NEW JERSEY WATERSHED AMBASSADORS PROGRAM
Watershed Management Area 13
Barnegat Bay

My name is Karen Walzer, and I am the AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassador for Watershed Management Area 13 (WMA 13). A watershed is the land area that drains into a particular body of water, which in WMA 13 is Barnegat Bay. This watershed covers 660 square miles within 38 municipalities. Most of it is located within Ocean County, with the rest in southern Monmouth County. The numerous waterways in WMA 13 range from the Metedeconk River and Toms River in the north to Tuckerton Creek in the south. They all flow into Barnegat Bay, where the fresh water mixes with salt water from the Atlantic Ocean to form an estuary. Estuaries have more life per square inch than any forest or farmland; they are the most productive ecosystems on earth. What happens in the entire watershed area affects the quality of the water and the diversity of life in the Barnegat Bay.

As a Watershed Ambassador, I will be working to educate the public about watershed management issues and share steps that everyone can take to reduce water pollution. I am available to make free presentations to schools and community groups and answer questions such as: what are watersheds? what is point and nonpoint source pollution? and what can you do to protect your watershed? One of the tools used in presentations is the EnviroScape, a model that provides a fun, interactive way to learn all about watersheds.

I will also be monitoring streams in the Barnegat Bay Watershed by conducting both visual and biological assessments, and I am available to train community volunteers in these techniques. The data submitted from the assessments will be used by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to monitor and make planning decisions about the Barnegat Bay Watershed. Becoming a volunteer monitor in your community is a great way to directly contribute to the protection of your local waterway and also Barnegat Bay.

As a resident of Ocean County for thirty years, I am excited to serve as Ambassador for my home watershed. I have a B.S. in Biology from Bucknell University and worked for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection for several years. I have been an active volunteer in local organizations, including Ocean County Master Gardeners and Jackson Pathfinders, a trail preservation group.

I am a free resource for the community. Please contact me to schedule a presentation, volunteer monitoring training, stream clean-up, or other activity related to watersheds. I look forward to working with you. Together we can make a difference.

Karen Walzer
karenwma13@yahoo.com
(732) 928-2360

back to top