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Newton Creek Watershed Photo Documentation Project - 2016

Words of wisdom from Audubon, NJ baseball field

Project objective:•To look in the “nooks and crannies” and other out-of-the-way sections of the watershed to photo-document sources of non-point source pollution.• Identify some potential solutions.

Trash in creek and no riparian buffer to filter pollutants from land before reaching Newton Creek. – R02

Newton Creek, outside of the popular parks, is general abused and apparently a low priority. – R02

Nichols Pond near Newton Lake Collingswood – receives sewage overflow during heavy rains – R03

Sewage overflows flows into Newton during storms adding nutrients and bacteria and reducing area real estate values and quality of life. – R03

Peters Creek/the Gully near E. Atlantic Ave - source of foamy discharge from stormwater pipe needs investigation. – R07

Fertilizers, raw sewage, improperly disposed of lawn care waste all contribute to algal blooms and loss of recreational value of a county resource. – R03

Fish kills at Crystal Lake and through-out the watershed are a common occurrence

Old concrete roadbed disposed of near floodplain should be removed – R07

Volunteers from Haddon Township and Collingswood high schools, the Center for Aquatic Sciences in Camden and Rowan University received basic watershed and stormwater education, as well as how to geo-tag their photos taken with their own smartphones.

Base map used by volunteers. “Stream reaches” are marked as “R01” through “R30”.

Peters Creek/the Gully - vegetation planting could provide water quality enhancements – R07

Peters Creek partially piped underground in “the Gully.” – R07

Direct discharge of stormwater into Peter’s Creek. - R07

Stormwater inlet from Nicholson Rd. townhouses drains directly to Peters Creek. – R07

Nicholson Rd. townhouses stormwater runoff is eroding the embankment taking sediment to Peters Creek. – R07

Peters Creek flowing under utility right-of-way. – R07

Stormwater inlet drains oil, gas, antifreeze, road salt and grit from parking lot directly into lake. – R06

Stormwater outfall control structure appears to have been tampered with resulting in more untreated runoff from entering Peters Creek at a quicker rate. – R07

Street runoff from Haddon Heights into Haddon Lake. – R16

Stormwater outfall pipe drains Oaklyn neighborhoods. – R07

Make-shift retaining wall installed decades ago allowed filling of natural floodplain – R07

Drainage from Graisbury section of Haddon Twp flows into Saddler’s Run. –R02

Paul VI High School outfall erodes Saddlers Woods with sediment load ending up in Newton Lake. – R02

Residential property owners improperly dispose of lawn and leaf debris. – R02

Decomposition of lawn debris adds excess nutrients to Saddlers Run, then to Newton Lake where algal blooms and low dissolved oxygen are “fixed” with chemical applications and aeration. – R02

Lawn and leaf debris near Oaklyn DPW dumped improperly. – R07

PSE&G parking lot adjacent to Nicholson Rd. – R07

PSE&G parking lot causing erosion which then flows into Peter’s Creek where sedimentation and algal blooms are a public concern. – R07

PSE&G erosion. Another view. – R07

Stormwater drainage pipe near Kendall Blvd, Oaklyn, drains into utility right-of-way. – R07

Soap suds bubble-up through parking lot near car wash in Haddon Township. – R03

Riparian buffer cut behind Acme Markets, Cuthbert Blvd, Haddon Twp. – R02

Riparian buffer cutting near Acme. Different view. Buffers filter pollutants and absorb nutrients. – R02

Drainage from Acme parking lot flows directly into Newton Creek. – R02

Riparian buffer provides water quality and flood reduction benefits. Cutting here at Haddon Heights Park appears to be unwarranted. – R15

Riparian buffer in Haddon Heights Park could be restored especially if up-stream in-puts were reduced. – R15

Stormwater direct discharge into Newton Creek South Branch in Haddon Heights Park. – R15

Further downstream accelerated erosion degrades usable open space with sediment load going to Haddon Lake. – R15

Stream velocity during storm events erodes base of pedestrian bridge. – R15

12,000 sf. riparian buffer cut reportedly so people could view water better. - R04

Active recreational use leaves hillside exposed sending dirt into Newton Lake. – R03

The volunteers also found some natural beauty and some areas that appear to be in relatively good health. This forested buffer provides many water quality benefits. - R07

A tranquil, well-used hiking trail in a forested riparian area. – R07

Some erosion and invasive plants, but generally, this forested buffer in “ the Gully” near E. Atlantic Ave., provides water quality and natural flood control benefits. - R07

Community gardens where urban farmers wonder if tidal Newton Creek is clean enough for crop irrigation. – R27

Tidal mud flats along Newton are largely inaccessible and in need of restoration. – R27

Riparian buffers provide habitat. – R03

Healthy riparian buffer, but county cuts more frequently than recommended. – R03

Sediment collection chamber near Cuthbert Blvd. gets long over-due maintenance. – R03

Litter clean-ups is one piece of the puzzle. – R20

Rain gardens reduce pollution loading in Peters Creek. – R07

Rain garden increases infiltration of stormwater back into the ground and not direct discharge into Saddler’s Run. – R02

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For more information, contactthe Delaware Riverkeeper

Network215.369.1188

www.delawareriverkeeper.org