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!
In collaboration with the New Brunswick Parks Department, we helped this volunteer honey locust reach six feet in height in just a couple of short months. Special thanks to Mike Orsini for his leadership on this project, and throughout the pathogens monitoring season!
The good news? The ebbing tide left enabled us to pick up seventeen gallons of plastic trash off the shore in Edison. The bad news? The ebbing tide left seventeen gallons of plastic trash on the shore in Edison…
Olesya deftly takes a one-handed photo of John recording measurements from the sonde in South Amboy.
Whereas South Amboy was once again our cleanest site, Perth Amboy’s fecal colony forming units proved too numerous to count. In addition, the team noticed baby wipes dangling from the outfall pipe, and a fluorescent pool next to the grossest piece of infrastructure in Middlesex County. Interestingly, despite the weird color, the salinity and pH of the pool matched that of the surrounding waters.
The first pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, September 3rd. 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.
This week, our sites received one to three inches in the 24 hours prior to water monitoring. This tends to flush feces into the water, and our results reflect this fundamental connection between precipitation and water quality.
Our lab results for water quality samples taken on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at five 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 Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin(Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), 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: 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 3rd, we sampled the D&R Canal at Demott Lane for a fourth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 246 enterococci cfu per 100mL which fails to meet the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. For the first time, this site has failed the test!
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!
Art gallantly wades into the water next to the Combined Sewer Outfall in Perth Amboy. You can see a sanitary wipe in the foreground.
Nothing says “welcome to the park” like a Natural Green Lawn Care pesticide flag. The problem with spraying glyphosates and nitrogen fertilizer near the river bank is that much of it washes into the stream, damaging aquatic ecology. Spraying riverbanks is bad for the taxpayer and bad for the environment.
Mike grabbed more than five gallons of plastic and Styrofoam from the New Brunswick boat ramp. If we have to capitalize ‘Styrofoam’, maybe Dow Jones ought to capitalize our cleanups.
In New Brunswick, the pigeons carefully observed the water monitoring team. We tried to talk to the pigeons about volunteering for the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, but they ignored every entreaty. Some fowl folks have no sense of civic duty.
Taxpayer Mike Orsini has noticed that the beach in South Amboy suffers from runoff near the paved surfaces. With enough rainfall on impervious surfaces, the water quickly picks up enough energy to carry away the sand. An easy, affordable solution would be to install a swale to catch and filter the rainwater.
Before each session, the team charges the YSI and calibrates the sensors. Here, we can see the screen for calibrating pH, especially in the high (base) range of 10. That number is similar to bleach, and we have thankfully never encountered that in the Raritan.
The final pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 27th. 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, August 27th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at two 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) and Edison Boat Basin.
Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
A note of caution about all our sites: a strong thunderstorm swept through the area after we completed pathogens monitoring on Thursday, and this often flushes enterococci and fecal into the river. Thus, if we had tested on Friday instead of Thursday, we suspect these sites may have failed to meet the EPA standard for primary contact.
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 August 27th, we sampled the Raritan Canal Lock 5, Somerset County for a fourth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 120 enterococci cfu per 100mL which fails to meet the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. For the first time, a canal site has failed the test!
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!
Mike Orsini captured this photo of Riverside Park, Piscataway, from the far shore. From this angle, you can better understand how the plastic ‘floating docks’ along the Raritan are designed to rise and fall with the waters.The large steel piers hold the dock in place.
The asphalt boat ramp at Piscataway is starting to erode away and slide into the river due to stormwater runoff from the parking lot. There are some easy fixes for this, like small settlement ponds, rip rap stone, and rain gardens.
In this photo from Olesya Nabakova, we see Endurance, Ashley, and Paula record results from the sonde. In the background, Mike and John collect trash on the far shore of the canal. This image looks quiet, but the roar of Lock 5 was quite loud.
The team was captivated by the mushrooms that sprang up in a circle around a honey locust tree in New Brunswick. Photo by Olesya Nabakova.
Many ‘organism identification’ apps will not try to identify mushrooms because it is too easy to mistake poisonous mushrooms with edible mushrooms.
Mike has become the relentless litter gatherer of our group. Here he sweeps the shore in Edison. The five gallon buckets help us measure how much we have cleaned up. Photo by Olesya Nabokova.
Paula, Endurance, Olesya, and Ashley record the sonde results after ‘tagging’ LRWP in the sands of South Amboy.
Mike became the ‘Burger King’ of South Amboy after finding a paper crown in the parking lot. A fact that regularly amazes the team is how many people leave their litter behind.Photo by Olesya Nabokova.
Runoff from the boat ramp in Perth Amboy is eroding the beach and exposing a gravel subsurface, as well as buried baby wipes and sanitary products from the nearby combined sewer outfall.
A dead juvenile seagull on the beach in Perth Amboy.
After the water monitoring session, Mike, Ashley, Paula, Endurance and John said ‘farewell’ to August by viewing the Raritan River from downtown New Brunswick.
We also wish Ashley and Endurance a spectacular ‘good luck’ as they head into another semester at Rutgers! They contributed tremendously to the success of this year’s pathogens monitoring program, and we can’t wait to see what they do next! The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership is so thankful to have such tremendous and dedicated group!
The third pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 20th. 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, August 20th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at two 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) and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville).
Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
A note of caution about Edison and New Brunswick: a strong thunderstorm swept through the area after we completed pathogens monitoring on Thursday, and this often flushes enterococci and fecal into the river. Thus, if we had tested on Friday instead of Thursday, we suspect these sites may have failed to meet the EPA standard for primary contact.
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 August 20th, we sampled the Raritan Canal Lock 11, South Bound Brook for a fourth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 22 enterococci cfu per 100mL which is well below the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. Again, this site passed the test, as it has every week that we’ve tested it.
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!
We began with a beautiful, sun shiny day in Piscataway.
Including the basketball, Olesya and Mike picked up about seven gallons of trash in Sayreville.
A fisherman in South Amboy reels in a small spot croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus) from Raritan Bay.
The second pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 13th. 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, August 13th, 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) and Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick).
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), 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
A note of caution about Edison Boat Basin: enterococcus better correlates with disease causing bacteria, but the fecal coliform count in Perth Amboy was well above the EPA legacy standard of 200 colony-forming per milliliter.
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 August 13th, we sampled the Raritan River at Queen’s Bridge, Bound Brook for a fourth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 250 enterococci cfu per 100mL which is well above the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. Again, this site failed the test, as it has every week that we’ve tested it.
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!
Art gathers a sample at Riverside Park.
The sonde plunges into the water at Queen’s Bridge, Bound Brook.
A Bradford pear tree in full fruit. Photo by Mike Orsini.
The city of New Brunswick at high tide. To reach this point, the Raritan rose six feet in just six hours. Photo by Mike Orsini.
At high tide, the river begins to pool across the opening of the Rutgers boat dock in New Brunswick. Mike traverses the waterway to deploy the YSI sonde. Photo by J.M. Meyer.
A jet skier on the river near Edison Boat Basin. The Middlesex County landfill rises in the background. Photo by Mike Orsini.
The day before sampling, we saw a backhoe dig sediment out of a Combined Sewer Outfall in Perth Amboy. Without this constant maintenance, the sewage and stormwater in Perth Amboy overflow into 2nd street park.
By Endurance Laryea, LRWP Summer Research Intern and J.M. Meyer.
The first pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 6th. 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, August 6th, 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 Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville).
Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
A note of caution about Perth Amboy: enterococcus better correlates with disease causing bacteria, but the fecal coliform count in Perth Amboy was well above the EPA legacy standard of 200 colony-forming per milliliter.
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 August 6th, we sampled the canal at DeMott Lane for a third time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 50 enterococci cfu per 100mL which passes the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. Again, this site passed the test, as it has every week that we’ve tested it.
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!
Early morning reflections on the Delaware & Raritan Canal. Photo by Mike Orsini.
An excavator clears out woody debris lodged against the Edison Boat Basin. Photo by Mike Orsini.
By Endurance Laryea, LRWP Summer Research Intern and J.M. Meyer.
The final pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, July 30th. 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, July 30th, 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 Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville).
This was the worst result since May 21st, and the high failure rate is largely attributable to the rainfall we received in the previous 24 hours.
Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
We tested just after high tide on Thursday; if not for the tidal flush of Raritan Bay, Perth Amboy would have also likely failed to meet the EPA standard for safe primary contact.
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 further upstream. On July 30thj, we sampled the canal at Five Mile Lock, Easton Avenue, a third time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 50 enterococci cfu per 100mL which passes the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. Again, this site passed the test, as it has every week that we’ve tested it.
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 lines of sediment across this Piscataway pier reached about 55 inches above the floor of the river bed, underscoring the dynamic power of watersheds during rainstorms. Last week, the river at this spot was only 8 inches deep, and it was only 19 inches deep at the time of testing. — Photo by J.M. Meyer.
Ashley and Paula record data from the sonde at high tide at Rutgers Boat House, New Brunswick. — Photo by Olyesa Nabokova.
For the second year in a row, South Amboy grandfather brought his grandson to South Amboy specifically to learn from our water monitoring team.– Photo by Olyesa Nabokova.
We collected eight gallons of trash off the beach in Perth Amboy. Much of the material, unfortunately, was sanitary products flushed from the sewage. We also found a diaper tucked among the rocks. Perth Amboy: don’t be like that. — Photo by J.M. Meyer.
This small honey locust shrub could grow into a good sized tree after just a couple of years if human left it alone.
Mike and Olyesa clean trash from the drift wood and mud lodged into the upstream side of Edison Boat Basin.
By Endurance Laryea, LRWP Summer Research Intern and J.M. Meyer.
The third pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, July 16th. 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, July 16th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at two 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), and Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
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 further upstream. On July 16th, we sampled the Queen’s Bridge, Bound Brook site a third time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 220 enterococci cfu per 100mL which crashes into the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. Again, this site failed the test, as it has every week that we’ve tested it. In contrast, the D&R canal has passed all six of its tests.
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!
Nilesh, one of our key Sewa International volunteers at last year’s Green Brook project, is working with Olyessa and other team members to plan a riparian restoration effort in Piscataway! In the above photo, Nilesh receives feedback on his proposal from Mike and Ruby.
In this photo, Mike is cleaning litter out of a backwater pool, an important part of the Riparian Zone. This backwater is particularly interesting because it is situated beneath a bridge.
Have you ever noticed reddish, slimy water seeping out of the shale layers in western Middlesex County? You might have seen iron-rich bacteria! These tiny creatures are microorganisms that get energy by oxidizing dissolved ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) into ferric iron (Fe³⁺), which creates rust-like, reddish-brown, slimy deposits in water and soil. These bacteria are common in iron-rich groundwater, streams, and wells, and while generally not harmful to humans, they can cause foul odors, staining, and pipe blockages. Ancient peoples used these invisible critters to gather iron which could then be processed into a crude iron ore.
Mike, Eddy, and John installed new guards around the recovering honey locust trees.Photos by Endurance Laryea.
Thanks to the wonderful folks at New Brunswick Parks, we met with the lead steward of Boyd Park, Eddy, to discuss strategies for growing more shade trees in New Brunswick. Boyd Park is a huge tract of land separated from New Brunswick by state route 18; despite limited walking paths between New Brunswick and Boyd Park, the city currently struggles to maintain the park with extremely limited resources. The LRWP is currently lobbying the D&R canal to stretch an additional three miles to encompass the historic downstream Raritan lock. This would enable the D&R State Park, one of New Jersey’s greatest treasures, to reach our diverse, community-oriented citizens in eastern New Brunswick.
In the above photo from Mike Orsini, we can see the thick blanket of wildfire smog that smothered much of the mid-Atlantic this week. Breathing in fine particulate matter is associated with a myriad of health problems, including dementia. Please consider breaking out those pandemic-era n95 masks before going outdoors.
As the summer progresses, it is not unusual for chlorophyll counts to explode and for oxygen levels to drop. In Middlesex County, it is still common practice to fertilize parks and gardens, even in the riparian zone. By this time in the summer, the fertilizer has washed into the Raritan and out into Raritan Bay, where it feeds numerous aquatic plants; when those plants die, the bacteria that feed on the dead plants rapidly consume much of the oxygen in the water. The state’s ariel monitoring of Raritan Bay shows increasing evidence of chlorophyll.
Remote sensing map of Raritan Bay from NJDEP on July 15th, 2026, the day prior to our water monitoring. The red color indicated an estimated level of chlorophyll greater than 50 micrograms per centimeter — that is extremely high!
Remote sensing of Raritan Bay on July 16th, 2026 — the day of our sampling.
At the time of sampling, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were below average at all of our sites except Perth Amboy. Dissolved oxygen is important for aquatic life. The lower the DO level the more stressful it is for fishes. On the other hand, higher DO levels support spawning, growth and activity of the fishes.
All the sites visited this week, except Perth Amboy, experienced low levels of oxygen in the ‘stressful’ range according to the EPA. If the oxygen levels do not increase in the next 48 to 72 hours, we may see our first fish die off of the season.
It is important to note that dissolved oxygen levels change throughout the day and waterbody, hence, the values we took at the time of sampling may not reflect the overall levels of the water at the sites.
Algal bloom and duckweed growth sighted on the tidal flats of Piscataway. An indication of low oxygen levels and possible high phosphorous levels.Photo by Endurance Laryea.
Did you know that goslings can grow as big as the parent geese in 8-12 weeks? We can no longer tell the difference between the goslings we saw when we started monitoring this season. Photo by Endurance Laryea.
Ashley holds up a Eurasian Watermilfoil plant, an invasive species in large parts of the United States but native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. Photo by Endurance Laryea.
Invasive species are organisms that are not native to a particular ecosystem but can reproduce very quickly and out compete native organisms. The issue with this is that it erases the biodiversity in the ecosystem. Why is biodiversity important? In simple terms, different species in the ecosystem play different and important roles. If all other species were wiped out by one species, the system becomes imbalanced, and the equilibrium that holds the ecosystem together may crash. Though non-native plants may play a similar role in an ecosystem to native plants, they may
Mike was impressed with the neatness of this campfire ring under Queens Bridge! Photo by Endurance Laryea.
Melting hearts is what they do: Meet Bow and Junior, brothers who captured the hearts of the team at Edison. Photo by Endurance Laryea.
Baby ospreys at Sayreville confirmed! We couldn’t tell how many though. Photo by Endurance Laryea.
South Amboy is always giving us souvenirs. Today’s was a shell of an oyster, maybe? Photo by Endurance Laryea.
Last but not least, geese were sighted for the first time at Perth Amboy. Photo by Endurance Laryea.
The geese understand the importance of water monitoring, so they politely made way for our team. — Photo by J.M. Meyer.
The session came to an end on a happy note and Ruby, from the Interstate of Environmental Commission (IEC) picked up the samples to take to the lab in Brooklyn. Ruby joined the team today to audit the sampling and monitoring session. Photo by Endurance Laryea.
The first pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, July 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, July 1st, 2026 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at one of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation, and include the following: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy), 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy). For South Amboy, we were unable to analyze enough fluid to complete the membrane filtration process required to measure Colony Forming Units. We have therefore marked that site with an asterisk. Statistical analysis of the sample produced a ‘Most Probable Number’ of 63 enterococci per 100 mL, and we were unable to assess fecal coliform.
Typically, whenever Rutgers Boathouse fails the pathogens test, we see the upstream site (Riverside Park) fail too. This makes the July 1st results somewhat surprising! Our team did notice that on July 1st there was an unusual amount of bird waste on the dock at Rutgers Boathouse, and this may have contributed to the site’s failure.
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 is our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling further upstream, as well as in the historic Delaware & Raritan Canal. On July 1st, we sampled Five Mile Lock in Somerset County, which is in the canal just across from Riverside Park. The lab analysis produced an estimate of 58 enterococci ‘colony forming units’ per 100 mL, and 60 fecal. We find it interesting that all of our canal sites have had less entero and fecal than the adjacent river. The waters in the canal appear relatively stagnant and we expected worse results than we see.
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 Endurance Laryea, LRWP Summer Research Intern and J.M. Meyer.
The last pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, June 25th. 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, June 25th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL atone of our monitoring sites this week. The problem site is indicated by the red frown on the map and chart: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville). Rutgers. Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.
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 further upstream. On June 25th, we sampled the Lock site a second time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 80 enterococci cfu per 100mL which flies beneath the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. Once again, the D&R Canal has proved cleaner than the site 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!
