We’re committed to improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better.
Our passion and commitment to the integration of innovative science and engineering drive us to exceed on behalf of every client.
As we reflect on 2021 and set our sights on 2022, we have many successes to celebrate. Here’s a look at our top 10 successes of the year:
We stabilized and restored over 41,000 linear feet of Tinkers Creek, a highly urbanized watershed in Prince George’s County. This is the largest stream restoration project ever completed in Maryland. The project, which we designed for GV-Petro, a partnership between GreenVest and Petro Design Build Group, used bioengineering and nature-based design techniques to prevent erosion and restore wildlife habitat, including the planting of 10,985 native trees and shrubs in the riparian area and 10,910 live stakes along the streambank.
The New Jersey League of Conservation Voters honored us with its inaugural “Sustainability Award,” which recognizes our commitment to a sustainable future in New Jersey, integrating sustainability in everyday life, and making sustainability more accessible to the public. The Miry Run Ponds Master Plan received The New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects 2021 Chapter Award. We worked with the Mercer County Park Commission and Simone Collins Landscape Architecture to create the Master Plan, which is an ambitious, yet environmentally sensitive design and engineering plan for the restoration of a 279-acre County in Mercer County. The North American Lake Management Society honored Lake Hopatcong Foundation and the Lake Hopatcong Commission with a joint “Lake Management Success Stories Award,” praising the work we led to protect Lake Hopatcong and prevent harmful algal blooms.
We developed a conceptual design for an 165-acre tidal marsh and transitional forest “eco-park” along the South River in Central New Jersey. The design incorporates habitat enhancement and restoration and flood mitigation measures while maximizing public access. The project aims to stabilize approximately 2.5 miles of shoreline, reduce flood risk for smaller coastal storms, and enhance breeding and foraging habitat for 10 state-listed threatened and endangered avian species. We also served as the ecological engineer to Bloomfield Township for an important urban wetland creation project, which transformed a once densely developed, flood-prone, former industrial site into a thriving public active recreation park and 4.2 acres of wetlands. The completed project restored valuable ecological functions and natural floodplain connection, enhanced aquatic and wildlife habitat, and increased flood storage capacity for urban stormwater runoff.
We are proud to have completed five important dam removal projects in three states. In New York, we worked with the Riverkeeper to remove two defunct dams located on tributaries of the Hudson River. The removal of the Strooks Felt Dam and Furnace Brook Barrier #1 will help to restore fish passage between the Hudson and the Atlantic Ocean and revitalize migratory fish populations. In New Jersey, we removed two dams: one in Rockaway Township and one in Mount Laurel Township. And in Pennsylvania, we worked with the Wildlands Conservancy to remove one dam: the Bushkill Creek Dam #4 (also called Crayola Dam). Removing these nonfunctional, outdated dams will bring these rivers back to their natural state and significantly increase biodiversity for the surrounding watersheds.
We installed biochar flotation bags in four waterbodies throughout Hemlock Farms, in the Thompson Park Zoo pond, and in various locations throughout Lake Hopatcong. Biochar improves water quality by removing nutrients from waterbodies. We created a video outlining the biochar installation process. Working with the Lake Hopatcong Commission and Lake Hopatcong Foundation, we installed three innovative aeration systems in different areas of the lake: one Air Curtain Aeration System, one Nanobubble Aeration System, and one Nanobubble Aeration System with Ozone. We also worked with the NJ Highlands Council to help lake communities prevent HABs and protect water quality by taking a proactive and regional approach to lake management.
Our team members are always striving for personal growth, expanding their knowledge, and continue to amaze us. Cory Speroff, PLA, ASLA, CBLP, Landscape Architect, became a Licensed Professional Landscape Architect in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, enabling our firm to now offer professional landscape architect services in those states. Three team members achieved new professional certifications from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Environmental Scientist Duncan Simpson PWS, Staff Scientists Ivy Babson and Jesse Smith. Dr. Jack Szczepanski, Senior Project Manager and Aquatic Ecologist, achieved the New Jersey Watershed Institute Green Infrastructure certification, which focuses on sustainable landscape best practices, green infrastructure techniques, and the maintenance of stormwater best management practices. Our Aquatics Director Dr. Fred Lubnow was appointed to the New Jersey HAB Expert Team, which provides guidance to the NJDEP on HAB prevention, treatment, and management. And, four team members achieved their Professional Engineer license: A big congratulations to Ryan Wasik, Rob Costello, Jake Schwartz, and Stephen Duda!
Over the past year, we’ve designed and completed a variety of stormwater management projects designed to reduce the volume of runoff, decrease phosphorus loading, and improve water quality. We designed and constructed a stormwater treatment train at Thompson Park Zoo, which also included the installation of thousands of native plants. Working with the Deal Lake Commission, we installed twelve floating wetland islands – six in Sunset Lake and six in Wesley Lake; designed and installed three MTDs throughout Asbury Park; and completed a major renovation to an existing rain garden located in front of the Asbury Park bus terminal and municipal building. Our President Geoffrey Goll, P.E. installed a rain garden at his home and documented the entire process with step-by-step instructions so you can build one too!
We welcomed four new team members with expertise and qualifications in a variety of fields. We hired a new Director of Operations, Megan Hunter Ruf and added Aquatic Specialist Patrick Wilson to the team. And, the Marketing and Communications Department welcomed Proposal Manager Erin Bennett and Communications Intern Andrea Rojas. If you’re interested in joining our team, we’re current hiring for a few full-time positions. Learn more and apply here.
It was time for a fresh new look! Our new site is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly and includes vivid photos and fun transitions. Browse our multidisciplinary project portfolio. Explore our resources page where you can download presentations and watch webinars. And, visit our blog for project updates, helpful tips, client spotlights, and more. A big shout out and thank you to our web designer FZCreative.
This year, we were proud to have sponsored 20+ events, including the Choose Clean Water Coalition Conference, Living Shoreline Workshop, and SAME MEGA Maryland Conference. We partnered with NJ-AWRA to host a tour of the Award-Winning Linden Blue Acres Green Infrastructure & Floodplain Restoration Project. During the Colorado Lake & Reservoir Management Association Conference, which was held over Halloween weekend, Chris L. Mikolajczyk, CLM, gave a felicitous presentation titled, “In Celebration of All Hallows Eve: Reflections of a Study on One of the Spookiest Lakes in the US.” At the Delaware Estuary’s Science and Environmental Summit, our team members lead four workshops, including one about “Stream, Floodplain & Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Restoration” presented by Michael Hartshorne, Emily Bjorhus, and Cory Speroff. We hosted a “Facebook Live” conversation during which participants were able to ask experts Dr. Fred Lubnow and Mike Hartshorne all about harmful algal blooms. During the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting 2021, Geoff Goll presented on “Dam Removal in History, Current State of Removal, and Future Needs.” And, Dana Patterson and Dr. Clay Emerson lead a webinar titled “Stormwater Utility: Is it Right for Your Community & How Might One Work?.” To read about some of the events we have coming up next year, click here!
Thank you for supporting Princeton Hydro and sharing our stories. We truly appreciate each and every one of our clients, partners, and friends. Cheers to a successful 2022 and beyond!
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