Tag: Manalapan Brook

Field Trip Recap: July 15 Green Infrastructure Tour

Middlesex County Extension Agent Michele Bakacs explains shoreline restoration to our group.

Many thanks to everyone who joined the LRWP and Middlesex County Water Resources Association for a picnic and tour of green infrastructure and detention basins in Middlesex County!

Rutgers County Extension Agent Michele Bakacs and Rutgers Doctoral Student and plant expert Kate Douthat provided guidance as we explored several sites in Middlesex County’s Thompson Park (Monroe Township), a retention basin retrofit site in Monmouth County, and a new rain garden at Spotswood Middle School.

Lake buffer restoration was the highlight at Thompson Park (more information on this project is available on the Freehold Soil Conservation District project webpage). This area is also part of the Watershed Protection and Restoration Plan for the Manalapan Brook Watershed one of the southernmost sub-watersheds in the Lower Raritan watershed.

For more info on wetland islands….

Additional general resources on Green Infrastructure include the following:

Overview of Green Infrastructure practices (brochure)- http://water.rutgers.edu/Green_Infrastructure_Guidance_Manual/GI-Brochure_PRINT-FRIENDLY.pdf

Rain Garden Manual of New Jersey- http://water.rutgers.edu/Rain_Gardens/RGWebsite/RainGardenManualofNJ.html

Manalapan Watershed Restoration videos- www.tinyurl.com/ManalapanWatershed

More technical resources include:

Green Infrastructure Guidance Manual- http://water.rutgers.edu/GreenInfrastructureGuidanceManual.html

NJ’s Developers Green Infrastructure Guide (NJ Future)- https://developersguide.njfuture.org/

NJDEP’s maintenance guidance for stormwater- https://www.njstormwater.org/maintenance_guidance.htm

Butterflies in the rain garden.

July 15: Green Infrastructure Tour & Picnic with RU Cooperative Extension!

Join the LRWP and Middlesex County Water Resources Association on July 15 for a picnic and tour of green infrastructure and detention basins in Middlesex County with Rutgers County Extension Agent Michele Bakacs and Rutgers Doctoral Student and plant expert Kate Douthat.

We will gather promptly at 10 AM in Middlesex County’s Thompson Park (Monroe Township) to learn about the lake buffer restoration at that site. More information on this project is available on the Freehold Soil Conservation District project webpage. This area is also part of the Watershed Protection and Restoration Plan for the Manalapan Brook Watershed one of the southernmost sub-watersheds in the Lower Raritan watershed.

We will then travel by van and car to tour detention basin retrofits for improved stormwater capture, return to Thompson Park for a group picnic, and those who wish to can continue on to visit the rain garden at the Spotswood Middle School.

Space limited, RSVP required.

Feb. 3 Clean-up of Jamesburg Park – Helmetta

Please plan to join the LRWP and Middlesex County Division of Parks on Sunday February 3, 10-noon for a winter clean-up of the Jamesburg Park Conservation Area in Helmetta!

This beautiful area is in the Manalapan Brook subwatershed. We will be cleaning the roadsides along Helmetta Boulevard, Port Street and Washington Street. Meet at the Helme Mill Park parking lot (directions below).

Registration required.

Driving Directions to Helme Mill Park parking lot:

From Route 130:
• Turn East onto Davidsons Mill Road
• Turn left onto Cranbury/South River Road (County Road)
• Turn right  at the traffic light onto Helmetta Blvd
• Slow your speed as you enter the town of Helmetta
• Turn right onto Maple Avenue
• Park will be on your right hand side
From Route 18:
• Take the exit for County Route 615 South
• Turn right onto Main St  (CR 615)
• Continue onto Manalapan Road (CR 615)
• Continue onto Main Street (CR 615)
• Turn right onto Maple Street
• Park will be on your left
From the NJ Turnpike:
• Take Exit 9 for Route 18(New Brunswick/East Brunswick)
• Keep left at the fork, follow signs for NJ-18 S
• Follow directions from Route 18 above  From 287
• Take exit 1B for US 1 South towards Trenton
• Take exit for Route 18 South
• Follow directions from Route 18 above