This summer, the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership will partner with the Central Jersey chapter of Sewa International to train the next generation of citizen scientists! The collaboration will focus on the Green Brook litter trap, a project funded through the ‘damages’ assessment of the Cornell Dubilier Electronics site in Plainfield. Together with a handful of science-minded high school students, we will be assessing our toolkit for counting the litter trap’s collections, imagining new ways of protecting our streams, and investigating the point-source of various pollutants in the Green Brook. In a few days, our Sewa volunteers will begin posting their findings.
Ashwin, Nilesh, and Aasmi (L to R) explore the Green Brook for the first time.
This project is part of the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan (NRDAR Plan), and our partners include Dunellen, Green Brook, and the Cornell Dubilier Trustees (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration).
Summer is the peak season for water-based recreation and relaxation. Unfortunately, it is also the peak season for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Understanding and being able to recognize this natural phenomena is important to keeping you, your pets, and your local watersheds safe.
HABs occur when excess amounts of phosphorus enter a water body, usually by stormwater runoff carrying fertilizers and animal waste, or by faulty septic and sewer systems. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, take advantage of the extra nutrients and their populations explode in number.
In 2023, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) recorded HABs at 49 water bodies. Five of the six counties within the Raritan River Basin experienced HABs: Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, and Somerset Counties.
HABs are associated with fish kills, massive die-offs of aquatic life due to low oxygen levels in the water or due to cyanotoxins released by cyanobacteria. Cyanotoxins can harm humans and pets, and are especially dangerous to children. Health effects in humans include abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and muscle weakness. If you experience any of these or symptoms resembling an allergic reaction or the flu and believe you may have been exposed to a HAB, seek medical care. Depending on the length and severity of exposure, more serious health complications may include liver and kidney damage, respiratory paralysis, and death.
Protect yourself by staying up to date with advisories issued by the NJDEP. Monitoring occurs via daily flight reports and by local health authorities sampling suspected sites of HABs for laboratory analysis. This data can be interpreted in conjunction with reports from the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership’s Pathogen Monitoring Program, conducted in partnership with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County and the Interstate Environmental Commission.
Each week, LRWP’s volunteers sample non-bathing beaches along the Raritan River to test for presence of fecal matter and disease causing bacterium, and report findings within 24 hours on the LRWP website, via the Rutgers Raritan River Hydrologic Observatory, and via the regional Community Water Quality Testing program coordinated by the Billion Oyster Project. This data is also uploaded to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s STORET (STOrage and RETrieval) and WQX (Water Quality Exchange) systems used for managing and sharing water quality monitoring data.
Surveillance flight data is color-coded according to µg/L of chlorophyll observed. Higher chlorophyll levels may indicate a HAB and warrant caution. On June 24, 2025 low chlorophyll levels were observed along parts of the Raritan River. Graphic by NJDEP.
There are four Recreational Guidance Advisory Levels depending on the amount of cytotoxins identified in the lab reports. If in doubt about what activities are safe, refrain from drinking, swimming, boating, fishing, or consuming fish products sourced from the water body in question.
Volunteer reporting saves lives! To identify HABs, the NJDEP recommends looking for “a layer of bright bluish‐green or white paint on the water surface. Other evidence of a potential cyanobacterial HAB could be discolored or pea‐green colored water, parallel streaks, or green dots/globs in the water.” If you believe you have spotted one, help keep others safe by reporting it to the NJDEP using their online form.
Water at the site of a HAB may be tinted blue-green, earning cyanobacteria the name “blue-green algae.” Photo by NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
The diverse appearances of HABs include cyanobacteria forming globs in the water. Photo by National Park Service.
You can reduce HABs through choices made away from the water, as well. The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership has tips for reducing fertilizer usage and advocating for proper stormwater management. The NJDEP recommends growing native plants to create a riparian buffer can decrease the amount of rain that flows off your property, picking up pollutants before it enters your waterfront. Minimizing opportunities for stormwater runoff to carry pet waste and fertilizers into waterways minimizes the chance of a HAB occurring.
Summer is the season for swimming, not sickness. Be observant, educate others, and stay safe as you recreate!
HABs are not limited to one season or one type of water body. Whenever you recreating at the beach, a lake, or a river, be mindful of signs like this. Graphic by the NJDEP.
June flew by, and the last Pathogen Monitoring session of the month occured on Thursday, the 26th. 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, June 26, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at 3 of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy), 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: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville).
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 nearly disappears below the water’s surface due to low clarity at Edison Boat Basin. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
A Heineken bottle floats amidst debris in the water near the Rutgers Boat House. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
Ashley keeps a firm grip on the sonde as she leans over the edge of the dock ramp at Riverside Park. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
Aquatic plants like algae thrive in the nutrient-rich waters by Riverside Park. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
American herring gulls (Larus smithsonianus) gather by the edge of the dock at Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park. Photo credit: Ashley Fritz.
What we do on land does not stay on land. The choices we make on what we do on our property can impact the waters nearby as rain and runoff pick-up and move pollutants from their point of origin to our waterways. In a time of climate change when precipitation is highly variable these pollutants are more likely to affect our local and regional water quality.
Join the LRWP for two Teacher Professional Development Workshops, offered in partnership with the New Jersey Climate Change Learning Collaborative and the New Jersey Department of Education.
On both Monday June 23 and Tuesday August 12 we will tour New Brunswick infrastructure and landscape and take a boat trip on the Raritan River to learn more about how we monitor water quality in general and pathogen monitoring more specifically, and about solutions to divert the pollutants from our waterways. These full-day workshops will be followed up with a webinar (August 14th, 4PM EDT) to explore instructional resources related to the Lower Raritan watershed, and water quality monitoring.
Out of respect for Juneteenth, the fifth Pathogen Monitoring session occured on Tuesday, June 17 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, June 17, 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 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), 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 weekend, make sure to stay safe and wash up after any activities!
Ashley and John inspect the water from the boat dock at Riverside Park. Photo credit: Art Allgauer.
According to a member of the public who spoke with LRWP volunteers, a hazmat team recently investigated a diesel fuel spill in Edison’s Mill Brook. Photo credit: Art Allgauer.
A family of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) relax at Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park. Photo credit: Art Allgauer.
Sofi studies the pebbles and shells that washed up on South Amboy’s shoreline. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
A stray cat hides in the grass along the fence bordering Raritan Bay Waterfront Park. Photo credt: J.M. Meyer.
Thursday, June 12th marked the fourth week of Pathogen Monitoring and one week since a pile of feces, sanitary products, and sediment was discovered a few hundred feet from the Robert N. Wilentz Elementary School’s playground. 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 June 12, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at three of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Edison Boat Launch (Edison Township), 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 Boathouse (New Brunswick), 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!
A dead fish, likely a mullet (Mugilidae), floats on the water at Rutgers Boathouse. Photo credit: Frank Dahl.
Slow-moving Atlantic horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus), like this one spotted in South Amboy, provide stable surfaces for barnacles to grow on. Photo credit: Frank Dahl.
Seagulls admire the view in Sayreville. Photo credit: Ashley Fritz.
Frank explains his work as a LRWP volunteer to a bather in Perth Amboy. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
The team returned to the pile of waste in Perth Amboy and found most of the feces had been removed. Sanitary products and sediment remain. Continue to check our website for updates on the situation. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
The LRWP and SEWA volunteers went out to the litter trap in the Green Brook on Saturday, June 12th, 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 Ashwin Pemmaraju describing the litter we picked up and conditions surrounding the litter trap.
Blog post by Ashwin Pemmaraju
We here at Sewa International Central Jersey Chapter have strived to clean up the site around the Green Brook litter trap, and to develop a better understanding of how plastic pollution and rainfall interact with the trap. We’ve noticed new items slipping past the trap and polluting the river, and some interesting challenges to floating litter traps that rely on capturing debris suspended in fast moving water.
Trash found outside the trap:
7 plastic bottles, 2 juice boxes, 2 masks, 1 spoon, 1 metal piece, 1 calculator, 20 wrappers, 5 aluminum cans, 1 possible car part, 1 shovel, 99 glass pieces, 1 small plastic liquor bottle, 1 bubble wand, 26 plastic bags, 1 plastic food container, 1 pill sheet, 2 plastic cups, 1 piece of roof slate, 1 piece of clay pot, 1 piece of brick, 1 glove, 6 pieces of fabric, 1 latex glove, 1 cigarette butt, 1 piece of plastic.
Perhaps the oil canister we found today explains the presence of oil slicks we noticed last week.
Trash found inside the trap:
Plastic bottle (1), aluminum cans (2), pieces of styrofoam (6), nails (1), cigarette butt (1).
We also noticed an interesting aspect of the litter trap’s design: The current rebounds off the trap, slowing down incoming trash – the trash then falls from suspension, descends into the current, and passes under the booms. Thus, the heavier trash easily slides under the booms and escapes the trap. Perhaps this explains the immense abundance of garbage found on the river banks and the shallower isles down the stream.
We found a small leech hiding among the debris in the litter trap.
By Danielle Bongiovanni, LRWP 2025 Science Communication Intern
On Saturday, May 10, dozens of volunteers worked together to fill nearly 100 garbage bags with litter removed from the Green Brook. The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership (LRWP) led the fifth annual multi-site clean-up alongside the Americorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors (NJWA), the Union & Somerset County Clean Communities Programs, the Mayor’s Alliance for a Cleaner Green Brook Waterway, and the Central Jersey Stream Team. The sites stretched across eight participating municipalities: Dunellen, Green Brook, Middlesex Township, Plainfield, South Plainfield, Watchung, Scotch Plains, and Bound Brook.
Volunteers originated from beyond those municipalities’ borders, inspired by how all watersheds are connected and impact each other. Piscataway resident David Dunham has participated in clean-ups with his son for nearly a decade, several of which focused on the Green Brook. Repeat visits have yielded visible progress.
“In general, [the Green Brook] was in much better shape than some of the other times we’ve been over here. It’s nice to come back to the same spot and be able to compare,” Dunham said. “It’s a good sign, we’re heading in the right direction.”
Still, volunteers picked up plenty of trash. Dunham recounted collecting “small bottles, cans, wrappers that had come off of some bottle at some point. Nothing too out of the ordinary until we got to the very end, and then we found a kitchen sink.”
Other notable items collected throughout the day included tires, stereo equipment, mattresses, and a wheelbarrow. The majority of trash present consisted of everyday litter such as plastic bottles, beer cans, and broken glass — little items discarded without thought for how quickly they pile up.
Several tires were found and removed during the clean-up. Photo by Danielle Bongiovanni
Volunteers found a variety of macroinvertebrates amidst the trash, and the seven Watershed Ambassadors in attendance eagerly provided identification. At McCoy Park in Dunellen, Kaitlyn Pinto and Emilie Wigchers, who normally cover Watershed Management Areas #7 (Arthur Kill) and #4 (Lower Passaic, Saddle) respectively, pointed out clam shells, worms, snail eggs, and midge fly larvae.
The Green Brook’s ecosystem is dominated by pollution-tolerant organisms. Pinto and Wigchers note their presence to determine the brook could be healthier. Watershed Ambassadors promote environmental stewardship with the hope of making areas like the Green Brook suitable for pollution-sensitive macroinvertebrates like gilled snails or mayflies.
Watershed Ambassadors Kaitlin Pinto (middle) and Emilie Wigchers (right) identified macroinvertebrates living on a lawn chair removed from the Green Brook. Photo by Danielle Bongiovanni
“This is a great partnership between Watershed Ambassadors and LRWP, and it’s not just the clean-up. They do a bunch of other stuff too, and we do fun stuff like the litter trap monitoring and the eel monitoring and all these cool things. It all ties into that theme of protecting water quality in the state, so it’s a really good connection to have,” Pinto said.
The theme of collaboration in pursuit of healthier watersheds was strong, with members of organizations with similar missions coming out to support the LRWP. Mark Lesko, founder of the Highland Park Ecology and Environmental Group (HPEEG), made time to participate despite running clean-ups for the HPEEG on the first and third Saturdays of each month.
Lesko reflected on the impromptu clean-up that cemented his dedication to environmental stewardship. “My first one was more than a decade ago. My daughter and I were in Johnson park looking for salamanders in a stream, and she said, ‘Daddy, look at all the trash…’ So we started cleaning it and all these kids that were at picnics came down and started cleaning it with us, and that day, I started my group,” he said.
The Green Brook clean-up ran from 9:30am – 12:00pm and was followed by a public demonstration of the Bandalong Bandit Litter Trap and the final eel monitoring session of the migratory season. Dunellen Mayor Jason F. Cilento, who participated in the clean-up, thanked the Dunellen Department of Public Works for routinely emptying the litter trap.
Dunellen Department of Public Works employees waded into the Green Brook to empty the Bandit Litter Trap. Photo by Danielle Bongiovanni
Like Dunham, Cilento noted how less trash is collected at each clean-up, indicating a cultural shift away from littering and toward respecting natural spaces. Cilento praised the other participating municipalities and organizations for their roles in making visible progress protecting a watershed dear to his childhood. “I grew up playing in these woods and this water and everything,” he said.
Although no glass eels or elvers were observed at the monitoring session, the crowd witnessed a tessellated darter and a variety of macroinvertebrates emerge from the eel mop. Volunteers went home tired and in need of showers, but satisfied from a day of good hard work.
by Danielle Bongiovanni, J.M. Meyer, and Jocelyn Palomino
Our sampling on Thursday, June 5th began the second month of the Pathogen Monitoring 2025 season. 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 June 5, 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 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), South Amboy 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!
The low water level at Riverside Park reveals the eroded bank and forces the dock ramp to rest on the ground. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
John and Ashley record data under bright skies at the Edison Boat Basin. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
The nice weather provides a clear view of the landfill across from the Edison Boat Basin. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
Low tide at Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park reveals bricks left over from Sayre & Fisher Brick Company Sayreville manufacturing plant, which closed in 1970. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
An Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) left a piece of molted shell behind on the bank in South Amboy. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
Anchored boats bob on gentle waves at Perth Amboy. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
In Perth Amboy, the team encountered a large pile of dredged sediment, sanitary products, and feces a few paces from the Robert N. Wilentz elementary school playground. The liquid leaking from the pile flowed directly into an outflow pipe leading to Raritan Bay. NJDEP is now aware of the situation; please check our website in 1-2 weeks for further updates. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
by Danielle Bongiovanni, J.M. Meyer, and Jocelyn Palomino
On Thursday, May 29th we marked our second week of the Pathogens Monitoring 2025 season! 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 May, 29, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at three 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 Edison Boat Basin (Edison). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation, and include the following: Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), South Amboy 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!
Canada geese (Branta Canadensis) swim and mingle at Riverside Park. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
An oily sheen of pollution is visible on the surface of the water at the Rutgers Boat House. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
Litter and debris clogged the water alongside the dock ramp at the Edison Boat Basin. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
Jocelyn collects a water sample while John prepares to submerge the YSI sonde at South Amboy Waterfront Park. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
(From left to right) John, Jocelyn, Art, Rose, and Ashley take a moment to celebrate their progress at the beach in South Amboy. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
Spawning season for Atlantic horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) like this one seen in Perth Amboy lasts from Mid-May to Mid-June. Photo credit: Rose Lawless.
