The second-to-last pathogen monitoring session for the month took place on July 25. 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 24, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at two of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway) and 2nd St. 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 House (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Launch (Edison Township), 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, 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 helps us evaluate the water quality at Riverside Park in Piscataway. The water looks lovely, but unfortunately this site consistently performs the worst in our water quality tests. Please use caution if you enter the Raritan River in Piscataway. Photo credit — Christina Best.
Christina braves the oft polluted waters of Piscataway to gather data. As is usually the case, Piscataway once again proved the dirtiest of our six sites. — Photo credit: Karen Alvarado.
Local fishermen Salem and Levi update John on local happenings at the New Brunswick boat ramp. — Photo credit: Christina Best.
Ashley records the results from the YSI. — Photo credit: Karen Alvarado.
Sanitary wipes, a common sight at Perth Amboy due to the Combined Sewer Overflow system, wave in the breeze. — Photo credit: Karen Alvarado.
The LRWP and SEWA volunteers went out to the litter trap in the Green Brook on Saturday, July 19th, 2025, to conduct a litter tally. Huge thanks to our SEWA International Central Jersey youth partners! Thanks to their efforts, we’ll have much better data on how the litter trap keeps our watershed clean. Learn more about the litter trap initiative here. And learn more about the LRWP’s litter tally project with SEWA here. Below, you’ll find Sewa’s Pravith Venkat describing the litter we picked up and conditions surrounding the litter trap.Tragically, a terrible storm tore through our area of study on July 14th. Almost 6.5 inches of rain fell in one hour. Scores of homes flooded up and down the brook, and at least two homes saw their foundations ripped out by the current. At least two people drowned when their car was washed off a bridge.
Blog post by Pravith Venkat.
This week’s cleanup at the Greenbook stream was heavily influenced by a recent flash flood, which caused a surge in water flow and significant changes to the litter trap’s effectiveness. While we recovered a large volume of debris, much of it had either escaped the trap or washed up on the banks. This highlights the powerful impact natural disasters can have on our cleanup efforts.
Trash Found Outside the Trap:
1 mattress
29 aluminum cans
1 food can
1 glove
1 glass bottle
3 plastic lids
1 battery
1 safety razor
1 paint sample container
1 plastic container
1 boot
1 white bucket
26 plastic bottles
About 50 plastic wrappers
Few pieces of styrofoam
1 water reservoir
1 green trash can
2 straws
During the storm event, the Litter Bandit broke loose from the southern bank. It then swung into the current and broached the northern bank. Interestingly, when this happened, its large buoys trapped a substantial amount of trash that we were able to recover:
38 plastic bottles
1 plastic lid
1 cigarette case
3 plastic shot bottles
1 glass liquor bottle
4 aluminum cans
1 plastic bag
Lots of styrofoam
2 small soccer balls
1 flip flop
1 wooden piece
3 plastic wrappers
1 plastic gum container
1 paper cup
1 fishing lure
1 plastic cap
1 trashbag
In this image, we can see how the buoys from the litter trap held tremendous amounts of debris against the northern bank after it detached from the southern bank. Photo credit: –Aasmi Bora.
After the storm, the Dunellen Department of Public Works reattached the Litter Bandit to the southern embankment.
Other observations:
The southern bank exhibited only minimal plant life in the area where the Litter Bandit had been attached, whereas the northern bank had a tremendous amount of riparian vegetation. The vegetation on the northern bank may have saved the litter trap from detaching from both banks.
The roots of two dead as tree roots still support the bank behind the trap, but they are deteriorating. Without these roots, the erosion from the storm could have been much more severe.
We saw many examples of ash trees destroyed by the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. While the Emerald Ash Borer beetle is usually thought of us a pest that destroy urban and suburban ash trees, its worst effects may be the damage done to its native habitat of stream and river banks.
Due to a strong odor, we believe a dead animal is trapped among the woody debris washed against the northern bank.
This week highlighted one of the biggest challenges with installing litter traps in streams: How can we prepare a litter trap to handle extreme weather events? Once the water level rose too high, the current became too strong, causing debris to escape the trap. Then, the water pressure on the stream bank and the buoys caused the attachment to fail on the southern bank.
We are also noticing more signs of ecosystem damage, such as the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle, which destroys the ash trees that hold together stream banks.
Going forward, we will continue to evaluate the trap’s structure and location. This could mean relocating it, or tying the rope to a stronger tree to improve stability. Our goal is to stop litter from reaching the river. To do that, we need a trap that can handle both normal water flow and extreme weather.
The third pathogen monitoring session of the month occurred on Thursday, July 17. Every Thursday 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 on Friday afternoons. Our mission is to share this data with the community and partners to ensure the safe use of the Raritan river for all.
We could not perform this service without the cooperation of our community and university partners, especially Rutgers University! This week, four members of the Rutgers community joined us at Rutgers Boathouse to look for pathogens. Our guests included Executive Dean Laura Lawson, Executive Vice Chancellor Jason Geary, Assoc. Professor Michele Bakacs, and Professor of Landscape Architecture David Tulloch, who also serves as a LRWP board member.
Our lab results for water quality samples taken on Thursday, July 17, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at FOUR (4) of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville),and Edison Boat Launch (Edison Township). 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) 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, 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!
From left to right, volunteer Art, Professor Tulloch, Vice Provost Geary, Dean Lawson, Dr. Bakacs, Volunteer Coordinator John, and Rutgers student Ashley (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources ’27) work together at Rutgers Boathouse. Photo credit: Heather Fenyk.
Ashley prepares to submerge the sonde while Dean Lawson and Vice Provost Geary check the meter at Rutgers Boathouse. Photo credit: Heather Fenyk.
Low tide at Rutgers Boathouse reveals the sediment deposits from one of the ‘hidden stream’ outfalls that drains eastern New Brunswick. Photo credit: Art Allgauer.
A fisherman at Edison Boat Launch catches a small American eel (Anguilla rostrata). Photo credit: Art Allgauer.
Ashley wades into the Raritan River to collect a sample in South Amboy. Photo credit: Art Allgauer.
The second pathogen monitoring session of the month occurred on Thursday, July 10. Every Thursday 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 on Friday afternoons. 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 10, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at THREE (3) of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), 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), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville),and Edison Boat Launch (Edison Township).
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 Fourth of July weekend, make sure to stay safe and wash up after any activities!
Trash and an oily, translucent scum float on the water in New Brunswick. Photo credit: Ashley Fritz.
An overcast day at Edison Boat Basin fills the water with reflected clouds. Photo credit: Vanishri Murali.
A great egret (Ardea alba) swoops over the Raritan River. Photo credit: Vanishri Murali.
The cloudy sky is reminiscent of the smoke that once pumped out of Sayreville’s now-decommissioned coal-burning power plant (pictured), and Sayre and Fisher Brick Company kilns (long gone). Photo credit: Vanishri Murali.
Gavin, a young outdoor enthusiast from Maryland, met up with the LRWP in South Amboy and volunteered to help Dr. John use the sonde. Photo credit: Vanishri Murali.
Another week completed! The team in South Amboy. Photo credit: Vanishri Murali.
The LRWP and SEWA volunteers went out to the litter trap in the Green Brook on Saturday, July 5th, 2025, to conduct a litter tally. The water was low, with moderate trash flows, despite a dangerous storm that passed through on July 3rd. Huge thanks to our SEWA International Central Jersey youth partners! Thanks to their efforts, we’ll have much better data on how the litter trap keeps our watershed clean. Learn more about the litter trap initiative here. And learn more about the LRWP’s litter tally project with SEWA here. Below, you’ll find Sewa’s Aasmi Bora describing the litter we picked up, and the relationship between increased stormwater flows and passive litter collection.
Blog post by Yashashvi Pabbisetty
Since we, Sewa International Central Jersey chapter, had our initial cleanup of the Litter Trap in the Greenbook stream, our goal has been to assess and hypothesize possible changes for improvement with the trap to stop the waste from reaching the Raritan River. During our previous cleanup, we noticed a significant amount of debris collecting outside the litter trap, specifically in the trees, raising concern over the placement of the Litter Trap and the flow of the stream.
On July 3rd, a heavy storm suddenly came through the area, knocked down hundreds of trees, and temporarily increased the waterflow. This natural event brought new data and insights to be interpreted for our project.
Data for inside the litter trap:
2 markers
52 water bottles
1 cigarette butt
many pieces of styrofoam
1 nerf gun bullet
23 small alcohol bottles
7 aluminum cans
1 hair mask
1 cigar casing
1 wooden piece
1 foam ball
1 baseball
1 tennis ball
1 stress ball
2 fishing balls
2 basketballs
1 soccer ball
2 pen
1 piece of broken pipe
1 balloon
1 floss
1 straw
1 colored pencil
4 pieces of rubber
1 eye dropper
A photo of the trash collected outside the litter trap.
Data for outside the litter trap:
45 plastic bags/pieces
11 aluminum bags/wrappers
7 aluminum cans
18 glass bottles/pieces
8 flattened plastic bottles
2 styrofoam pieces
1 shopping bag
3 fabric pieces
2 plastic cups
1 rubber item
1 air freshener
1 sign
Since Sewa International Central Jersey chapter’s last cleanup, what has changed? Our main hypothesis is that the storm was the biggest difference maker in the data. The storm has likely caused increased water flow, which could have dislodged debris that was caught in the trees from before. The storm could have also pushed trash on the surface into the stream, causing the litter trap to catch more trash, but also moving the trash from the land behind the trap.
Looking ahead: This second set of data suggests that weather can affect the trash collected from both inside and outside the litter trap. It seems that the increased water flow pushed more debris into the litter trap, but the storm could have also pushed trash from the land into the stream behind the trap. Moving forward, we plan to continue collecting trash and recording the data to understand the effect of different external forces on the litter trap. During this week, we were able to understand how the storm impacted the data. Similarly, we hope to see how different implications, both natural and unnatural, impact the data we collect. By understanding these patterns we can find different ways to maximize the efficiency of the litter trap.
The LRWP and SEWA volunteers went out to the litter trap in the Green Brook today, July 6, 2025, to conduct a litter tally after a devastating storm in the area knocked down trees, took out power, and resulted in fatalities. The water was low, with minimal trash flows. Huge thanks to Dr. Johnny and our SEWA International Central Jersey youth partners! Learn more about the litter trap initiative here. And learn more about the LRWP’s litter tally project with SEWA here.
Gone are the cows and barbed wire fences along the river, as land use has again changed, the only constant is the presence of the river and even the river has a mind to meander.
A thin round object, consistent with the appearance of a large coin protruded out of the eroded river bank. Closer inspection revealed light blue specs, suggesting copper content. It sure looked and felt like an old coin, its face severely eroded with traces of letters or numbers left to the imagination. Eventually the discovery was tentatively identified as a British half pence, from the mid eighteenth century. Its condition made it practically worthless, except for its historic value as a link to the past life of the river and its surrounding land.
That coin was a reminder of generations past and what their view of the river may have been. Each iteration was defined by the evolving cultural perspective each generation owned. Looking through time at any given layer begs a comparison to current views, and the realization that today’s view is dynamic and changing before our eyes. Though a period may be categorically defined, the transition is the real story, as it gives insight to the collective response under different economic and social pressures.
Each layer of time uncovered, is incomplete without considering the impact of the preceding layer until we arrive at the time the river itself was formed post glacial retreat. As the land sought equilibrium though violent undulations, it changed the gradient of the river’s path and adjusted its character. Critically important were the soil conditions created, which set the stage for a succession of thriving biological communities.
Amazingly, an early life form was discovered near Neshanic Station, where an unrecognized dinosaur tail bone was found and used as a doorstop. Stegomus arcuatus jerseyensis, was a large armored reptile with an alligator-like body, long stout legs, and an opossum-shaped head. Obviously, flora, fauna, climate, which favored this creature went through a series of changes, which no longer supported its existence.
There are ‘moments’ of stability as far as climate, flora, fauna, and associated life forms, and within each seemingly static pause, a culturally driven perspective is applied.
Aptly named, ‘moose-elk’, roamed the wilds of the vast eastern woodlands. This specimen found in New Jersey stands tall at the NJ state museum, in Trenton.
In the days before mills and their dams were built, migratory fisheries were of critical economic importance to those who lived along the river. When the first mill dam was built on the lower Raritan, thus blocking the fish migrations, the upstream residents burned down the mill.
Damming previously unimpeded rivers with grist and textile mills presented an economic opportunity for some, and ended a legacy lifestyle for others. This is an ongoing pattern of change along our rivers.
Amazingly, the gears of Holcomb’s mill, circa 1711, on the South branch of the Raritan, was made of wood! The mill dam has deteriorated and almost vanished.
In the seventeenth century, 1682, Somerset county had placed a bounty on wolves and fox. It is hard to imagine the environment required to sustain a population of wolves in central NJ. Fox were always present, and now coyotes have moved in. Biologists believed the appearance of coyotes was favored by the vast agricultural community and would disappear when the farms were sold off. That conclusion proved to be invalid as the adaptability of coyotes to the changing environment was grossly underestimated.
When the economy shifted from reliance on the rivers, they were still of value to livestock and dairy farmers, providing water for the herds. In one generation, environmental regulations put many farms out of business by restricting the handling of manure and prohibiting cattle from entering streams. Some days the local dairy herd provided a slalom course for my canoe as I wove my way through the herd, brisket deep in the cool water of the South Branch. Today, no cows can be found in or near the river, just remnants of barbed wire fencing embedded deep within the rings of scarred trees once used as fence posts.
Today’s river is centered on recreation as well as providing potable water, serving sewerage treatment plants, and continuing its ancient legacy as a receptacle for refuse. Organizations such as the Central Jersey Stream Team and Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership do their best to gather public support to keep our rivers clean and monitor emerging and legacy pollutants. Looking clean does not equate to the absence of pollutants. Consult the fish consumption warning in your state!
Statements from a Rutgers University president in the 1930s proclaiming the need to clear up the polluted river, have a hollow ring, as 75 years later the same refrain is heard about the same river. Generational priorities change the focus, while looking through the same glass. Industry and profits are replaced with real estate and profits, each contributing different pollutants, many of which live beyond the lifespan of their source.
The high population density in New Jersey stresses the environment and alters the standing cultural view of open space and rivers. The eventual compromise serves as the engine of change.
There is a tenant of wildlife biology referred to as, ‘carrying capacity’, where the local environment can only support a calculated number of a given species before it collapses. Theory exempts humans from this rule based on the belief humans are independence of nature, intelligent and have the technology to overcome nature; a flawed assumption which has often lead to environmental disaster.
Theories aside, peeling back the layers of past perspectives, creates a map for the future, displaying pitfalls, successes, and the realization that science is only true for a moment.
But the river was not always so commonplace. There was a time, and not 300 years ago, when it was unique and thought a wild, wild strea,. no one had been to its head; no one knew how far it travelled. It was then a deeper stream with its waters undimmed by surface drainage from farms. there were no farms. The small open spaces on the meadows were planted with Indian maize; but all the rest of the land was forest. Huge pines grew along the shale cliffs; oak and chestnut and hickory grew in the uplands. There were no towns or bridges or railways or wagon roads. Indian trails ran across the land from river to river, Indian tepees were pitched under the great trees in the meadows, and Indian canoes glanced along the surface of the River. The white man had not yet come, the land was unflayed, the forest and streams were in their pristine beauty. And then……
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.
Out of respect for the Fourth of July, this week’s Pathogen Monitoring session occurred on Tuesday, July 2nd instead of a Thursday. 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 Tuesday, July 2, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at two of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: 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: Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), Edison Boat Launch (Edison Township), 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, 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 Fourth of July weekend, make sure to stay safe and wash up after any activities!
Goose droppings await the next rainstorm at the Rutgers Boat House in New Brunswick. The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership advocates for growing taller and more robust riparian plants to discourage goose activity. — Photo credit Ashley Fritz.
An oily sheen with metallic flakes and brown effluvia floats down Mill Brook near the Edison Boat Basin. — Photo credit J.M. Meyer.
A fisherman’s catch at Edison Boat Basin includes a ray-finned fish and blue crabs. — Photo credit Nilesh Bhat.
Nilesh, Ashley, and Vani run the post-testing calibration on the YSI sonde. The YSI sonde is the instrument we use to measure salinity, acidity, oxygen saturation, and other variables. — Photo credit J.M. Meyer.
The LRWP and SEWA volunteers went out to the litter trap in the Green Brook on Saturday, June 28th, 2025, to conduct a litter tally. The water was low, with minimal trash flows. Huge thanks to our SEWA International Central Jersey youth partners! Thanks to their efforts, we’ll have much better data on how the litter trap keeps our watershed clean. Learn more about the litter trap initiative here. And learn more about the LRWP’s litter tally project with SEWA here. Below, you’ll find Sewa’s Aasmi Bora describing the litter we picked up, as well as her initial thoughts on why so much litter gets buried in sediment before it reaches the trap.
Guest post by Aasmi Bora
The litter trap is a device that is designed to collect trash and debris before it can end up in larger bodies of water, like the Raritan River. Its main structure is a chute-like mechanism, shown in the picture below, supported by two buoyant pipes (or booms) which keep it afloat.
How effective is our litter trap? To evaluate the effectiveness of the Litter Trap, we conducted an analysis of the waste found both inside and outside the device.
Here’s what we found inside the Litter Trap:
4 small liquor bottles
2 markers
1 small plastic ball
1 basketball
1 fishing bobber
8 plastic bottles
1 plastic eye dropper
3 aluminum cans
1 unopened cigar packet
1 piece of plastic
A large amount of styrofoam (mostly too small to
pick out individually)
In comparison, this is what we found outside of the Litter Trap:
1 toy train
1 teddy bear
7 aluminum cans
2 plastic bottles
2 plastic wrappers
1 shoe sole
3 pieces of glass
1 piece of fabric
1 shoe sole
1 plastic utensil
1 base of gumball dispenser
2 plastic bags
2 tires
Many more pieces of plastic
More styrofoam
Seat cushion
Why might the Litter Trap be capturing less trash than what is found outside of it?
We began to explore further up the stream to identify possible causes. We noticed how most of the debris was getting caught on tree branches as well as being embedded in the stream bed. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that the shallowness of the stream could be the main culprit.
During our exploration of the Green Brook, we found a section of the stream with a stronger current than where our litter trap currently rests. We predict that if the litter trap were repositioned in faster current then we would see a better accumulation of debris in the litter trap. As we continue to explore the functions of Litter Trap we aim to find solutions to enhance the design and effectiveness of the device.
