The second pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, September 11th. 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 11th, 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 would be indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin(Edison Township), and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville). Riverside Park (Piscataway) had inconclusive results. Out of an abundance of caution, a red fown has been assigned to it. 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, 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!
Before pathogen monitoring can begin, the sonde is calibrated. Preparations include confirming the sonde accurately measures pH by submerging it in different buffers. The yellow solution is neutral with a pH of 7. Photo credit: Danielle Bongiovanni.
Our partners at the Interstate Environmental Commission provide us with thorough instructions on how to calibrate the sensors on the sonde. Rather than working off of memory, we prefer to have one person read the instructions aloud to avoid mistakes–in this, case Danielle is reading the instructions and recording the results of the calibration. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
Fishermen at Rutgers Boathouse reeled in a massive common carp (Cyprinus carpio), an invasive freshwater fish commonly found in the Raritan River. With it came a cigarette butt, illustrating how the trash tossed into the water does not instantly break down. Photo credit: Danielle Bongiovanni.
A happy fisherman with his netted carp. Our proximity to the river means people often fish before or after work. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
In Edison, as the tide rolled in, we witnessed no less than seven egrets riding fallen logs upstream against the current. Photo credit: Arthur Allgauer.
Gloves, sonde, and sample: John returns from wading into the waters in South Amboy. Photo credit: Arthur Allgauer.
The bottles used to collect samples are sterilized beforehand. The tape on the lid remains intact until a gloved volunteer is about to use it. This reduces the chance of contamination skewing the lab results. Photo credit: Danielle Bongiovanni.
In remembrance of Sepetember 11th, we stopped at the Middlesex County memorial in South Amboy. This eagle sculpture stares across Raritan Bay and across Staten Island — the Twin Towers were once visible in the distance. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
Beachgoers at 2nd St. Park deploy a seine net to catch fish and shellfish fishing for consumptions remains common throughout the Raritan watershed, and reminds us of the importance of keeping our waters clean. Photo credit: Danielle Bongiovanni.
The last pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 28th. 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 28, 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 would be indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway) and Rutgers Boat House (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 Township), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), 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, pet waste, wildlife waste, 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!
Two white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) sprint through Riverside Park. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
The range of the Chesapeake blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) extends far beyond the Chesapeake Bay. This deceased specimen was spotted floating in the Raritan River by Riverside Park, Piscataway. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
Beautiful weather draws Perth Amboy residents to recreate along the shore of the Raritan River at 2nd Street Park. Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
The LRWP appreciates all of the hard work Ashley has put in this summer, and we wish her well as she returns to Rutgers for the fall semester! Photo credit: J.M. Meyer.
The third pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 21st. 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 21, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at five of our monitoring sites this week. On the chart below, red frowns indicate problem sites, and these include Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin(Edison Township), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).
We do not have complete data for South Amboy due to an abnormality in the lab results. Out of an abundance of caution, we are issuing a red smiley face to South Amboy as well. If the status of the lab result changes and we receive a different verdict from the Interstate Environmental Commission (IEC), then we will update our chart and map on this blog and on our social media.
Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation. Unfortunately, we are not handing out any green smiles this week.
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.
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!
Internationally-acclaimed artist Ania Upstill volunteered for pathogen monitoring this week! In this photo, Ania greets Elver the eel. At each of our sites, Ania picked up litter and learned about how the Raritan River Watershed has been affected by nonpoint source pollutants. Photo credit: –J.M. Meyer.
A fisher at Edison Boat Basin takes advantage of the cloudy day and the dock ramp. Photo credit: –Art Allgauer.
High tide combined with the outer bands of Hurricane Erin led to flooding at the Class of 1914 Rutgers Boat House in New Brunswick. Photo credit: –J.M. Meyer.
Rutgers coaches help their athletes navigate a swollen Raritan River near Rutgers Boat House. Photo credit: — Art Allgauer.
In Perth Amboy, the pile of sanitary products and sewage sediment has been partially capped by top soil. The sewage smell is less noticeable compared to previous visits, but still present. Photo credit: –J.M. Meyer.
In the sample from Sayreville, our IEC lab technicians found a moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)! Though jellyfish are often thought of as ocean animals, some species enjoy the brackish waters such as those found at the Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park. Photo credit: –Ruby Alcorn.
The LRWP and SEWA volunteers went out to the litter trap in the Green Brook on Saturday, July 26th, 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 Nilesh Bhat describing the litter we picked up and conditions surrounding the litter trap.
Blog post by Nilesh Bhat
On July 26th, Sewa leads checked on the litter trap for the 6th week. The litter trap only collected a few pieces of Styrofoam and some plastic. This was much less compared to other weeks. We moved on to picking up litter that we could see outside the trap. Here, we found a lot of plastic bags, plastic bottles, and other such litter. We also found a discarded appliance that we theorized to be either a wax melter or a humidifier. We also planted some seeds by the support rods holding the litter trap. This was in hopes that the roots could stabilize the ground and mitigate erosion during storms. We had put bug spray on as always, but we were swarmed with mosquitoes regardless. This resulted in one of the leads having a minor allergic reaction. The mosquitoes might have been higher in number this week due to high temperatures exceeding 100ºF and recent storms increasing water levels. It was an interesting week, and we will continue to monitor the trap.
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 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 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.
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.
The LRWP and our amazing Borough of Dunellen, Middlesex County, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, New Jersey American Water, Crunch Fitness and other friends invite you to our first 5K “RUN OFF”!!
The morning will include a 1.5 mile walk/roll/stroll to the Green Brook to watch New Jersey’s first installed “litter trap” trash capture device in action, and to see an in-stream “artificial eel habitat” that is helping us learn about migratory freshwater eels in the waterway. Join us for hands-on EcoArts activities, environmental education, special performances by the New Brunswick Brass Band, Audra Mariel (performing as Martin Howth), and the LRWP’s very own Trash Troubadour David Seamon!
