Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership Annual Report 2025 (Pri…

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s in nonstick cookware, stain- and water-resistant fabrics, food packaging, cosmetics and firefighting foam. They’re called “forever chemicals” because they barely break down. Released from factories, sewage plants, landfills, sludge-fertilized fields and firefighting sites, they build up in our rivers, sediments, fish and bodies. Long-term exposure to some PFAS is linked to certain cancers, immune suppression and reproductive and developmental harm.

Environment New Jersey and NJPIRG’s new report, Forever Chemicals in America’s Rivers and Lakes, found PFAS at 83% of more than 1,600 surface-water sites tested nationwide from 2022 to 2024, and at 91% of the 86 sites tested in New Jersey, including every Raritan watershed location in the data. Yet none of those sites is in the Lower Raritan, and New Jersey still has no surface water quality standards for PFAS. That matters because these rivers supply our drinking water and are where our neighbors fish, paddle and play.

That’s why LRWP joined Environment New Jersey and NJPIRG on the banks of the Raritan on October 14, 2026 to bring attention to the release of the Forever Chemicals Report. LRWP Executive Director Heather Fenyk’s remarks follow:

The LRWP is pleased to support this work to bring attention to the widespread nature of PFAS and the need for state action to reduce PFAS in both surface and groundwater.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the banks of the Raritan River! I’m Heather Fenyk, Executive Director of the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership.

We’re standing in the Lower Raritan Watershed. This is the downstream, most urban and most tidal part of the Raritan Basin, where the river meets the tide and flows on to Perth Amboy and Raritan Bay.

This is a special river, and a hard-working one. Generations of industry along this tidal reach left a legacy we still live with. Mercury, PCBs, arsenic, chromium, lead and copper remain in our sediments and our fish. That’s why people who fish here still have to think twice about what they bring home, and why recovery takes decades.

And the next legacy pollutant is already in the water. PFAS, the forever chemicals, don’t break down. New Jersey was a national leader on PFAS in drinking water. But we still have no surface water quality standards for PFAS in the rivers that feed our taps and that people fish and paddle in. More broadly, our surface water standards for toxic pollutants need to catch up with the science.

So I want to thank Environment New Jersey and the NJPIRG students for this report, Forever Chemicals in America’s Rivers and Lakes. They found PFAS at 83 percent of the more than 1,600 waterways tested nationwide from 2022 to 2024, with 114 different PFAS compounds detected. They’ve made an invisible problem visible.

Here’s what struck me most. Of those 1,600 sites, not one is in the Lower Raritan watershed. Not the river behind me, not the South River, not Lawrence Brook. No data is not clean water. It’s a blind spot.

At LRWP, we believe you can’t fix what you don’t measure. Since 2019, our volunteers and partners have tested this river for bacteria every week at six sites along the tidal Raritan. We work under an EPA-approved quality assurance plan, and we post the results publicly.

That data anchors our new strategy to speed up cleanup plans, called TMDLs, for the Lower Raritan. Those plans set pollution budgets, and today the tidal Raritan from New Brunswick to Perth Amboy has almost none. We want to expand what we measure, including toxic contaminants like PFAS, and we’re launching a technical advisory committee to help do it.

But volunteers can’t set standards. That’s the State’s job.

So today I’m calling on Governor Sherrill’s office to move forward NJDEP’s proposed amendments to the Surface Water Quality Standards, setting criteria for PFAS and 94 other toxic contaminants. Standards are what make a pollutant count. They’re how a waterway gets listed as impaired, how permits set limits, and how cleanup plans get written. Standards are where cleanup begins.

And to members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: please advance S4468 and fund the monitoring, in our rivers and our private wells, that tells us where these chemicals are.

The Raritan has come back before, and it can again. Let’s not hand the next generation a new legacy pollutant. Thank you!

By J.M Meyer

The first pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, October 8th. Each week 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. 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, October 8th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at three of our regular monitoring sites this week. The problem sites are indicated by the red frown on the map and chart and include Riverside Park (Piscataway), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), and Second Street Park (Perth Amboy).

Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Rutgers Boat Basin (New Brunswick), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), and Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy).

A note of caution: New Brunswick and Sayreville remain above the legacy EPA standard for Fecal Colony-Forming Units. Wash your hands, and cook your fish.

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, and runoff from manure storage areas.

In order to better understand why Riverside Park, Piscataway has been our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling at new sites in the vicinity. On October 8th, we sampled the Queen’s Bridge for a sixth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 6,000 enterococci cfu per 100mL which is well above the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL!

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!

On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership (LRWP), the Middlesex Borough Environmental Commission and members of the public gathered for a guided walk touring the newly constructed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) flood control infrastructure in Middlesex Borough, NJ.

With thanks for grant support from the Arts Institute of Middlesex County (AIMC) and the Board of County Commissioners, this event is one of five paired “talks & walks” examining the heritage hydrology of five diverse central New Jersey communities in the Lower Raritan Watershed (see the LRWP events page for information about our remaining #hiddenstreams talks & walks in Edison Township and the Borough of Highland Park).

Standing near the newly installed flood gates and massive concrete flood walls, participants examined the intersection of legacy infrastructure, historical stream pathways, and modern stormwater engineering.

The outing provided an opportunity to contrast the borough’s heritage hydrology, how water historically flowed through local streams, wetlands, and natural floodplains, with the present-day realities of altered stream channels, localized flooding, and large-scale structural intervention.

The new flood gates and flood walls in Middlesex Borough represent key segments of the broader Green Brook Flood Risk Management Project. Managed by the USACE New York District in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), this multi-decade, basin-wide effort covers a 150-square-mile drainage area spanning Somerset, Middlesex, and Union counties. Local oversight and advocacy are spearheaded by the Green Brook Flood Control Commission (GBFCC).

Historic Flooding Context in the Lower Raritan

The Green Brook basin has a long, documented history of devastating floods. The confluence of the Green Brook and the Bound Brook and the Raritan River forms a hydraulic bottleneck during extreme rain events. Notable severe flood events include:

• August 1971 (Tropical Storm Doria): Caused widespread inundation, prompting initial severe calls for regional basin-wide flood mitigation.

• September 1999 (Hurricane Floyd): Standardized the benchmark for modern flood danger in the basin, submerging downtown business districts and residential neighborhoods under several feet of floodwater.

• April 2007 (Nor’easter) & August 2011 (Hurricane Irene): Re-emphasized the area’s ongoing vulnerability, breaching non-protected bank sections and delaying local economic recovery.

• September 2021 (Tropical Storm Ida): Flash flooding rapidly overwhelmed stormwater networks and historical tributary pathways, underlining the increasing frequency of high-intensity precipitation events.

A Watershed Perspective: Habitat Connectivity & Stream Health

Constructing miles of reinforced concrete floodwalls and levees required clear-cutting thousands of mature trees along the riparian corridor. In 2024 the Middlesex Borough Environmental Commission initiated a mini “tree farm” and free tree giveaway program to support Borough residents in replacing trees on their own property.

From a watershed health standpoint, this loss carries immediate and long-term consequences. While concrete flood walls, levees, and closing gates offer protection for human structures, viewing these interventions through a watershed lens reveals significant ecological trade-offs:

• Stream Health & Hydrologic Channelization: Hard infrastructure constrains streams to fixed paths, accelerating water velocity during high-flow events and preventing streams from dissipating energy naturally across floodplains.

• Habitat Connectivity: Flood walls act as physical barriers for terrestrial and amphibious wildlife, cutting off riparian corridors necessary for foraging and breeding. Furthermore, culverts and gates can alter aquatic passage for migratory fish species.

• Downstream Flooding Dynamics: Holding water back or channeling it more rapidly through one stretch of a stream can shift water volume downstream faster. Unless carefully balanced by upstream wetland retention (such as regional wetland mitigation projects), structural flood walls risk transferring peak volume challenges to downstream communities along the Raritan.

Non-Structural Floodplain Management

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Blue Acres Program offers a non-structural alternative to flood walls by purchasing flood-prone homes from willing sellers at fair market value. The acquired land is demolished and permanently preserved as open space, restoring the natural floodplain sponge and permanently removing residents from harm’s way.

For properties that remain within flood zones, FEMA released the fourth edition of its technical guidance, Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Structures (FEMA P-259), in July 2026, replacing the prior 2012 edition. This updated manual provides engineers, architects, and homeowners with modernized standards for elevating foundations, dry/wet floodproofing, elevating utilities, and installing flood vents to protect homes while complementing regional flood defense infrastructure.

By J.M Meyer

The first pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, October 1st. Each week 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. 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, October 1st, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at three of our regular monitoring sites this week. The problem sites are indicated by the red frown on the map and chart and include Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), and Second Street Park (Perth Amboy).

Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), and Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy).

A note of caution: in the wake of the nor’easter, none of the sites met the legacy EPA standard for Fecal Colony-Forming Units. Wash your hands, and cook your fish.

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, and runoff from manure storage areas.

In order to better understand why Riverside Park, Piscataway has been our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling at new sites in the vicinity. On October 1st, we sampled the Delaware & Raritan Canal at DeMott lane for a fifth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 53 enterococci cfu per 100mL which satisfies the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL.

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!

Essay and photos by Joe Mish unless otherwise noted

The trim yellow canoe quietly slipped through the standing leaf littered water with each stroke of the paddle. Eventually, the leaves would accumulate on the bow to create a gurgling sound and slow forward progress. A quick backstroke and turn of the bow cleared the leaves at the expense of energy exerted and time.

Autumn had arrived and the interchangeable term, fall, took on a practical meaning as the air was aflutter with falling leaves that carpeted the water’s surface.

Leaves were not the only thing suddenly falling to earth. During an early morning paddle when all was silent and calm, a nearby, unexpected loud splash, sent shockwaves through my body. It sounded as if someone threw a rock in my direction with mal intent. In reality, it was a black walnut falling into the water. The large green billiard ball sized walnut enclosed husk is quite a formidable bludgeon, whose striking force is magnified when it hits the water.

Peak autumn color is often enhanced by a pre-dawn gold infused mist covering the river when early October teases with the cold nights and warm sunny days. Drifting quietly downstream into the mist feels as if riding the current into the primordial past when the earth was just being formed. An alarmed great blue heron completes the experience as it reflects its paradactyl ancestry in size and form.

Some of the best fall scenery is along the rivers and canals where calm water mirrors the golden foliage and extends linearly to a vanishing point or disappears beyond a curve. This draws you deeper into the scene to a place where imagination, memories and time mingle with autumnal color. A place where the traveler will lose their way and wander aimlessly without the need to reach a destination.

The rays of the midday sun are captured by the water arguing with the rocks and stones of the exposed riverbed and turned into bright sparkling diamonds; a perfect complement to the blaze of fall foliage which lines the river’s banks. The white faceted diamonds lay like a necklace against the sky-blue décolletage reflected in the smooth water above and downstream of the turbulence.

Sitting at the river’s edge watching fallen leaves float by, it is impossible to not imagine yourself aboard a curled yellow leaf traveling on the energy of the current and at the whim of an errant breeze. Through no effort of your own, you travel as an observer on a downriver cruise, unburdened by schedule or destination. It is as if you parted your conscious mind from reality, to set your imagination free. You look down to see the shadow of your leaf racing along the stony riverbed. Then spin around at the edge of an eddy and pass over a bed of long lime green grass swaying seductively in the current. Riding a smooth wave over a submerged rock, the sky appears for an instant. Pure white fluffy clouds parade against an azure, blue sky which disappears and reappears in the openings within the green and golden-brown foliage of a sycamore tree.

Each fallen leaf is a post-it-note created by autumn and distributed far and wide by the river’s current. Each colorful courier declares a friendly reminder of the inevitable change of seasons.

The autumn is truly a time of wonder, as daylight dims and shadows lengthen, while leaves magically turn brilliant colors. Like an emergency generator being triggered when the lights go out, the fall colors appear and flash a visual warning that winter’s icy emissary will arrive before the celestial clock officially declares winter’s arrival.

The seasons are tracked to the second by the predictable positions of the stars and planets. The stability of their celestial dance amid the chaos of the heavens is beyond comprehension, as the fall color is a reminder that our existence is at the mercy of the stars. A single scarlet leaf pasted to the sidewalk after a rain validates our heavenly origins.

October is the last comfort station before the final trek through the darkest days, as we stumble along to find the light switch on the first day of winter. The energy of brilliant fall color restores the spirit when the lights go out and power us through to the birth of light in December, when the shrinking light begins to grow.

Joe Mish has always lived in sight of New Jersey’s Raritan River. His early years were spent roaming clay banks, streams, tidal creeks and swamps of the Lower Raritan near Crab Island. Now living upstream on the Raritan’s South Branch, he photographs New Jersey’s natural treasures hidden in plain view, sharing them in his column “Along the South Branch” in The Branchburg News, on his own blog page, and via the Lower Raritan River Partnership’s website. Many of his photos appear in Judy Auer Shaw’s The Raritan River: Our Landscape, Our Legacy. Joe also has images published in Northeast Sporting Journal, Maine Outdoors and History of Willowood. A graduate of Rutgers Cook College, Joe is a regular on Super Aging Today radio program as a nature photojournalist. Retired from Johnson and Johnson where he worked in Clinical Research and Pharmacology, Joe paddles local rivers throughout the year to see what surprises nature has to offer when no one else is looking.

By J.M Meyer

The final pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, September 24th. Each week 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. 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, September 24th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at four of our regular monitoring sites this week. The problem sites are indicated by the red frown on the map and chart and include Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), and Second Street Park (Perth Amboy).

Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), and Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy).

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, and runoff from manure storage areas.

In order to better understand why Riverside Park, Piscataway has been our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling at new sites in the vicinity. On September 17th, we sampled the Raritan River at Lock 11, South Bound Brook for a fifth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 43 enterococci cfu per 100mL which meets the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL.

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!

By J.M Meyer

The third pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, September 17th. Each week 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. 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, September 17th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at one of our regular monitoring sites this week. The problem sites are indicated by the red frown on the map and chart and include Riverside Park (Piscataway).

Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, and runoff from manure storage areas.

In order to better understand why Riverside Park, Piscataway has been our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling at new sites in the vicinity. On September 17th, we sampled the Raritan River at Lock 11, South Bound Brook for a fifth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 43 enterococci cfu per 100mL which meets the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL.

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!

By J.M Meyer

The first pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, September 10th. Each week 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. 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, September 10th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at three of our regular monitoring sites this week. The problem sites are indicated by the red frown on the map and chart and include Riverside Park (Piscataway), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).

Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy).

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, and runoff from manure storage areas.

In order to better understand why Riverside Park, Piscataway has been our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling at new sites in the vicinity. On September 10th, we sampled the Raritan River at the Queen’s Bridge, Bound Brook for a fifth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 290 enterococci cfu per 100mL which fails to meet the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. This site has now failed the test every week we’ve tested it! That said, it’s numbers remain far below what we tend to see at Riverside Park, Piscataway.

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!

Written by Olesya Nabokova, Rutgers Environmental Steward Program Participant

Thursday mornings begin early for the pathogen monitoring team. By 7:30 a.m., we are already at Riverside Park — the first of six sampling sites. These mornings are usually remarkably beautiful, filled with early sunlight, the quiet murmur of the river, crisp air, and the warm and inspiring atmosphere created by a group of enthusiastic people.

All of them come from very different backgrounds, including LRWP representatives, Rutgers students, and simply concerned and engaged members of the community, but we are all driven by a common purpose. And this blend of people is easily the most inspiring part of the experience.

I first learned about LRWP pathogens monitoring while enrolled in the Rutgers Environmental Steward (RES) program. As an ecologist, I wanted to understand the environmental characteristics of the region my family had just moved to, and find ways to contribute to addressing its environmental challenges. RES provides exactly that opportunity: it empowers volunteers with the knowledge and tools to tackle pressing environmental issues across New Jersey. Through expert-led training and hands-on learning, Stewards discover how to promote sustainable climate solutions and drive meaningful change, both in their personal lives and within their communities.

To graduate, every Steward completes a certification project addressing a specific environmental issue in their community. You can design your own project with support from a coordinator or choose an existing initiative from a host organization. I was particularly drawn to LRWP pathogens monitoring of the Lower Raritan River.

At first glance, this work may sound like simply collecting water samples. In reality, it goes much deeper.  Only volunteers who have completed the required training and hands-on practice are permitted to collect samples and conduct field measurements of water-quality parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, algal pigments, salinity, and temperature. Standardized procedures are carefully followed, and monitoring equipment is thoroughly calibrated.

In addition to water-quality measurements, the team conducts a Visual Habitat Assessment, documenting conditions such as weather and tide at the time of sampling, water color and odor, human activities, animals present in the waterbody, and other observations. While on-site, we also remove trash from the shoreline and the water.

But one of the most critical parts of our work is community outreach. We chat with passersby about what we are doing and why this data matters. We show them where to find our weekly results online, helping the public make informed, safe decisions about swimming, kayaking, or boating at different spots along the river.

Throughout every stage of this work, I am constantly inspired by my teammates. They are ready to collect samples in pouring rain or under the blazing sun. They remove dozens of gallons of trash from the shoreline. 

They have an impressive knowledge of the local flora, fauna, and environmental and historical features of the region. And they are generous in sharing that knowledge with others. Perhaps what inspires me most is that the team does not simply observe the problems we encounter – it takes action. For instance, when signs of a possible leak or overflow from a combined sewer system (including a characteristic odor and large amounts of discarded baby wipes along the shoreline) were noticed, LRWP representatives followed up with local authorities to report the issue. On another occasion, when we found trees along the riverbank that had been damaged during lawn mowing, the team carefully tended them over the following few weeks and helped protect regrowth from further harm.

It is largely thanks to people like these – caring, dedicated, and deeply committed to their community – that this experience has been so meaningful to me. I am especially grateful to Heather Fenyk, LRWP’s Executive Director, for her leadership and guidance; to Dr. John Meyer for the thoughtful way he organizes each sampling session, generously shares his knowledge, and navigates all unexpected situations with remarkable patience and tact; and to my RES coordinator, Michele Bakacs, for introducing me to this opportunity. For me, this is exactly what environmental stewardship looks like in practice: science, community, and a genuine commitment to the place we all share.