Every Thursday during the summer, from May to October, the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer-based monitoring program along the Raritan River. We collect water quality samples at SIX non-bathing public access beach sites, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory, and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons. Our mission is to share this data with the community and partners to ensure the safe use of the Raritan river for all.
Our lab results for water quality samples taken on Thursday June 20, 2024 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at only one of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart for 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy) this week. Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation, and include the following: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick) , Edison Boat Basin and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), and South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy).
Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causingbacteriain recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people coming in primary contact with the water (touching) through recreational activities like fishing, kayaking or swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, stormwater runoff, leaking septic systems, animal carcasses, and runoff from manure storage areas.
Our goal in reporting these results is to give residents a better understanding of the potential health risks related to primary contact during water-based recreation. If you are planning on recreating on the Raritan this weekend, make sure to stay safe and wash up after any activities!
This week, we were fortunate enough to be joined by Rutgers President Holloway at our second monitoring site: The Class of 1914 Rutgers Boathouse! Photo Credit: Trish Maguire
Our volunteers took the reins yesterday and demonstrated how we conduct water quality monitoring as a collective team, check out President Holloway holding our YSI equipment!Photo Credit: Trish Maguire
Irene Riegner looking intently through her binoculars to complete our field observation and identify any wildlife present in the area at the time of sampling, Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino
Can you spot the osprey nest at our Sayreville site? Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino
Frank Dahl and Amane Kariya suited up in waders together to collect our sample and data for our South Amboy site, thank you both! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino
The team pictured at our last monitoring location of the day, helping Amane who managed to handle the YSI and sample catching all-in-one go, Photo Credit: Frank Dahl
Yesterday, at a special listening session on recreational access to blue and green spaces within the Lower Raritan Watershed, one watershed resident shared their favorite way to access nature: “Lately, I’ve really enjoyed watching the bald eagles over the River.” Even 20 years ago, the idea that bald eagles could be a regular facet of our highly industrialized central New Jersey environment would have sounded like a fever dream, and now it is reality. During the June 11, 2024 listening session, hosted by the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership (LRWP) and NY/NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP), participants communicated a vision for the next 20 years: a robust network of blueways and greenways connecting local parkland and foot and bike paths within the Lower Raritan Watershed to larger regional and national networks of trails.
The input from this session, summarized below, will not only inform the LRWP’s understanding of recreational priorities but also help shape the HEP Action Agenda for recreation in our region for the next decade and beyond. The session was attended by 31 community members who contributed thoughts on recreational access and the larger state of the watershed. A recording of the session will be available on the LRWP youtube channel, and a bulleted summary of community member responses to a set of questions framed by HEP, is shared here:
Key takeaways can be summarized in response to two questions. The first, “If you could pick one change that’s necessary to have a greener, healthier, and more resilient community — what would that be?” and the second, “What are the challenges and obstacles that face local communities connection and access to nature?”
To the first question regarding required changes to realize a greener, healthier, more resilient community, participants communicated six core visions:
23% of respondents advocated for a shift towards environmentally centered leadership, policy, and planning, emphasizing the urgent need for eco-conscious governance.
23% of respondents voiced their desire for increased access to natural features, highlighting the intrinsic connection between human well-being and proximity to nature.
23% of respondents emphasized the critical role of environmental education, advocating for initiatives to raise awareness and empower communities to become stewards of their surroundings.
15% of participants underscored the importance of enhancing habitat connectivity, recognizing the significance of preserving ecological corridors for biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
8% of respondents pinpointed increased funding as the key catalyst for change in the Lower Raritan Watershed, emphasizing the tangible impact of financial investment in environmental initiatives.
8% advocated for granting rights — akin to human rights — to the Raritan River, signaling a growing movement towards recognizing the intrinsic rights of natural entities.
To the second question regarding challenges and obstacles to realizing this vision, central concerns focused on infrastructure, transportation, and habitat fragmentation.
One participant highlighted how infrastructure like Route 18 acts as a formidable barrier, impeding access to many natural areas. Others pointed to lost opportunities for retrofits that could remedy past disconnections to natural spaces through, e.g. reengineering roadways or repairs of Landing Lane Bridge. As was noted in our session, the construction of Route 18 started as a slum clearing project. This reflects a historical pattern of social injustices where urban planning decisions disregarded not only the environmental impacts but also equity impacts on our communities, and highlights the need for a holistic approach to restoring community health. By acknowledging the historical context of such projects and their environmental implications, we can work towards more equitable and environmentally responsible solutions for our communities.
Limited mass transit connections to green/blue spaces was another concern voiced by participants, with suggestions made to not only prioritize transportation between live-work activities, but also to open and natural spaces. Addressing these challenges requires advocacy for infrastructure improvements, such as championing Boyd Park’s transformation into a state park, as suggested by community members at the session yesterday.
Additional questions included:
Do you wish you had more and/or different opportunities to experience the natural environment?
What kind of opportunities come to mind?
What are other concerns or stressors that your community is currently facing?
How has climate change impacted your community?
Are there places/sites in your community where these concerns are more prevalent?
We invite you to read through the full set of ideas generated during the community engagement session (see above), to watch the video of the session, and welcome your thoughts on how to improve recreational access to blue and green spaces within the Lower Raritan Watershed and beyond.
Although the information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under agreement to the Hudson River Foundation for the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, it has not undergone the Agency’s publications review process and therefore, may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency, and no official endorsement should be inferred. The viewpoints expressed here do not necessarily represent the belief or opinions of the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, Hudson River Foundation, or United States Environmental Protection Agency. They assume no responsibility or liability for the contents or use of the information herein nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or causes constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
There is magic in the first wildflowers which dare to dance in April’s cool breeze. Look closely at the pinstriped Spring Beauty to see the face of an impish sprite staring back.
March knocks on April’s door, and standing there on the dim lit stoop is a visage surrounded by swirling ice and snow, dripping mud and melting frost. Without hesitation, April invites the disheveled traveler in and notices a small parcel wrapped in green, wet with melted snowflakes. It is the gift of spring, and with it comes the remnants of the wintry month’s mercurial weather. As April encourages the sun to stay a while longer each day, the influence of March’s wintry heritage is diminished. A mere promise of favorable conditions is enough to encourage a veil of green to emerge from the cold ground in a resurrection of dormant life.
Within this transitional framework, the brilliant tints of green enliven the dull gray landscape to rouse curiosity and focus attention toward the earth. Energy is a key element in attraction and April is a time of palpable and boundless energy. The invisible movement of time appears betrayed as plants seem animated and grow before our eyes. Many spring plants have a narrow window of opportunity to emerge and mature, so their growth is accelerated.
Spring beauties are ephemerals which grow in isolated patches in open woods and among short pasture grass, their pink and white stripped flowers linger into May. Each short-stemmed flower is distinctly different in petal stripe and color. Some variants are almost all white with faint pink stripes, while a neighboring patch may be dominated by deeper pink petals and dark pink stripes. Color and pattern variations are the rule, which makes this flower so interesting. The variation in a way, compliments the vagaries of early spring weather and the individual character each April presents.
A calendar is not needed to know April has arrived. The appearance of native columbine on the red shale cliffs along the South Branch of the Raritan are as dependable a sign as any numeric score card. There is security in predictability and despite changing weather patterns, columbine remains faithful to April.
Native columbine is a delicate long stem, dark red, inverted, single bloom, composed of four or five individual vase shaped tubes, which collectively terminate in the appearance of a crown where the inverted flower meets the stem. Each tube within the red flower is lined with bright yellow. A distinctive broad, three lobed, pale green leaf adorns each stem and easily catches a breeze to help disperse seeds when the plant matures in early May. Columbine does not grow in profusion and is best described as being found in isolated villages, tucked in among the maroon cliffs. I wonder how many Aprils these cliff dwelling plants have seen, as their existence in such an austere shale environment is not conducive to random dispersal. I think of Brigadoon, a mythical village that appears once every one-hundred years, when native columbine appear during April, on the face of ancient cliffs, otherwise devoid of life.
April’s charm and promise find a spokesman in the form of Jack in the pulpit. As the name implies, this early spring plant appears to portray a minister standing in a raised pulpit, leading the congregation in prayer and praise for the gifts of nature. The personification of this unique plant, based on its shape and form, perfectly fit myth, magic, and folk lore promoting a human/ plant interface. The appearance of Jack standing in a pulpit, could be perceived as a reincarnation or memorial to a revered patriarch.
Any natural phenomenon begs for an explanation, and in this way, April delivers a lesson in the most critical of survival tools, creativity, and imagination. The earliest flowers to appear under April’s umbrella are a sign of hope as they stand in sharp contrast to the stark landscape about to awaken. Consider that flowers are living things that in some magical way, recruited man to further their propagation in exchange for a glimpse of eternal beauty, dreams and imagination. All combined to expand the universe of human potential with unbounded creativity and expression.
April has opened the gift of spring March delivered, and has swept its fresh green carpet clean of any wintry remnants tracked in when the gift was delivered. Conscious of its fleeting time allotted, April honors the delivery of the next month’s explosion of blooms by taming the weather and warming the soil. When may flowers arrive, April deserves a special thanks.
Author Joe Mish has been running wild in New Jersey since childhood when he found ways to escape his mother’s watchful eyes. He continues to trek the swamps, rivers and thickets seeking to share, with the residents and visitors, all of the state’s natural beauty hidden within full view. To read more of his writing and view more of his gorgeous photographs visit Winter Bear Rising, his wordpress blog. Joe’s series “Nature on the Raritan, Hidden in Plain View” runs monthly as part of the LRWP “Voices of the Watershed” series. Writing and photos used with permission from the author.
A fox sparrow takes refuge from a late March snowstorm as it migrates north to its breeding grounds
The fluffy white blanket of an early March snowstorm, preserved by the cold days that followed, began to shrink as the sun fought the darkness for dominance. The snow cover was still unbroken as it grudgingly settled lower each passing day. Eventually the white blanket would lose its loft and become threadbare, unveiling the gravid brown earth.
The days following the storm dawned clear and cloudless. The night sky was a showcase of brilliant white diamonds, alive with energy as they sparkled in the infinite celestial darkness.
An hour before sunrise the west facing snow covered hillside reflected enough light to reveal the fine detail of the skeletal silhouettes of every tree and bush that stood above the white ground cover. Even as the sky began to brighten, the entire hillside remained in shade, preserving the dramatic pre-dawn contrast. For a few slow minutes, the sky above the hill was bathed in a diffuse aura of gold, fading into white, which blended into the palest blue, growing more intense as the brightest stars lingered and were lost among the deepening blue background. For a long moment, night and day, past and present coexisted at one glance. The dynamic scene, frozen on an imaginary vertical tapestry, the black and white hillside held in sharp contrast to the gold and sunlit blue sky above.
In a way, that dawn was symbolic of the dichotomy of March, as the month ushers in the last cold breath of winter and departs amid life emerging from dormancy under the influence of increasing daylength.
Maroon, orange, green, and red buds decorate the bare tree branches to rival fall color, as early spring flowers tolerate the mercurial weather and defiantly poke through any errant late Match snowfall.
Bird migration is now in full swing as flycatchers, osprey, and colorful warblers make their appearance.
Great horned owls, hatched a month earlier, are flightless and near adult size.
March is the best time to find migrating woodcock and observe the unique mating flights performed by the males at dusk, choreographed to impress a potential mate. Woodcock were common locally in open woods and damp fields. As habitat dwindles, any sighting becomes a rare treat. When March rolls around I head for a likely spot where a swale is formed by the earlier mentioned hillside. The hillside is drained by a seasonal stream which remains wet where the gradient levels. The saturated soil creates a perfect environment for earthworms, the main food source for migrating woodcock. Woodcock, also known as Timberdoodles, will often sit tight and allow a close approach.
All migrating birds must deal with unpredictable weather anywhere along their migration path. So, arrival at any one location will vary from year to year. It is somehow comforting when birds that migrate through, show up on schedule. All is right with the world. When snow buntings, headed to points north, stop over at a specific location year after year, a dependence of sort can develop on behalf of the observer. The snowbirds become a reference point, much as a birthday or anniversary.
March provides the ‘wind beneath the wings’ of migrating birds as well as sweeps the land and grooms the trees, wind and March are inseparable.
March has earned the reputation as the month of relentless wind as it rushes mercurial weather on and off the stage to stir the breeze. Think about the wind and the scale of expression from hurricanes and tornadoes to a gentle whisper, where the wind uses a dried stem of grass or tree branch to etch its thoughts in the snow or on the side of an old wooden barn.
The first day of spring will happen on the nineteenth day of March, 2024, at 11: 06 pm. Day and night reach perfect equilibrium for a split second as winter surrenders to spring.
Author Joe Mish has been running wild in New Jersey since childhood when he found ways to escape his mother’s watchful eyes. He continues to trek the swamps, rivers and thickets seeking to share, with the residents and visitors, all of the state’s natural beauty hidden within full view. To read more of his writing and view more of his gorgeous photographs visit Winter Bear Rising, his wordpress blog. Joe’s series “Nature on the Raritan, Hidden in Plain View” runs monthly as part of the LRWP “Voices of the Watershed” series. Writing and photos used with permission from the author.
by LRWP Outreach Monitoring Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino
The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County have wrapped up another year of the volunteer pathogens monitoring program!! A very special thank you to all the volunteers who came out this year and our partners who helped the program run smoothly: Frank Dahl, Irene Riegner, Colleen Georges, Rose Lawless, Sheyla Casco, Monica Orso, Piash Ahamed, Genevieve Ehasz, Nicole Fahrenfeld, Samantha Wilder, and all our friends at the Interstate Environmental Commission!
Our water quality samples taken on October 5, 2023 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceed the EPA federal water quality standard at our three most upstream sites. However, the expected rain for this Saturday will likely affect these results. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), and Edison Boat Basin (Edison). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include: Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).
Enterococcus and Fecal Coliform levels are used as indicators for the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people fishing and swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, leaking septic systems, and stormwater run off.
Our goal in reporting these results is to give area residents an understanding of potential health risks related to primary contact (touching) the water during water based recreation. Although we are done monitoring for the year, always remember to stay safe and wash thoroughly after enjoying recreational activities on the Raritan!
Blue skies on our last day of monitoring for the 2023 season!! Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
Our team of volunteers for the week on the docks at Edison Boat Basin: Frank, Irene, and Genevieve. Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
It’s always great meeting folks out in the field and sharing our information with them! Photo Credits: Heather Fenyk
by LRWP Outreach Monitoring Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino
The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer pathogens monitoring program from May to September every summer along the Raritan River. We collect water quality samples at non-bathing public access beach sites, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory, and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons.
Our water quality samples taken on September 21, 2023 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceed the EPA federal water quality standard at our three most upstream sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), and Edison Boat Basin (Edison). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include: Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).
Enterococcus and Fecal Coliform levels are used as indicators for the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people fishing and swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, leaking septic systems, and stormwater run off.
Our goal in reporting these results is to give area residents an understanding of potential health risks related to primary contact (touching) the water during water based recreation. Always remember to wash thoroughly after enjoying your weekend activities on the Raritan!
Our team of volunteers at Riverside Park early on Thursday morning, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
Broken Ganesh sculptures in the shallow waters at Riverside, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
A great day for fishing on the Raritan, volunteers shared the dock with some folks at the Edison Boat Basin, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
by LRWP Outreach Monitoring Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino
The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer pathogens monitoring program from May to September every summer along the Raritan River. We collect water quality samples at non-bathing public access beach sites, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory, and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons.
Once again, our water quality samples taken on September 14, 2023 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceed the EPA federal water quality standard at only one of our sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes our most upstream site for the 5th week in a row: Riverside Park (Piscataway). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).
Enterococcus and Fecal Coliform levels are used as indicators for the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people fishing and swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, leaking septic systems, and stormwater run off.
Our goal in reporting these results is to give area residents an understanding of potential health risks related to primary contact (touching) the water during water based recreation. Always remember to wash thoroughly after enjoying your weekend activities on the Raritan!
This is what our trunk looks like during monitoring season… filled with plenty of supplies such as gloves, hand sanitizers, calibration buffers, and of course our monitoring equipment! Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
Piash Ahamed and Frank Dahl working together to record the data off the YSI, while Genevieve is in the water (with waders)holding the probe, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
Frank Dahl checking out the CSO found at the end of 2nd Street Park in Perth Amboy, it is occasionally open with an active discharge after heavy precipitation events, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
As always, thanks to our team of volunteers who came out this Thursday: Frank Dahl, Genevieve Ehasz, Piash Ahamed, and board president Heather Fenyk!
by LRWP Outreach Monitoring Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino
The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer pathogens monitoring program from May to September every summer along the Raritan River. We collect water quality samples at non-bathing public access beach sites, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory, and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons.
Our water quality samples taken on September 7, 2023 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceed the EPA federal water quality standard at only one of our sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes our most upstream site: Riverside Park (Piscataway). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).
Enterococcus and Fecal Coliform levels are used as indicators for the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people fishing and swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, leaking septic systems, and stormwater run off.
Our goal in reporting these results is to give area residents an understanding of potential health risks related to primary contact (touching) the water during water based recreation. Always be sure to wash thoroughly after any recreational activities and have a safe weekend on the Raritan!
Low tide at our first site in Piscataway as Genevieve retrieves our samples for the week, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
Keep an eye out for our stickers posted at all our monitoring locations with a QR code leading directly to our weekly results, Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
Special thanks to Genevieve Ehasz and Heather Fenyk for taking care of our sampling this week! Photo Credit: Heather Fenyk
by LRWP Outreach Monitoring Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino
Happy September! We are now in our final month of the volunteer pathogens monitoring program for this summer. We collect water quality samples at non-bathing public access beach sites along the Raritan River, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory, and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons.
For your Labor Day weekend plans, please take into consideration the data from our water quality samples taken on August 31, 2023 which show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceed the EPA federal water quality standard at two of our sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway) and Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include: Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).
Enterococcus and Fecal Coliform levels are used as indicators for the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people fishing and swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, leaking septic systems, and stormwater run off.
Our goal in reporting these results is to give area residents an understanding of potential health risks related to primary contact (touching) the water during water based recreation. Always be sure to wash thoroughly after any recreational activities and have a safe weekend on the Raritan!
High tide flooded the dock at the Rutgers Boathouse and kept a few volunteers from reaching the sampling point, at least we took pictures in the meantime! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino
This week, Colleen brought along a very special guest, her son Josh! He did an excellent job helping his mom collect the data off the YSI on our sampling run yesterday, Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino
A shot of our Sayreville site, a beautiful morning for monitoring, Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino
After all these months, Colleen has become a pro at managing all the monitoring equipment in the water, Photo Credit: Michele Bakacs
As always, big thanks to the volunteers who came out this week: Irene Riegner, Frank Dahl, Middlesex County Agent Michele Bakacs, Genevieve Ehasz, Josh L. and Colleen Georges! Photo Credit: Colleen Georges
