waters (streams, lakes), and potential hydric soils. This involves utilizing resources like USFWS's National Wetland Inventory Mapper, the U.S. Geological Survey's SSURGO Soils Survey, and, for New Jersey-based delineations, NJDEP's GeoWeb. The desktop review also allows Ivy and Emily to assemble the proper safety gear and create a Model Health & Safety Plan (HASP). A HASP must always be prepared before the field work begins.
It's always important to make a plan for the project. If we are delineating a large property, it might take several days to traverse, and each day, the weather might be different. So planning ahead, but also being prepared for unexpected changes, will make the day go that much smoother. And, as part of the HASP, we must identify important points of contact and know where the closest hospital is in case of a serious emergency. So, reviewing this information and planning ahead prior to heading into the field is a very important step in the process.
While wetland delineations can be conducted any time of the year, they are best conducted during the “growing season” when soil temperatures are above the biologic zero and vegetation is easily identifiable by leaves, inflorescence, or other unique identifying characteristics that would otherwise be difficult to identify during the winter months.
Ivy and Emily begin by locating known (mapped) wetland or waterbody features and writing a list of all plants observed on-site. They maintain the plant list throughout the day.
If, during the desktop review, they find a mapped wetland or stream, they walk there first to determine if wetlands are actually present. Even if a wetland is mapped on a database, it may not actually exist for various reasons. On the flip side, even if a site is not mapped as containing wetlands, the site could very well contain them. As such, the wetland delineation determines exactly what is on-site and supplements the desktop review.
As mentioned above, a wetland delineation considers three determining factors: 1) vegetation, 2) soils, and 3) hydrology. While on site, Ivy and Emily must identify hydrophytic vegetation, take soil borings, and look for wetland hydrology to identify whether a wetland is present or not.
Wetlands are dominated by hydrophytes which are plants that can grow in water or on a substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen because of excessive water content and depleted soil oxygen levels.
The USACE and NJDEP definition of hydrophytes is based on the USFWS classification system. In general, any plant species that is found growing in wetlands more than 50% of the time is considered a hydrophyte. These plants include those classified by the USFWS as “facultative," “facultative wetland," or “obligate."
As a wetland delineator, it is important to possess strong plant identification skills and an eye for recognizing various ecological plant communities, which are groups of plants that share a common environment and environmental requirements. They are often defined by dominant plant species.
Once Ivy and Emily identify the hydrophytic plant community, they determine what type of ecological community they are in (e.g., freshwater forested wetland, estuarine scrub-shrub wetland, or freshwater tidal emergent marsh). Today, they are in a freshwater forested wetland, which means Ivy and Emily must now assess each stratum of the forested wetland by writing down the species and associated percent species cover.
To accurately describe the vegetation at each sampling point, we collect data on each horizontal strata or layer. Vegetative strata for which dominants are determined include (1) tree (> 5.0 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) and 20 feet or taller); (2) sapling (0.4 to <5.0 inches DBH and <20 feet tall); (3) shrub (usually 3 to 20 feet tall including multi-stemmed, bushy shrubs); (4) woody vine; and (5) herb (herbaceous plants including graminoids, forbs, ferns, fern allies, herbaceous vines, and tree seedlings). They repeat this process for each representative wetland.
Next, Ivy and Emily look for the upland plant community that is directly upslope of the wetland and make note of the proximity to the wetland, repeating the same vegetation documentation process.
Ivy and Emily must determine whether the soils within the hydrophytic plant community are hydric. Hydric soils are defined as soils that are saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. Hydric soil indicators are features in the soil that predominantly form by biogeochemical processes in a saturated and anaerobic environment and result in the accumulation of loss of iron, manganese, sulfur, or carbon compounds.
Emily uses a soil auger to collect a sample of the first 6 - 12 inches of soil where the most significant parts of a hydric soil would be occurring.
Once Ivy and Emily identify that the soil is indeed hydric, Ivy uses her Munsell soil color book to determine the value of the soil and each hydric soil indicator.
They also document additional characteristics of each soil layer: Is it loam, silty loam, sand, sandy loam, silt, muck, clay, clayey loam, etc.? What is the percentage of rocks, plant roots, or other organic matter in each layer? What is the percentage of redoximorphic features of each layer and are they faint or prominent?
Each layer of the soil profile, which is typically documented to a depth of at least 18 inches, is sectioned out and thoroughly described.
The identification of positive indicators of wetland hydrology includes direct observation of indicator groups, such as the observation of surface water or saturated soils, evidence of recent inundation, evidence of current or recent soil saturation, and evidence from other site conditions or data. Each group contains several indicators, which are classified into categories known as “primary” or “secondary” indicators.
To positively identify the area as being a wetland, at least one primary wetland indicator (from any group) or at least two secondary wetland indicators (from any group) must be present.
Additionally, for an area to be designated as a wetland, the area must have the presence of water for a week or more during the growing season. Areas with wetland hydrology characteristics are those where the presence of water has an overriding influence on characteristics of vegetation and soils due to anaerobic and reducing conditions, respectively.
Today, Emily and Ivy observe a depression (secondary) along with a few inches of standing water (primary), water-stained leaves (primary), frogs hopping around (primary), and moss trim lines on the tree trunks (secondary). All signs point to a forested wetland; however, there is more to consider.
Ivy and Emily’s soil boring assessment showed that the soils within the top 12 inches of the soil surface were saturated (primary) and bright orange streaks were visible along the plant roots, which they documented as oxidized rhizospheres along living roots (primary). Because they identified more than one primary and two secondary wetland indicators, they can confidently delineate the wetland.
Now that Ivy and Emily established that a wetland is present, they must find the boundary of the upland. They are now looking for the absence of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and positive indicators of wetland hydrology as well as the dominance of upland ecological plant communities. The same analysis and documentation process they completed for the wetland area is also required for the upland area.
Once they locate the boundary, they flag the wetland line, labeling the flagging with the wetland nomenclature and either hanging it or pinning it into the ground.
While the description sounds relatively simple, finding the boundary between a wetland and upland can be tricky and time consuming. For example, there may be some hydrophytic vegetation growing within an upland and there may be one secondary positive indicator of wetland hydrology, but hydric soils are missing. To positively classify an area as a wetland, a slam dunk on all three parameters is required.
Ivy and Emily must also delineate waterbodies concurrent with wetlands. Waterbodies may include, but are not limited to, streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. To delineate a waterbody, they hang labeled flagging along the waterbody’s top of bank or its ordinary high water mark. Throughout this process, they take pictures to document the existing waterbody conditions.
Once the wetland delineation is complete, Ivy and Emily draw out a field sketch that depicts the approximate extent and location of the wetland and waterbody boundaries with their respective nomenclature.
Depending on the project scope, the field sketch is either submitted to a Professional Licensed Surveyor who will then visit the site to survey each wetland and waterbody flag, or Ivy and Emily will return to the site to survey each flag with a survey-grade GPS. Once the survey is complete, Ivy and Emily will conduct a final review of the plans to ensure accuracy.
If requested, they will also prepare a wetland delineation report, which outlines the delineation method, findings, results, and thorough description of each wetland and its soils, hydrology, and vegetation.
“Wetland delineations aren’t for the faint of heart,” said Ivy. “At the end of the day, you might emerge from a dense stand of Phragmites garnering strange looks from passersby with muck smeared on your face, sticks and leaves poking out of your hair, a belly full of mosquitos that you might have accidentally swallowed, and fingernails stuffed with dirt. However, there isn’t any other type of field that I would rather be in. As a wetland delineator, I can access environments that most people would steer clear of and, as a result, I get to see things that I wouldn’t get to see anywhere else. I get to improve my plant identification skills and expand my knowledge of how wetlands function as an ecosystem.”
Emily Bjorhus is a Project Manager that specializes in environmental regulatory compliance, ecological services and wildlife surveys. She leads federal, state and local environmental permitting processes, NEPA compliance and documentation, Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultations, and Clean Water Act Section 404(b)1 analyses. Mrs. Bjorhus is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist.
As an Environmental Scientist, Ivy Babson regularly conducts wetland delineations and monitoring, flora/fauna surveys, water quality sampling, fishery surveys, permitting, and regulatory compliance for a series of projects. She earned her Wetland Delineation Certification from Rutgers University. Ivy graduated from the University of Vermont in 2019 with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Ecological Design, and minor in Geospatial Technologies.
When New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group (NJM) developed their new Regional Operations Facility, a 55-acre corporate campus in Hammonton, New Jersey, they approached the construction with one major goal at the forefront: stormwater management.
Fundamental to that goal was designing a green infrastructure stormwater management system capable of containing on site nearly all the stormwater runoff generated by storm events up to and including a 100-year frequency, 24-hour duration storm.
The group hired Princeton Hydro, recognized as a leader in innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally sound stormwater management, to develop a concept plan that could be built within the context of proper stormwater management and meet the stringent requirements of the NJ Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan.
To accomplish the ambitious stormwater management goals, the project team designed and implemented an integrated stormwater management system that combined traditional and green infrastructure components, and consisted of bioinfiltration basins, parking lot islands, a wetland basin, and a bioretention island. These features were designed to promote the interception, evapotranspiration, and infiltration of stormwater runoff at its source.
Emphasis was given to green infrastructure BMPs specifically capable of treating and infiltrating large volumes of runoff. Thus, all of the infiltration areas were designed using a soil amendment process where the underlying soils were excavated and amended with organic material to improve the underlying recharge capabilities of the soils. To complement the BMPs, the team designed and installed 120,000 gallon below-grade rainwater capture and reuse system. The system captures roof runoff to be used for on-site irrigation, which not only reduces stormwater volume but also decreases the facility’s water usage.
The project is one of the first projects in New Jersey built to infiltrate nearly 100% of the on-site runoff and uses site-design-based stormwater capacity to determine allowable impervious cover.
Before construction began, the team implemented a comprehensive study, which began with a detailed analysis of the site’s soils, with particular attention given to physical properties of the soil and the depth to seasonal high water (groundwater). During construction, Princeton Hydro provided monitoring services for all earthwork activities. Our team was on site full-time during critical activities to ensure that the project was built in accordance with the intent of the original design and ensure the maintenance of the project schedule. The team also provided environmental and geotechnical design and engineering services throughout the corporate campus construction, including the analysis of subsurface structures shop drawings and providing consultation support to the general contractor.
For the project, we partnered with Burgis Associates, Inc. who created site designs, provided landscape architectural and professional planning services, and helped to obtain agency approvals. The landscape program sought to establish native plant communities that filter runoff, provide an aesthetically pleasing visual, reduce invasive species, create habitat for pollinators and other critical species, and require limited maintenance to stay healthy and flourishing.
Post construction, the Princeton Hydro team led the preparation of the scope of services, budget, and proposal for the Stormwater Basin Maintenance, which included mowing and clearing the vegetation in nine infiltration basins. The basins were inspected monthly for functionality and for the presence of invasive plants. And, we are happy to report that the basins are all working properly and invasive plants have been eradicated.
At Princeton Hydro, we are experts in stormwater management; we recognize the numerous benefits of green infrastructure; and we’ve been incorporating green infrastructure into our engineering designs since before the term was regularly used in the stormwater lexicon. Click below to read about a Stormwater Treatment Train we designed and implemented in Thompson Park, a 675-acre recreation area in Middlesex County, New Jersey.
The Metedeconk River flows through over 40 miles of New Jersey's woodlands, freshwater wetlands, forested wetlands, tidal wetlands, and densely developed areas before emptying into the Barnegat Bay. The river and its watershed provide drinking water from ground and surface water sources to about 100,000 homes in Ocean and Monmouth Counties.
A tributary to the North Branch of the Metedeconk River that flows directly through Ocean County Park in Lakewood, NJ. This tributary was deemed to have water quality impairments, including fecal coliform due to the Canada Goose population and high temperature due to the exposed stream channels, which lack a significant tree-canopy. The increasing amounts of impervious land cover associated with the continued urbanization of the Metedeconk River’s Watershed was also a primary cause of water quality impairments.
American Littoral Society (ALS) partnered with Princeton Hydro and local stakeholders to implement green infrastructure projects with the goal of remedying the fecal coliform and water temperature impairments in the Park's tributary as well as improving the overall health and water quality of the Metedeconk River, its surrounding watershed, and, ultimately, the greater Barnegat Bay.
The project team designed and implemented a stormwater treatment train, which combined multiple green infrastructure stormwater management best management practices (BMPs) that work in unison to decrease NPS pollutant loading to the Metedeconk River and increase ecological diversity in Ocean County Park.
The project, which was funded by a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 2014 319(h) Implementation Grant, included four primary BMPs in Ocean County Park: 1. Installation of two Filterra curb-side tree boxes; 2. Construction of a vegetated bioretention/biofiltration swale; 3. Creation of a section of living shoreline along the banks of Duck Pond; and 4. Installation of two floating wetland islands in Duck Pond.
Built at street level, the Filterra™ tree box is a pre-manufactured, in-ground concrete box filled with soil media and planted with a native, noninvasive tree or shrub. It is designed to collect stormwater, absorb nutrients, and treat water before it discharges into surrounding waterbodies.
For this project, two Filterra™ tree box units were installed in the parking lot to the north of Ocean County Park's swimming beach and each planted with serviceberry shrubs. The boxes serve to catch and treat stormwater runoff flowing from the parking lot.
Unlike a traditional drainage basin that simply collects water, a vegetated bioswale uses native plants to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff, decrease total phosphorus loading, and prevent debris, sediment, and pollutants from flowing into the Metedeconk River and other surrounding waterbodies.
For this project, the team designed and implemented a .07-acre bioswale adjacent to the park's main parking lot. Installation of the vegetated bioswale began by removing existing vegetation, excavating the ground north of the parking lot, and then regrading it per the specifications on the plans. Once proper grading was established, the basin was planted with native species including Joe Pye Weed, Blue Mistflower, Jacob Cline Bee Balm, Orange Coneflower, and Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod.
Living shorelines use a variety of native plants to filter runoff, create and improve habitat for aquatic animals, increase water quality, and protect the shoreline from erosion. Two sections of bulkhead along the North and South edges of Ocean County Park's Duck Pond were removed so that the bank could be sloped naturally into the pond and populated with vegetation. The design serves as an additional point of stormwater collection and filtration, significantly reducing the amount of water flowing into nearby paved parking areas.
The northern portion of the living shoreline encompasses 0.06 acres and spans 100 feet along the shore. The southern portion encompasses 0.18 acres and spans 40 feet along the shore. The living shorelines were seeded and then planted with Green Bulrush, Helen’s Flower, Switchgrass, Blue Mistflower, New England Aster, Upright Sedge, and Little BlueStem.
A floating wetland island is made up of a plastic matrix that is planted with water-loving native vegetation. The matrix promotes the growth of a healthy microbial community. The biofilm that develops on the plants' roots and within the island matrix, contribute toward the uptake of nutrients within the waterbody thus improving water quality. Floating wetland islands are anticipated to remove an estimated 17.33 lbs of phosphorus and 566.67 lbs of nitrogen each year, as well as promote a balanced ecosystem through the promotion of “healthy” bacteria and plankton.
Two 250-square-foot floating wetland islands made of polyethylene terephthalate layers were populated with native wetland plants and installed in Duck Pond. The plant pockets were then filled with a biomix of soil and peat, and a variety of native plant species were planted on both islands, including: Swamp Milkweed, Upright Sedge, Common Boneset, Crimson Eyed Rosemallow, and Blue Flag Iris.
Given the magnitude of the project and the high-profile nature of Barnegat Bay, community education and outreach was an essential element of the project and its long-term success. Throughout the course of the project, efforts were made to increase public understanding of the project and to encourage public input in the design of the green infrastructure BMPs and the living shoreline.
The education and outreach was a collaborative effort led by ALS, with support provided by the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation, Georgian Court University, Brick Municipal utilities Authority, NJDEP, and Princeton Hydro.
The team conducted public presentations and meetings, installed educational signs to accompany the water quality improvement techniques that were implemented, created a website dedicated to providing project details and updates, and invited local residents to participate in shoreline restoration and floating wetland island planting efforts.
Following the project, in-situ and discrete water quality monitoring was conducted in stream in order to assess the effectiveness of the above BMPs. The combined green infrastructure and living shoreline elements of this project set the stage for a much needed effort to reduce nonpoint source pollution loading and address waterfowl-related pathogen impacts to Ocean County Park’s lakes and the Metedeconk River. It also heightened public awareness of nonpoint source pollution and the benefits of green infrastructure measures in the abatement of water quality problems.
The project serves as a model for proper stormwater management and living shoreline creation throughout both the Metedeconk River and Barnegat Bay Watersheds.
To learn more about Princeton Hydro’s robust natural resource management and restoration services, click here. Click here to read about another stormwater management green infrastructure project recently completed in Thompson Park, the largest developed park in the New Jersey's Middlesex County park system.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) launched a Youth Inclusion Initiative to help the State of New Jersey develop the next generation of environmental protection, conservation and stewardship leaders while also providing an avenue for young adults from open space-constrained communities to engage with nature as they provide valuable stewardship services to the public through jobs at NJDEP.
This year, the youth inclusion program is partnering with Groundwork Elizabeth, Rutgers University Camden, and Newark’s Ironbound Community Corporation to create a workforce development curriculum for people ages 17 to 24. Groundwork Elizabeth sent 12 participants to this year’s program, and Rutgers Camden and the Ironbound Community Corporation each sent 10.
The curriculum provides career education in the environmental protection field and helps the young participants develop the skills necessary to pursue those career paths in New Jersey. Participants learn through classroom instruction and by working across sectors regulated by the NJDEP, including water resources, air quality, energy and sustainability, public lands management, and wildlife.
Susan Lockwood of NJDEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection’s Mitigation Unit reached out to Princeton Hydro to showcase ecosystem restoration and mitigation efforts across the state as well as discuss the variety of career roles that make these projects possible. Our portion of the curriculum entailed each group of students visiting two sites to learn about the benefits of restoring a landscape with native vegetation. Our discussion explored different fields of work related to urban environmental restoration and water resource protection and the job responsibilities of environmental scientists, water resource engineers, geologists, ecologists, pesticide applicators, and regulatory compliance specialists.
After a quick stop at NJDEP’s office in Trenton to learn about NJ invasive species, all three groups popped over to the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Mercer County’s John A. Roebling Park to see the restoration site in the Abbott Marshlands. The 3,000-acre Abbott Marshlands is the northernmost freshwater tidal marsh on the Delaware River and contains valuable habitat for many rare species like River Otter, American Eel, Bald Eagle, and various species of wading birds. Unfortunately, the area has experienced a significant amount of loss and degradation, partially due to the introduction of the invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). For Mercer County Park Commission, Princeton Hydro implemented a restoration plan to remove Common Reed and expose the native seed bank in 40-acres of the marsh to increase biodiversity, improve recreational opportunities, and enhance visitor experience. Students learned how to tell the difference between the invasive Common Reed vs. native Wild Rice (Zizania palustris L.). They utilized tools of the trade like field guides and binoculars to identify flora and fauna in the marsh. Learn more about this project.
After visiting the Roebling site, students from Camden traveled down to Evesham Township in Burlington County to visit the Mullica River Wetland Mitigation Site. For this project, Princeton Hydro worked with GreenVest, LLC to restore a highly degraded 34-acre parcel of land which was previously used for cranberry cultivation. Through the implementation of restoration activities focused on removing the site’s agricultural infrastructure, Princeton Hydro and GreenVest were able to restore a natural wetland system on the site and over 1,600 linear feet of stream, providing forested, scrub-shrub, and emergent wetlands, forested uplands, headwater stream and riparian buffer, and critical wildlife habitat. The project also significantly uplifted threatened and endangered species habitats including Timber Rattlesnake.
Susan Lockwood of NJDEP, Owen McEnroe of GreenVest, and Dana Patterson of Princeton Hydro, lead the group of 10 students. They learned the difference between restoration and mitigation and got to experience the remoteness of Pinelands habitat. Walking through the site, we shared how the dam and dike removal helped to restore the river back to its natural free-flowing state and the numerous resulting environmental benefits.The site was chosen for the Camden students in order to demonstrate that successful mitigation and restoration projects happen throughout the State and not far from urban centers like Camden. Learn more about this project.
After visiting the Roebling site, students from Newark and Elizabeth trekked up to Essex County to visit an urban wetland creation project now known as Lion Gate Park. The once densely developed, abandoned Scientific Glass Factory in Bloomfield Township was transformed into a thriving public park with 4.2 acres of wetlands. Students heard the story of how this project came to be; decades of advocacy and litigation by community members and environmental nonprofits to stop redevelopment of the site into 148 townhomes. Bloomfield Township eventually secured the property to preserve as open space through a range of grants from NJDEP. Serving as the ecological engineer to Bloomfield Township, Princeton Hydro designed, permitted, and oversaw construction for the restoration project and is currently monitoring the site. The restoration work brought back to the land valuable ecological functions and natural floodplain connection, enhanced aquatic and wildlife habitat, and increased flood storage capacity for urban stormwater runoff. Learn more about this project.
The NJDEP Youth Inclusion Initiative began on July 5 with a week of orientation classes, and continued through August with classroom and in-field learning. The initiative culminates on August 26 with a graduation and NJDEP Career Day, during which students will have the opportunity to meet with and discuss career options with various organizations tabling at the event, including Princeton Hydro.
Click here to learn more about the NJDEP education program. If you’re interested in learning more about Princeton Hydro’s ecological restoration services, click here.
The NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) hosted its 3rd Annual Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Summit! The all-day, virtual seminar included expert presentations and facilitated open-forum discussions related to HAB science, monitoring, response, management, treatment and communication.
Approximately 220 people from around the country participated in the virtual summit, which was free and open to the public. The audience of stakeholders included government officials (local, state, federal); lake and other environmental commissions; watershed associations; environmental nonprofits; businesses; academics; lake management and HAB treatment experts; and folks interested in protecting their community lakes.
Participants heard presentations about “Keeping Your Pets Safe from HABs,” “The Benefit of Riparian Buffers;” and “Stormwater Management and the Use of Green Infrastructure.” Additionally, two members of the NJDEP HAB Expert Team - Dr. Fred Lubnow Director and Dr. Meiyin Wu - gave a presentation on best management practices to prevent, mitigate, and/or control HABs. The 10-person expert team was established as part of Governor Phil Murphy’s plan to enhance scientific expertise around water quality management and bolster the State’s response to HABs.
The Governor’s HABs Initiative was launched in 2019 after lakes throughout NJ (and the entire Continental U.S.) suffered from HAB outbreaks, which caused local and county health agencies to close off all beaches and issue advisories. These unprecedented conditions had significant negative impacts on lake-related ecological, recreational, and economic resources. The Governor’s initiative designated $13 million in funding to local communities for HABs reduction/prevention; established the aforementioned HABs expert team; and coordinated annual HABs summits in order to encourage continued community education and discussion.
The NJDEP Division of Water Monitoring and Standards has an entire website dedicated to HABs. Click here to access educational fact sheets, stay informed on HAB alerts and advisories, and report a HAB sighting.
For more information about HABs, watch a live interview with Dr. Fred Lubnow on Jersey Matters during which he discusses what steps should be taken to prevent HABs:
Thousands of native flowering plants and grasses were planted at Thompson Park in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Once established, the native plant meadow will not only look beautiful, it will reduce stormwater runoff and increase habitat for birds, pollinators, and other critical species.
The planting was completed by community volunteers along with Eric Gehring of Kramer+Marks Architects, Middlesex County Youth Conservation Corps, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, and Princeton Hydro Landscape Architect Cory Speroff, PLA, ASLA, CBLP.
All of the plants that were installed are native to the north-central region of New Jersey. Volunteers planted switchgrass (panicum virgatum), orange coneflower (rudbeckia fulgida), blue wild indigo (baptisia australis), partridge pea (chamaecrista fasciculata), Virginia mountain mint (pycnanhemum virginianum), and aromatic aster (symphyotrichum oblongifolium). In selecting the location for each of the plants, special consideration was given to each species' drought tolerance and sunlight and shade requirements. The selected plant species all provide important wildlife value, including providing food and shelter for migratory birds.
The planting initiative is one part of a multi-faceted Stormwater Treatment Train project recently completed in Thompson Park. The project is funded by a Water Quality Restoration 319(h) grant awarded to South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council by the NJDEP.
Middlesex County Office of Parks and Recreation and Office of Planning, NJDEP, South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, Middlesex County Mosquito Extermination Commission, Freehold Soil Conservation District, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Enviroscapes, and Princeton Hydro worked together to bring this project to fruition.
To learn more about the Thompson Park Zoo stormwater project, check out our recent blog:
Over the past year, the Deal Lake Commission (DLC) has implemented a variety of stormwater management projects aimed at reducing the volume of stormwater runoff, decreasing total phosphorus loading, and preventing debris, sediment, and pollutants from flowing into waterbodies throughout the Deal Lake, Wesley Lake, and Sunset Lake Watersheds.
These projects encompass a strategic combination of stormwater best management practices (BMPs), including structural BMPs, non-structural controls, and green infrastructure techniques. These stormwater management projects were funded by a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant awarded by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to the DLC.
Let’s take a look at some of the recently completed initiatives:
Manufactured Treatment Devices (MTDs) are pre-fabricated stormwater treatment structures used to address stormwater issues in highly developed, urban areas. MTDs capture and remove sediments, metals, hydrocarbons, and other pollutants from stormwater runoff before the runoff reaches surrounding waterbodies and/or storm sewer systems.
This year, Princeton Hydro worked with the DLC and Leon S. Avakian Engineers to design and install three MTDs throughout Asbury Park, NJ with the purpose of improving water quality in Sunset Lake.
Students from the Asbury Park High School Engineering Academy, led by their teacher Kevin Gould, were invited to observe one of the MTD installations. The educational field trip was combined with a presentation from Princeton Hydro’s Senior Aquatic Ecologist Dr. Jack Szczepanski, which was titled, “Ecology and Engineering in Asbury Park.”
Rain gardens are a cost effective, attractive, and sustainable way to minimize stormwater runoff and filter out pollutants. This aesthetic, low-maintenance addition to any outdoor landscape creates a functioning habitat that attracts pollinators, beneficial insects, and birds. And, in a small way, it helps reduce erosion, promote groundwater recharge, and minimize flooding.
The DLC along with the Deal Lake Watershed Alliance, Asbury Park's Environmental Shade Tree Commission (ESTC), Asbury Park Department of Public Works (DPW) and Princeton Hydro completed a major renovation to an existing rain garden located in front of the Asbury Park bus terminal and municipal building.
The rain garden, which was originally constructed by the ESTC, was not functioning properly due to one of the inlets being completely obstructed by sediment. The DPW helped clear the sediment and regrade it, while the ESTC removed invasive weeds and replanted it with native shrubs, perennials, and flowers.
Floating Wetland Islands (FWIs) are a low-cost, effective green infrastructure solution used to mitigate phosphorus and nitrogen stormwater pollution. FWIs are designed to mimic natural wetlands in a sustainable, efficient, and powerful way. They improve water quality by assimilating and removing excess nutrients that could fuel harmful algae blooms; provide valuable ecological habitat for a variety of beneficial species; help mitigate wave and wind erosion impacts; provide an aesthetic element; and add significant biodiversity enhancement within open freshwater environments.
The DLC worked with Princeton Hydro to design and install a total of 12 floating wetland islands, six in Sunset Lake and six in Wesley Lake. A team of volunteers, led by the DLC and Princeton Hydro, planted vegetation in each of the FWIs and launched and secured each island into the lakes.
Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant related efforts will continue in the Spring of 2022 with the design and installation of “bioscape” gardens and tree boxes. Stay tuned for updates!
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To learn more about the Deal Lake Commission, click here. To read about one of Princeton Hydro’s recently completed stormwater management projects, click here.
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