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GRADING NEW JERSEY’S GREAT SWAMP
Laura KelmDirector of Water Quality Programs
September 19, 2015
Stream Monitoring Programs
• Chemical• Visual• Macroinvertebrates• E. coli• Temperature
Chemical Monitoring
• 4 times per year, using handheld meters and lab analysis
• Collecting baseline data on Primrose and Black Brooks by monitoring multiple sites
• Re-visiting 1 site on each of the other 3 streams and Watershed outlet (already have baseline data here)
Parameters
• Nitrogen– Nitrate– Nitrite– Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen– Ammonia
• Phosphorus– Total Phosphorus– Soluble Reactive Phosphate
• pH• Temperature• Dissolved Oxygen• Flow
• Water Clarity– Turbidity– Total Suspended Solids
• Road Salt– Total Dissolved
Solids– Sodium– Chloride– Conductivity
Visual Stream Assessments
• NJDEP protocol; training led by NJDEP Watershed Ambassadors
• 22 sites assessed by 30 volunteers biannually (fall, spring)
• Best to have consistent volunteers to spot problems
High Gradient Monitoring Sheet
TOTAL HABITAT SCORE FOR THIS PAGE
Habitat
Parameter
Condition Category
Optimal
Suboptimal
Marginal
Poor
1. Epifaunal Substrate/Available Cover
Greater than 70% of substrate favorable for epifaunal colonization and fish cover; mix of snags, submerged logs, undercut banks, cobble or other stable habitat and at stage to allow full colonization potential (i.e., logs/snags that are not new fall and not transient).
40-70% mix of stable habitat; well-suited for full colonization potential; adequate habitat for maintenance of populations; presence of additional substrate in the form of new fall, but not yet prepared for colonization (may rate at high end of scale).
20-40% mix of stable habitat; habitat availability less than desirable; substrate frequently disturbed or removed.
Less than 20% stable habitat; lack of habitat is obvious; substrate unstable or lacking.
SCORE 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 2. Embeddedness
Gravel, cobble and boulder particles are 0-25% surrounded by fine sediment. Layering of cobble provides diversity of niche space.
Gravel, cobble and boulder particles are 25-50% surrounded by fine sediment.
Gravel, cobble and boulder particles are 50-75% surrounded by fine sediment.
Gravel, cobble and boulder particles are more than 75% surrounded by fine sediment.
SCORE 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 3. Velocity/Depth Combinations
All 4 velocity/depth regimes present (slow-deep, slow-shallow, fast-deep, fast-shallow).(Slow is <0.3 m/s, deep is >0.5 m/s)
Only 3 of the 4 regimes present (if fast-shallow is missing, score lower than if missing other regimes).
Only 2 of the 4 habitat regimes present (if fast-shallow or slow-shallow are missing, score low).
Dominated by 1 velocity / depth regime (usually slow-deep).
SCORE 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 4. Sediment Deposition
Little or no enlargement of islands or point bars and less than 5% of the bottom affected by sediment deposition.
Some new increase in bar formation, mostly from gravel, sand or fine sediment; 5-30% of the bottom affected; slight deposition in pools.
Moderate deposition of new gravel, sand or fine sediment on old and new bars; 30-50% of the bottom affected; sediment deposits at obstructions, constrictions and bends; moderate deposition of pools prevalent.
Heavy deposits of fine material, increased bar development; more than 50% of the bottom changing frequently; pools almost absent due to substantial sediment deposition.
SCORE 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 5. Channel Flow Status
Water reaches base of both lower banks, and minimal amount of channel substrate is exposed.
Water fills >75% of the available channel; or <25% of channel substrate is exposed.
Water fills 25-75% of the available channel, and/or riffle substrates are mostly exposed.
Very little water in channel and mostly present as standing pools.
SCORE 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Macroinvertebrate Assessments
• Annual survey, since 2000• Macros collected early June• Meter data informs results
Flow
E. Coli Bacteria
• Indicates fecal pollution• Implications for health• Monitor sites watershed-wide in summer• Sites are located where people or pets are
likely in contact with water
Credit: G. Finlay 6/24/2014
Communicating Monitoring Results
• Pre-2013, monitoring reports limited in scope• 1 subwatershed or few parameters• Need big picture view• Technical audience
2013 State of the Streams
• MIV, chemical, climate, precip, flow• General recommendations• 4 public presentations• Challenges:• Long, technical report• Analysis took 1 year
Water Quality Report Card
• Goals:• Answer “How’s the water?”• Understandable for non-
technical audience• Short length• Recommend actions• Include ALL 2014 WQ data• To become an annual report
• Grades based on water quality standards set by NJDEP or U.S. EPA
• Where no standards exist, grades based on ecological impact
• 2 highest grades pass standard• 2 lower grades fail standard• Lots of math!• Detailed info on grading scales and methods
available at www.GreatSwamp.org
How the Grades Were Created
Excellent Good Poor Very Poor No Data
• Some things stand out: what is good and where are there issues
2014 Results
StreamMacro-
invertebratesVisual Stream Assessment Bacteria
Dissolved Oxygen
Water Temperature pH Road Salt
Water Clarity Nitrogen Phosphorus
Black Brook Poor Poor Very Poor Poor Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Very Poor Poor
Great Brook (main stem) Poor Good Very Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Excellent Good
Bayne Brook Poor Excellent Excellent
Silver Brook Poor Very Poor Excellent
Loantaka Brook Poor Good Very Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Poor Excellent Very Poor Poor
Passaic River (main stem) Good Excellent Good Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Good
Indian Grave Brook Excellent Good Good Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent
Branta Pond Excellent Excellent
Primrose Brook (main stem) Excellent Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent
Mount Kemble Lake Tributary Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Poor Excellent
Great Swamp Watershed Outlet Very Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good
2014 Results
StreamMacro-
invertebratesVisual Stream Assessment Bacteria
Dissolved Oxygen
Water Temperature pH Road Salt
Water Clarity Nitrogen Phosphorus
Black Brook Poor Poor Very Poor Poor Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Very Poor Poor
Great Brook (main stem) Poor Good Very Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Excellent Good
Bayne Brook Poor Excellent Excellent
Silver Brook Poor Very Poor Excellent
Loantaka Brook Poor Good Very Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Poor Excellent Very Poor Poor
Passaic River (main stem) Good Excellent Good Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Good
Indian Grave Brook Excellent Good Good Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent
Branta Pond Excellent Excellent
Primrose Brook (main stem) Excellent Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent
Mount Kemble Lake Tributary Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Poor Excellent
Great Swamp Watershed Outlet Very Poor Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good
Primrose Brook
• Healthiest stream in watershed
• Large forested areas• Best macroinvertebrates
Primrose Brook at PB2 looking downstream 6/2014
Stonefly from PB2
Primrose Brook
• Spring snowmelt increased nitrogen levels in Primrose and Mount Kemble Lake trib• Natural condition, not a
concern• Also seen in Passaic River
• Visual assessments note excess sediment, poor streambank vegetation
Storm pipe downstream from Lees Hill Rd. Note pavement-colored sediment pile. 8/2014
CategoryPrimrose Brook
(main stem)Mount Kemble Lake tributary
Macro-invertebrates Excellent
Visual Stream Assessment Good
Bacteria Excellent Dissolved Oxygen Excellent Good
Water Temperature Excellent Excellent
pH Excellent ExcellentRoad Salt Excellent Excellent
Water Clarity Excellent ExcellentNitrogen Good Poor
Phosphorus Excellent Excellent
Primrose Brook downstream from Tempe Wick Rd. 6/2015
Typical Primrose Brook?
• Rocky bottom• Lots of riffles• Healthy streamside
vegetation shading the stream, reducing erosion potential along streambanks
The Lesser-Known Primrose Brook
Primrose Brook between Lees Hill Rd. and Baileys Mill Rd. Credit: M. Duffy, 7/10/2014
Bank erosion
Sediment barsIncomplete buffer (few shrubs)
Great Brook
• Developed headwaters, then suburban/rural with areas of protected lands
• Water quality in the middle of main Watershed streams
Foote’s Pond 5/2013
Great Brook• Higher road salt upstream• Stormwater impacts:
• Decreased water clarity• Higher phosphorus• High bacteria in Foote’s Pond
and Bayne Pond• Foote’s Pond, Silver Lake raise
water temperatures• Bayne Brook, Silver Brook:
• Poor in-stream habitat, sedimentation
• High E. coli in Silver Brook under investigation by GSWA
CategoryGreat Brook (main stem)
Bayne Brook
Silver Brook
Macro-invertebrates Poor
Visual Stream Assessment Good Poor Poor
Bacteria Very Poor Excellent Very PoorDissolved Oxygen Excellent
Water Temperature Excellent Excellent Excellent
pH Excellent Road Salt Good
Water Clarity Excellent Nitrogen Excellent
Phosphorus Good
Great Brook downstream from Silver Lake 6/6/2014
Loantaka Brook
• Several potential land uses in developed headwaters contribute to impairment:• Condo/apartment complexes• Major roads• Mown fields• Woodland Water Pollution
Control Utility• Ginty Pool
• One of the most impaired watershed streams
Loantaka Brook• Road salt, normally a prime issue,
was diluted in winter and spring from higher flows
• Upstream land uses likely causing high phosphorus and nitrogen
• Poor in-stream habitat; stream bottom has abundant sand and fine sediment at many sites
• Artificially low E. coli near Ginty Pool – likely chemical leak to blame (now resolved)
• Poor macroinvertebrate communities
Category Loantaka Brook
Macro-invertebrates Poor
Visual Stream Assessment Good
Bacteria Very PoorDissolved Oxygen Excellent
Water Temperature Excellent
pH ExcellentRoad Salt Poor
Water Clarity ExcellentNitrogen Very Poor
Phosphorus Poor
Loantaka Brook downstream from Ginty Pool 6/6/2014
Black Brook• Begins in developed areas and
golf course• Primarily within Great Swamp
National Wildlife Refuge• Low gradient stream• Chatham Twp. Main Water
Pollution Control Utility discharged here until mid-March 2015
Stream Team volunteer Bill Marshall excited when the Chatham Twp. Water
Pollution Control Utility stopped discharging into Black Brook. 4/16/2015
Black Brook
• Upstream golf course and major roads likely impacting water temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, road salt, and macroinvertebrates
• Water Pollution Control Utility discharge increased road salt, nitrogen, and phosphorus
• High bacteria in Refuge may be from wildlife
• Poor in-stream habitat, sedimentation
Category Black Brook
Macro-invertebrates Poor
Visual Stream Assessment Poor
Bacteria Very PoorDissolved Oxygen Poor
Water Temperature Excellent
pH ExcellentRoad Salt Good
Water Clarity ExcellentNitrogen Very Poor
Phosphorus Poor
Black Brook in the Refuge 10/16/2014
Passaic River
• One of the healthiest Watershed streams (with Primrose Brook)• Tributary Indian Grave Brook
often considered reference site because of high quality
• Large forested areas in upstream portions of subwatershed
• Water quality degrades somewhat further downstream near Route 202, I-287
• Branta Pond flows into Passaic from Somerset EEC
Passaic River
• High water temperatures recorded in Indian Grave Brook and Passaic above Osborn Pond• Designated trout production
waters by NJDEP• High temperatures potentially
detrimental to trout• Macroinvertebrate communities
in upper PR and IG very healthy• Good upstream aquatic habitats• High spring nitrogen from
snowmelt is a natural condition
CategoryPassaic River (main stem)
Indian Grave Brook
Branta Pond
Macro-invertebrates Good Excellent
Visual Stream Assessment Excellent Good
Bacteria ExcellentDissolved Oxygen Good Good
Water Temperature Poor Poor Excellent
pH Excellent Excellent Road Salt Excellent Excellent
Water Clarity Excellent Excellent Nitrogen Good
Phosphorus Good
Passaic River downstream of Osborn Pond 5/5/2014
Great Swamp Watershed Outlet• Grades based on sites below
where all major tributaries empty into Passaic
• Representative of water quality leaving Watershed and heading to our downstream neighbors
Kayaking on the Passaic River just upstream of Fishermen’s Parking Lot 8/26/2014
Great Swamp Watershed Outlet• Elevated bacteria after recent
rains at Fishermen’s Parking Lot (baseflow levels were within NJ standard)
• Higher phosphorus in summer and fall• Either from winter/spring
dilution• OR from fertilizer use in
growing season• Water clarity consistently lower
than other sites (still “excellent”)
CategoryGreat Swamp
Watershed Outlet
Macro-invertebrates
Visual Stream Assessment
Bacteria Very PoorDissolved Oxygen Excellent
Water Temperature Excellent
pH ExcellentRoad Salt Excellent
Water Clarity ExcellentNitrogen Excellent
Phosphorus Good
Passaic River at Millington Gorge 5/5/2014
Common Issues
• High water temperatures• Sediment• Stormwater runoff• Poor stream buffers• High bacteria• Road salt
Primrose Brook downstream from Lees Hill Rd. 3/12/2014
Road Salt
StormwaterSediment
Recommentations
• High Water Temperatures• Taller plants can help shade
streams, ponds, and lakes
PB1 on Primrose Brook downstream from Lees Hill Rd. Credit: G. Hauck 6/10/2015
Good canopy cover at PB1 Credit: G. Hauck 6/10/2015
Recommendations (con’t)• Sediment• Multi-stemmed plants next to a
stream can act as a filter• Native plants with complex roots
can hold soil in place• Use soil fences around areas of
bare soil
Mediocre soil fencing around construction 8/4/2015
Healthy grass buffer in Bayne Park 7/10/2013
Recommendations (con’t)
Participants make their own rain barrels at a GSWA workshop
7/15/2014
• Stormwater Runoff• Reduce impervious surfaces through
pervious pavement or replacing unused impervious areas with pervious cover
• Direct runoff into rain gardens or drainage swales so it can be absorbed
• Capture stormwater using rain barrels or cisterns
Recommendations (con’t)
• Poor stream buffers• Multi-stemmed plants can physically slow
down the flow of stormwater runoff• Native plants with deep, complex root
systems can absorb stormwater runoff soaking into the ground
• The wider a buffer is, the more time it has to work
Healthy pond buffers in Bayne Park 7/10/2013
Buffers in Bayne Park pre-restoration summer 2011
Recommendations (con’t)
• High bacteria• Pick up after your pet, even in your
yard!• Maintain your septic system• Municipalities should inspect sewer
lines periodically to ensure they are not leaking
Recommendations (con’t)
• Road salt• Use only when necessary• Ingredients matter: sodium chloride
least effective; calcium magnesium acetate highly effective and environmentally benign
• Support municipal efforts to use lower salt alternatives, such as brine
Read the ingredients before buying salting products
Thank You!
• Stream Team volunteers
• Roger Edwards• Lee Pollock• Guy Leland• Grant Hauck• Ana Berthel• Jocelyn van den Akker
• Hyde and Watson Foundation
• Norcross Wildlife Foundation
• Royal Bank of Canada• The Watershed
Institute• GSWA members!!
Become a Stream Team Volunteer!
• Stream Assessment Training – Saturday, November 7, 9am-12pm, GSWA Headquarters
Questions?
Laura KelmDirector of Water Quality ProgramsGreat Swamp Watershed [email protected], ext. 16