By LRWP Monitoring Outreach Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino

Every Thursday 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. During the summer, 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 September 12, 2024 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, which include: Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Edison), and South Amboy 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 stormwater runoff, Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, 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 decide to recreate on Raritan this weekend, keep this data in mind and be sure to wash up after any activities!

Special thanks to the volunteers who joined us on the field: Sofi Grossman, Irene Riegner and Art Allgauer!

Once again, the Rutgers Boathouse docks were piled up with debris and trash similar to last week. We witnessed some fish jumping out of the water and floundering about near the docks, however, the Dissolved Oxygen levels we recorded (9.0 mg/L and 102.7% saturation) indicated an appropriate level of oxygen for aquatic life to survive. We will keep a close eye on the situation in the following weeks. Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

The Raritan river was abundant with wildlife early Thursday morning. From two deer embracing each other on the shore of the Rutgers Boathouse, to a number of egrets and gulls at the Edison Boat Basin- it was a lively day to do some monitoring! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

The docks at Sayreville’s Ken Buchanan Waterfront after days with no precipitation. The smell was FOUL to say the least! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

We don’t usually spot herons at our Perth Amboy site, but this lovely heron was spotted on the docks before flying out for his catch of the morning. Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

In our newly implemented monitoring task of “site clean-ups,” we have noticed LR2 and LR6 tend to have a higher volume of trash in comparison to our other sites, a majority of the trash being plastic/glass bottles. Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino