Dear Friends of the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership –

A few highlights of the year are detailed below. Our accomplishments are realized with many thanks to you for the gifts of time and financial support. WE WELCOME YOUR DONATIONS! With gratitude for your continued support!!

Water Quality Monitoring: Raritan River Pathogens Sampling

The LRWP, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County and Interstate Environmental Commission completed year five of civic science pathogens sampling along the Raritan River. 2023 waters were the cleanest yet! Real time data is posted in English & Spanish: https://tessera.rutgers.edu/rrho/

Huge thanks to Volunteer Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino (far left) and Fahrenfeld Lab Researcher Genevieve Ehasz (far right) and some of our wonderful Summer 2023 volunteer water quality monitors!!

We Built Two Boats, and Launched Them!

Boat Build Leads Derek Hartwick, Brian Smith and dozens of youth and community volunteers helped build, and launch a cedar strip rowing scull and a canoe. Boat builds continue in 2024: https://lowerraritanwatershed.org/events/  

Awards

Coming on the heels of recognition as a NJ State Governor’s Jefferson Awards Honoree, in November the LRWP received the Franklin Township Council and Environmental Commission 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award. Hooray!

Watershed Restoration

TY to the Cornell Dubilier Superfund Settlement Trustees for project funding – we hired our first employee! Welcome Clare Levourne, who will provide oversight for Trash Trap implementation in the Green Brook at Dunellen! 

Environmental Education & Outreach, Arts Engagement

With thanks to a wonderful Summer Institute partnership with coLAB Arts, several hundred students learned about their local environment and how to #lookfortheriver for six weeks over summer break. Students learned about their local environment and how to #lookfortheriver. We reconvened in October for a public flash mob of “The Run Off” where participants performed as…you guessed it…stormwater flows! (stay tuned for the film version in 2024).

Upcoming in 2024: please join us for water quality monitoring, paddles “hidden streams” walking tours, environmental education, clean-ups, rain barrel builds, and so much more: https://lowerraritanwatershed.org/events/ 

With gratitude for your continued support.

The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership Board