DEP COMMISSIONER
TESTS THE WATERS
(04/74) TRENTON -- Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today
announced that the Department has jump-started its statewide
lakes water monitoring program with funding support from
the Governor McGreevey budget. The program was discontinued
in 1992 due to lack of funding.
"By restoring New Jersey's lakes monitoring program,
Governor McGreevey has again confirmed his commitment to
take the necessary steps to leave future generations in
our state with waters that are drinkable, swimmable and
fishable," said Commissioner Campbell.
Under its renewed ambient lakes monitoring program, DEP
will sample New Jersey's lakes for excessive nutrient concentrations.
Information obtained from the testing will be used to determine
the status and evaluate trends in the state's water quality
to track contaminated sources and to support local and statewide
pollution control programs. DEP's Water Monitoring and Standards
program will randomly sample 40 lakes a year for five years,
resulting in the testing of 200 lakes statewide. Both man-made
and natural lakes will be included in the sampling.
Phosphorus, nitrogen, chlorophyll, pH and other nutrients
are among the parameters that will be sampled. Excessive
nutrient concentrations can cause excessive algal growth
and oxygen depletion, impacting the ecological and recreational
conditions of a lake. Poor stormwater management practices
and other nonpoint sources (septic tanks) are the most common
cause of degraded water quality, causing an eventual decrease
in fish and wildlife populations, diminished recreational
opportunities and lower property values for New Jersey citizens.
DEP's revised stormwater regulations, which were adopted
in February, require municipalities to take measures to
reduce stormwater runoff. Under the regulations, municipalities
must take common sense steps to limit nonpoint source pollution
such as limiting unnecessary pesticide and fertilizer treatments
of lawns, properly disposing of yard and pet waste, retrofitting
of storm sewer grates and better managing of municipal maintenance
yards.
Governor James E. McGreevey reaffirmed his commitment to
increasing water quality by approving 1.5 million dollars
of corporate business tax (CBT) funds for water monitoring.
Specifically, DEP's Water Monitoring and Standards program
will increase the frequency of toxics monitoring in streams
and rivers and improve the bacterial source trackdown program
for detecting bacteria from sewage spills and nonpoint sources.
It is important that our water quality assessments be based
on sound, up-to-date scientific information," said
Commissioner Campbell. "By expanding our water monitoring
program, we will be better prepared to address those pollution
sources that continue to threaten the ecological integrity
of our state's waterbodies."
At the end of the five-year period, the Department will
return to the first 40 lakes and begin the sampling project
again, providing important information about trends in lake
water quality.
As the results of the sampling become available, they
will be used to provide the public with information about
our State's lake water quality. This information will also
be incorporated into an integrated water monitoring and
assessment report that will be submitted to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) once every two years.
The Department's water monitoring activities will be enhanced
by volunteers from the Watershed Watch Network, a network
of volunteers who aid the Department in all of its watershed
monitoring efforts. The volunteers will be assisting the
Department by taking samples and submitting that information
to DEP for evaluation.
The first lake to be sampled on June 29, 2004 is Brainerd
Lake located in Village Park, Cranbury Township, Middlesex
County.
To learn more about DEP's Water Monitoring and Standards
Program and this new lakes testing program, visit the Department's
website at:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/wmm/
To learn more about the Watershed Watch Network visit:
http://www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt/volunteer_monitoring.htm
Below is a list of proposed lake sampling sites. The sites
have not yet been confirmed by the Department.
NAME |
|
COUNTY |
|
MUNICIPALITY
|
Moss Mill Lake |
|
ATLANTIC |
|
GALLOWAY TWP |
Hubers Lake |
|
BERGEN |
|
OAKLAND BORO
|
Vincentown Millpond |
|
BURLINGTON |
|
SOUTHAMPTON TWP
|
Long Lake |
|
BURLINGTON |
|
PEMBERTON TWP
|
Blue Lake |
|
BURLINGTON |
|
MEDFORD TWP
|
Silver Lake |
|
CAMDEN |
|
CLEMENTON BORO
|
Davis Mill pond |
|
CUMBERLAND |
|
STOW CREEK TWP
|
Burnt Mill Pond |
|
CUMBERLAND |
|
VINELAND CITY
|
Cedarville Block Sand & Gravel Company Pond |
|
CUMBERLAND |
|
LAWRENCE TWP
|
Menantico Sand Ponds |
|
CUMBERLAND |
|
MILLVILLE CITY
|
Butler Pond |
|
ESSEX |
|
LIVINGSTON TWP
|
Gilman Lake |
|
GLOUCESTER |
|
HARRISON TWP
|
Peddie Lake |
|
MERCER |
|
HIGHTSTOWN BORO
|
Brainard Lake |
|
MIDDLESEX |
|
CRANBURY TWP
|
Wampum Lake |
|
MONMOUTH |
|
EATONTOWN BORO
|
Indian Lake |
|
MORRIS |
|
DENVILLE TWP
|
Ledells Pond |
|
MORRIS |
|
MENDHAM TWP
|
White Rock Lake |
|
MORRIS |
|
JEFFERSON TWP
|
Pickerel Lake |
|
OCEAN |
|
JACKSON TWP
|
Lake Manetta |
|
OCEAN |
|
LAKEWOOD TWP
|
Fawn Lake |
|
OCEAN |
|
STAFFORD TWP
|
Bear Swamp Lake |
|
PASSAIC |
|
WEST MILFORD TWP
|
Lake Ioscoe |
|
PASSAIC |
|
BLOOMINGDALE BORO
|
Sylvan Lake |
|
SOMERSET |
|
MONTGOMERY TWP
|
Sunset Lake |
|
SOMERSET |
|
BRIDGEWATER TWP
|
Fairview Lake |
|
SUSSEX |
|
STILLWATER TWP
|
Lake Ashroe |
|
SUSSEX |
|
SANDYSTON TWP
|
Lake Stockholm |
|
SUSSEX |
|
HARDYSTON TWP
|
Highland Lake |
|
SUSSEX |
|
VERNON TWP
|
Pleasant Valley Lake |
|
SUSSEX |
|
VERNON TWP
|
Wapalanne Lake |
|
SUSSEX |
|
SANDYSTON TWP
|
Fox Hollow Lake |
|
SUSSEX |
|
SPARTA TWP
|
Deer Park Pond |
|
WARREN |
|
ALLAMUCHY TWP
|
Bass Lake |
|
WARREN |
|
HARDWICK TWP |
|