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 Associationlkelm@greatswamp.org973-538-3500, ext. 16