The LRWP invites you to join us for a great series of FREE workshops and trainings in advance of our Summer 2026 pathogens monitoring kick-off on May 21. Pre-registration required for all events:
Monday May 18, 5-8pm @ the Middlesex County EARTH Center in North Brunswick: Pathogens Monitoring Training with EPA and the Interstate Environmental Commission.
Flyer Photo Credits: Alison M. Jones, image taken on flight compliments of LightHawk and No Water No Life.
Heather Fenyk, image from Summer 2020 pathogens monitoring.
LRWP is proud to welcome Heather Fenyk as our first-ever Executive Director. As the organization continues to grow in scope and impact, this new chapter reflects both momentum and intention. I spoke with Heather about stepping into this role and her vision for the watershed’s future.
NC: Congratulations on becoming LRWP’s first Executive Director! What does this moment mean for the organization? HF: Thank you — it’s truly an honor. This role represents an evolution for LRWP. For years, we’ve accomplished so much as an all-volunteer organization. Moving to a structure with dedicated staff signals that we’re ready to deepen and expand our impact. It doesn’t change who we are at our core — we remain rooted in partnership and volunteer energy — but it allows us to be more strategic, responsive, and consistent in our work across the watershed.
NC: What are your priorities as you step into this position? HF: Along with strengthening our internal processes, building systems, and continuing our fundraising efforts, I want to focus on cultivating a true “watershed ethic.” That means helping people understand how data connects to policy and how policy connects to lived experience.
We need stronger vertical integration — from scientific monitoring to municipal decision-making. For example, pathogen monitoring data should inform MS4 planning and then ultimately support stormwater utilities. Hyper-local data needs to translate into concrete examples communities can act on.
We must think regionally and at the county level. Watershed-scale planning and implementation allow us to address flooding, wildfire risk, land management, and ecological restoration as interconnected systems rather than isolated issues.
NC: LRWP was recently awarded the DEP’s Extreme Weather Resiliency Grant — our largest grant to date. What does this project represent? HF: This grant is both a milestone and a responsibility. We will be developing an Extreme Weather Resilience Plan focused on remediated and contaminated sites in Middlesex County, selecting ten priority sites — five impacted by flooding and five affected by wildfires — and conducting comprehensive vulnerability assessments.
This project embodies our watershed approach. Extreme weather doesn’t respect municipal boundaries, and neither do environmental risks related to pollutant flows. By examining these sites through a resilience lens, we can help municipalities better understand vulnerabilities and integrate those findings into planning and implementation. It’s about preparing for the future with science-based, regionally informed solutions.
NC: LRWP has grown significantly over the past decade. How do you see your role building on that momentum? HF: LRWP has earned tremendous credibility. People recognize it as a trusted voice for the watershed. My role is to build on that trust — strengthening our educational programming, supporting thoughtful advocacy, and helping translate big-picture watershed issues into meaningful local action. Residents need to see how what happens in their town connects to the health of the entire watershed system.
NC: Partnership has always been central to LRWP’s identity. How will that continue? HF: Partnership is everything! I see LRWP as both a convener and a collaborator. Whether we’re working with elected officials, environmental commissions, schools, or community groups, our approach is rooted in shared purpose. We want to create opportunities for people to talk to each other — not at each other — and to build solutions grounded in respect, data, and common goals.
NC: What do you see as your goals as Board President? DT: LRWP is, at its heart, a volunteer board. That shapes how I see this role. My primary goal is to support the work of our subcommittees and make sure they have what they need to thrive. If I can help remove administrative hurdles and keep us organized and focused, that’s a win. I also see my role as offering strong support to Heather Fenyk as she steps into her new position as Executive Director. Leadership works best when it’s collaborative, and I’m committed to making sure she has the partnership she needs.
NC: How has LRWP grown over the past ten years? DT: We’ve grown from being a volunteer group to becoming THE volunteer group — “the Voice of the Watershed”. That reputation has been earned through consistency and credibility. Today, people are listening. Municipal leaders, residents, and partners recognize LRWP as a trusted resource. We’ve also become more strategic in our advocacy. For example, in 2020 we joined East Brunswick Township in litigation to protect a highly environmentally sensitive area from development. Actions like that aren’t taken lightly — they’re part of a broader effort to influence policy and strengthen protections across the watershed. We want our work to lead to systemic change.
NC: LRWP remains a relatively small organization, even as we welcome our first compensated Executive Director. How can we best serve the 50 municipalities within the watershed? DT: Capacity is still a challenge. We can’t be everywhere at once, but we can model what partnership looks like. That means building strong relationships with local governments, community organizations, educators, and residents. Our strength has always been collaboration. If we continue to connect people, share resources, and amplify good work, we can have an impact far beyond our size.
NC: What advice would you give to someone who wants to better appreciate the Lower Raritan Watershed? DT: Slow down. Pay attention. Listen carefully to what’s around you — the water, the landscape, the human communities. Ask questions and stay curious. The watershed isn’t just a physical place; it’s a living system we’re part of with a rich history and ever changing landscape. The more we practice that kind of attentive appreciation, the more motivated we become to protect it.
NC: Why should someone consider volunteering as an LRWP Board member?DT: Serving on the LRWP Board is a meaningful way to extend your commitment to your community, the environment and LRWP. It’s an opportunity to step back and look at the entire watershed — beyond municipal boundaries — and help shape its future. We welcome people who bring professional expertise, lived experience, and passion to the table. If you care about the Lower Raritan and want to make a tangible difference, we are actively looking for new board members to join us.
The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, working in partnership with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County and the Interstate Environmental Commission, will add four new monitoring sites for intermittent water quality monitoring starting May 2026 (register now to join us for monitoring training on May 18). These sites include the non-bathing public access Queens Bridge Recreational Access/Kayak Launch site along the Raritan River in Bound Brook, and three sampling stations along the Delaware & Raritan Canal.
By adding these sites we aim to better understand why, year after year, presence of enterococcus and fecal contamination is highest at our current most upstream monitoring location: Piscataway’s Riverside Park. In including sites further upstream of Riverside Park we hope to be able to pinpoint the source(s) of contamination and identify specific sanitary sewage infrastructure for repair.
By sampling from the Delaware & Raritan Canal, we will begin to improve our understanding of how water quality results differ based on the “bathtub” like conditions of the canal vs. the moving riverine flows of the Raritan. 2026 sampling at these D&R Canal sites will serve as a baseline for future testing for presence of Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS), which occur more often in still, stagnant or slow-moving water bodies like lakes, ponds, and canals.
Filamentous Mat Algae on the Raritan River, 2011 – photo by John Jengo
1. The Queens Bridge Recreational Access/Kayak Launch site.
There are three big steps in our process. First, we collect a sample of the water to send back to the lab at the Interstate Environmental Commission. The sample must be kept in an ice chest to keep it cool until it can be analyzed by technicians back at the lab. Second, we use a device called a sonde to collect data on pH, temperature, oxygen levels, sediment, chlorophyl, salinity, and more. Third, we also conduct a quick habitat assessment, and then pick up any litter we see.
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, 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.
The sonde disappears into the Raritan River at our site in Riverside Park, Piscataway. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
With huge thanks to our partners including Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, the Fahrenfeld Lab at Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, and NJ Sea Grant, the LRWP is pleased to share that findings based on our Summer Raritan River civic science pathogens monitoring and data gathering efforts were published by Elsevier in Science of the Total Environment:
Ehasz, G., Almosd, L., Ahamed, P., Bakacs, M., Fenyk, H., Fahrenfeld, N.L. 2026. Comparison of propidium monoazide and total-DNA based qPCR and long-read sequencing for microbial source tracking in an estuarine river. Science of the Total Environment. 1013, 181271. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181271
Recap: Fecal pollution is a common cause of water pollution and improved microbial source tracking techniques are needed. A NJ Sea Grant funded team from Rutgers, Middlesex County Extension, and the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership conducted microbial monitoring on the Lower Raritan River. Total-DNA and viable-cell DNA techniques were compared.
Results: Using viable-cell DNA rather than total DNA resulted in better correlations between fecal pollution and source measurements. The techniques demonstrated in the Lower Raritan can be applied in any watershed with fecal pollution issues and may improve results.
With huge thanks to partners including Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, the Fahrenfeld Lab at Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, and NJ Sea Grant, the LRWP is pleased to share that findings based on our Summer Raritan River civic science pathogens monitoring and data gathering efforts were published by Elsevier in Science of the Total Environment:
Ehasz, G., Almosd, L., Ahamed, P., Bakacs, M., Fenyk, H., Fahrenfeld, N.L. 2026. Comparison of propidium monoazide and total-DNA based qPCR and long-read sequencing for microbial source tracking in an estuarine river. Science of the Total Environment. 1013, 181271. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.181271
Recap: Fecal pollution from humans and birds was identified using DNA-based techniques in the Lower Raritan. Fecal pollution is a common cause of beach and shellfish harvest closures and microbial source tracking can help identify the source of this pollution. A NJ Sea Grant funded team from Rutgers, Middlesex County Extension, and the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership conducted microbial monitoring on the Lower Raritan River. Multiple techniques for fecal source tracking were tested and compared.
Results: Microbial pollution in the Lower Raritan was linked to both human and bird sources using both qPCR and microbiome-based techniques that focus on living cells rather than total DNA. Results were shared with local utilities and governmental agencies who can find solutions for these pollution sources. The techniques demonstrated in the Lower Raritan can be applied in any watershed with fecal pollution issues.
“The winds of March beneath my wings to herald the song the bluebird sings”, quoth the raven, as she charms the month to deliver the spring.
March stages the battle between the last frozen screams of winter wind and the warm breath that whispers spring’s arrival.
Through the turmoil visited upon the land by extreme expressions of weather, the earth tilts, to avert its glance from winter. As a result, celestial light increases in duration to overcome the dominance of winter darkness. The instant before the light overtakes the dark, the universe comes into perfect balance known as the vernal equinox.
This moment of equilibrium recognizes the dark and the light as a single entity, not in conflict, but in concert, to direct the orchestra of life on earth. The periodicity of the light is the one constant and critical reference point to guide all living things through the vagaries of seasonal change.
Predictability of the future is a critical survival tool when unpredictable physical conditions prevail. Before March can remove her winter coat of snow to melt in the heat of the sun, the march to spring is underway, guided by the beckoning light.
This is best illustrated in seasonal migration where species have evolved receptor organs to monitor increasing daylength and react. No matter the weather, the events of emerging life are kept on schedule.
Situated on the Atlantic flyway, a major bird migration route, many examples of distant travelers grace us with their presence. Our rivers are the off ramps from this major highway, with both north and south transients.
Locally, the South Branch of the Raritan River was chosen as a stop over in one osprey’s journey from Maine to central America, and back to Maine to breed each year. The blue leg band indicated the osprey was born in Maine on a bulkhead in Portland harbor, where it was banded shortly after hatching. This osprey traveled many thousands of miles in the few short years of its life. Its itinerary determined by a choreography of intricate movements of celestial bodies, held in equilibrium to each other by the invisible force of gravity.
Science aside, flocks of feathered reminders deliver the guarantee of spring as anticipation grows with increasing daylength. Grackles and starlings form large monochrome, black flocks, blotting out the sky, to deliver their message. Often these flocks perform incredible jaw dropping, synchronized flight maneuvers, involving hundreds of birds turning and pivoting as if they were one. The impromptu displays of co-coordinated flight are known as a murmuration.
Mesmerizing aerial acrobatics defy explanation to temporarily reside in the realm of magic. A sure attention getter to alert the viewer to the change in season.
Like a black throw rug on a white carpet of early spring snow, the message is clear when a flock of grackles land and scour the ground to fuel their journey north. On occasion, red wing blackbirds join the large flocks to relieve the unbroken black feathered pall with slashes of intense red and yellow decorating their wing coverts.
The peak migration is marked by the parade of colorful warblers passing through. The profusion of patterns and colors draws in observers to scan the tree tops for these fragments of color. Just the names are enough to arouse curiosity, yellow throat, myrtle warbler, black and white warbler, magnolia warbler, American redstart, chestnut sided, blackburnian warbler are just a partial list of diminutive packets of flying color you would never know existed if not made aware of their spring migration. These birds pass through in small groups rather than large flocks and so provide an extended viewing season and endless variety of species.
First to settle in for the season along pasture and river are the flycatchers and phoebes. King birds so named as being the largest of the flycatchers, rule the grassland edges and are commonly seen along roadside pastures. White breast, dark cape and head, and a narrow white band along the edge of the tail feathers. These birds will hover above potential insect prey and are easy to identify by this behavior.
Phoebes are also flycatchers, and live along the water’s edge. They share the same general gray and white coloration as kingbirds and other flycatchers, and have a distinctive habit tail twitching. One year a flycatcher constructed a nest on the vertical wall below a cove like overhang in a red shale cliff. The nest was well protected from the weather and just out of reach of spring floods. How the nest was secured to that vertical wall still mystifies me. An early season start ensured her nesting season and two flycatchers were fledged.
In like a lion, out like a lamb, the dichotomy of this month’s personality is legend. March is the perfect candidate to host the last gasp of winter and the emergence life from its frozen grasp.
March is mud season. Snow fades to reveal the gravid earth
“The winds that accompany the arrival of spring have been known to be so strong, that the letters in the month of MARCH, were scattered and realigned, to reveal its essential CHARM”. So quoth the raven.
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.
This magic carpet of woven Kevlar is one way to escape the earth’s gravitational constraints and hasten the journey from winter to spring.
Asleep for the winter, life begins to stir under the blanket of the late season snow. Despite the ferocity of freezing precipitation, the wakeup call provided by the well-choreographed dance of heavenly bodies is unmistakable. Every life form on earth has evolved to respond to changes in daylength and when daylight reaches a critical threshold in February, the howling winter wind cannot silence the promise of spring.
As late winter inhales to take another deep frigid breath, renewed energy cannot be suppressed as tree buds appear and tint the gray hair of woodlands a deep shade of maroon. Nutrients begin to flow through the branches when daytime temperatures rise above freezing, as if to gain ground in a fierce battle with winter chill. Then retreat when overwhelming forces bring a subfreezing counter attack to own the night.
Cold winter winds snap fine branches, in an attempt to block the energy flow and thwart its nighttime retreat, as the tree’s blood and treasure drips from these insults to form long, clear icicles saturated with sweet sugar.
Bird migration begins as diminutive, bright colored warblers, challenge the fierce winter weather with blind faith, as they advance north each time winter is forced to take deeper and longer breaths between outbursts of snow and ice. The image of one of the smallest birds, dressed in a colorful uniform, facing a raging white February blizzard, is a study in faith, persistence and confidence borne of evolutionary predictability.
Spring peepers and salamanders begin their migration to as snowdrops appear through holes in the threadbare white blanket of melting snow. When nights stay above freezing, salamanders and spring peepers begin their march to congregate in vernal pools.
These temporary shallow ponds filled with snowmelt, soon echo with the din of spring peepers advertising for a mate along with a variety of other small frogs. The nighttime amphibian chorus heralds the arrival of spring, while winter retains full control for weeks to come.
I was not immune to the blast of vernal energy that coursed through the land. I stood on the riverbank watching the water escape its icy shackles; the visible current gave the water life. This was a siren call to join in, as the live water was really a manifestation of its otherwise invisible energy.
Even when the river ‘s surface is frozen solid, the water beneath the ice flows freely to the sea. The water is the wire through which the current flows. Touch the water, feel its energy. We are attracted to movement and energy and this cold dark temptress was too much to ignore.
I set the yellow Kevlar hull on the dark brown, clear water; the contrast in color was dramatic and complimentary. Once aboard, I adjusted the sliding saddle seat to keep the bow slightly low, as under power, the bow would rise, giving the boat a more neutral feel and easier to maintain a straight course. A foot brace and a strip of firm padding on the gunnels about where my thighs hit, locked me into the hull as an integral part of the boat. All preparation meant to take advantage of enhancing the ride on the river’s high energy.
A quick stroke with the carbon, bent shaft paddle, set the canoe into the main current. For a long moment I sat still and let the river express its enthusiasm for its newfound freedom. Reference points along the shore marked the progress of the drifting boat, purposely aligned with the direction of the current. With the first strong paddle strokes, the boat slipped through the water and begged for more speed as the bow lifted slightly to achieve perfect trim.
The response of the canoe to my measured paddle strokes heightened my enthusiasm to race the current. Running a boat fast is secondary to the choreography of the paddle stroke. There is satisfaction in a rhythmic cadence and physical effort, much like a lively dance. Movement becomes effortless as the perception of speed allows a meditative escape from the earth’s gravitational constraints as if riding a magic carpet.
LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01
Rivers are the major migration route for wildfowl and songbirds and are one of the first places to see spring emerge from the frozen grip of winter. The longer daylength during the shortest winter month sweeps away the dust of inactivity accumulated during the long winter nap.
Early migrator, male fox sparrow waits out a late winter snow in the holly tree.
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.
Please see our Board Member/Technical Advisory Committee Member Application Package (below). We are reviewing submissions with a timeline for decisions by our January 24-25 board retreat.
Here at the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership (LRWP), we believe that a healthy Raritan River and Lower Raritan Watershed is possible, restored and sustained through collaboration, participatory science, and stewardship.
Our work connects the dots between individual action and collective impact, realizing healthy ecological connections on the path to a healthy watershed. As a growing 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a slate of new programs coming on line in 2026, the LRWP is looking for Board Members and Technical Advisory Committee Members to join us in this shared work. While we are open to contributions from individuals with expertise of all kinds, we are also seeking individuals with experience in fundraising.
About the Board
The Board of Directors (“Board”) of LRWP is a working and governing board and is responsible for oversight of the strategic, financial, operational, and policy decisions for the organization. At present, the Board manages the administration of policy and practice as well as operations. Membership of the Board should represent leaders who demonstrate significant commitment and passion for the organization’s mission, strategic planning, and organizational success. Reporting to the Board Chair, Board Members typically serve three-year terms and make a meaningful financial commitment to the organization on an annual basis.
About the Technical Advisory Committee
Our Technical Advisory Committee meets 2-3x a year, providing “on call” expertise and often serving on behalf of the LRWP as liaison or representative with other organizations, committees or boards. The Technical Advisory Committee members report to the Chair of the LRWP Organizational Support Committee. Membership of the Technical Advisory Committee should represent field experts or community leaders whose knowledge and work dovetails in significant way with the LRWP’s initiatives. Technical Advisory Committee Members typically serve three-year terms and are expected to participate in key annual organizational events (TAC meetings, the LRWP Annual Meeting, etc).
Tons of rubbish. A great pyramid of rubbish. Bulldozers scoop up the rubbish and prepare it for recycling, but, miraculously, the pile doesn’t diminish. This is Bayshore Recycling Corp. a group of recycling companies in Keasbey, New Jersey, a company that the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership recently visited along with a few members of Sustainable Highland Park.
Inside a cavernous shed, a bulldozer dumps plastic bags stuffed with paper and cardboard into a dumpster; the dumpster unloads the bundles onto an upward-moving conveyor belt. Two sorters remove the plastic bags and insert them into suction tubes. The paper and cardboard continue merrily along the conveyor belt until they reach the sorting machine. While the paper swirls around in the machine, optical sorting technology sorts it by light; different thicknesses of paper reflect different amounts of light. The sorted paper floats down into compartments: One for cardboard, one for the paper sheets, and one for shredded paper. Eventually, the cardboard is mechanically tied into large bales where a sorter pulls out any remaining pieces of plastic and the bale is moved to a pile of other large bales of cardboard, ready to be converted into pulp. Likewise, the plastic is baled and and moved to the plastic section.
The cardboard/paper operation is a small part of Bayshore Recycling. According to Michael Oppelt, the operations manager, Bayshore also recycles the hard stuff: Construction debris, asphalt, bricks, concrete slabs, metals, soil contaminated with oil. Concrete slabs, asphalt, and blocks are smashed, then sorted into three sizes, 3/4”, 1 1/2”, and 2 1/2”, and resold as fill material for projects such as road beds. Meanwhile, the dump trucks keep coming. They roll into the Bayshore compound, get weighed, jettison their products, get weighed again, and roll out. Over and over, round and round, like a bicycle chain, the trucks holding recyclables keep coming.
