Volunteer Stream Monitoring Pays Off for GSWA, Watershed Residents

NJDEP Tags Loantaka Brook for Water Quality Improvements

MORRIS TWP., NJ – When the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection released its list of “Impaired Waterbodies” in August, staff members at the Great Swamp Watershed Association say they were delighted to learn that Loantaka Brook in Morris County was officially designated a “Sublist 5” stream, meaning that it is now prioritized for water quality improvements by the state.

“I have achieved one of my career goals!”, exclaimed Kelley Curran, GSWA Water Quality Programs Director. “For years, the state classified Loantaka Brook as Sublist 3, which meant that there was insufficient data to determine its level of impairment. But we have been monitoring the stream for three years, and this reclassification is a direct result of our ability to collect, record and report high-quality data to the DEP.” Curran notes that GSWA uses a DEP-certified lab for all analysis.

“It’s a major turnaround,” says Sally Rubin, GSWA Executive Director. “The state is finally recognizing the quality of the data that we provide. That’s huge. New Jersey simply doesn’t have the budget or the manpower to monitor our water resources effectively, and our officials now realize they cannot do it alone.”

Under Curran’s direction, groups of community volunteers trained by GSWA in visual stream assessment and sampling techniques actively observe the streams and collect samples from various sites throughout the 55-square mile watershed region, which encompasses all or part of ten towns: Bernards Township, Bernardsville, Chatham Township, Harding Township, Long Hill Township, Madison, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Morristown, and Morris Township.

“Some of the Highest Quality Data”

“The GSWA Stream Teams are an amazing group of volunteers,” says Danielle Donkersloot, Program Coordinator for the NJDEP’s Watershed Watch Network. “They notify us when there are issues within the watershed that would otherwise go unnoticed. They are collecting some of the highest quality data to help inform the agency and residents about the health of the local streams. The Stream Teams help fill gaps where the Department collects little or no data. They are true stewards to those streams.”

The NJDEP’s report issued in August is titled “2008 Draft New Jersey Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report,” and is required by the federal Clean Water Act. The list identifies bodies of water that are not attaining their designated uses and identifies the pollutants causing non-attainment.

According to the report, Loantaka Brook does not meet state standards for its designated uses, which include Aquatic Life Support, Recreation, Agricultural Water Supply and Drinking Water Supply. Loantaka’s impairment is attributed to unacceptable levels of Fecal Coliform/E. Coli and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). GSWA’s TDS data consistently demonstrated that levels exceeded NJ standards the whole length of the stream, which runs from Morristown and traverses largely through Morris, Chatham and Harding Townships before delivering its water to the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Further, GSWA data proved that sodium and chloride were the major contributors to the high levels of TDS in the upper reaches of Loantaka Brook. Road salt runoff from impervious surfaces is believed to be the principal origin of the contaminants.

Loantaka Brook is one of five streams in the Great Swamp Watershed, all of which flow into the Passaic River — a source of drinking water for more than 1 million people.

“This is certainly a victory for us,” adds Curran, “but it is also a shot in the arm for any group that voluntarily collects data. It’s a great validation of our efforts. Ultimately, it demonstrates the importance of sharing information, and it is gratifying that the NJDEP is open to listening to us.”

Stream monitoring programs can be costly. GSWA routinely invests in training programs for its “Stream Team” volunteers and then must absorb chemical analysis costs conducted by a state-certified laboratory. Funding for GSWA’s stream monitoring program comes directly from membership dues and the generosity of corporate sponsors.

“I hope everyone who lives, works or plays anywhere in the Great Swamp Watershed region appreciates the significance of this achievement,” emphasizes Sally Rubin. “We are a small, member-supported non-profit organization that is making remarkable headway in protecting the water supply for our communities now and for the future. When I hear people talk about being ‘green,’ I hope they will consider starting in their own backyards by joining our group.”

In July, the GSWA reported that data supplied to the NJDEP was used by the state to bolster a reduction by 60 percent the allowable limit of phosphorus being discharged by sewage treatment plants throughout the watershed. Phosphorus is a natural by-product of human and animal waste, but too much fosters excessive algae growth which, in turn, depletes the oxygen supply available to fish, increases cleaning costs for drinking water, and makes boating, swimming and other recreational activities undesirable.

 

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Founded in 1981, the Great Swamp Watershed Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the water and land of the 36,000-acre watershed region in Morris and Somerset counties. The organization works to maintain the beauty and health of open space, and to monitor and protect five streams: Loantaka Brook, Great Brook, Primrose Brook, Black Brook, and the headwaters of the Passaic River — which feed into the Passaic River and providing drinking water to more than a million people.
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