Watershed Management Area 6
Upper and Mid Passaic, Whippany, Rockaway

Watershed Management Area 6 represents the area drained by waters from the upper reaches of the Passaic River Basin including the Passaic River from its headwaters in Morris County to the confluence of the Pompton River. WMA 6 is characterized by extensive suburban development and reliance upon ground water sources for water supply. WMA 6 lies in portions of Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Essex Counties and includes the Upper and Middle Passaic River, Whippany River and Rockaway River Watersheds.

For additional information on the Upper and Mid Passaic, Whippany and Rockaway Watershed Management Area, please contact:

Pat Rector, WMA 6 Area Manager
Pat.Rector@dep.state.nj.us
(609) 633-8173

Watershed Management Area 6 Map
Watershed Management Area 6 Factsheet (PDF Format)

Watershed Plans
Rockaway River Pathogenic Indicator and Pollutant Trackdown Evaluations for the Rockaway River Watershed Priority Stream Segment (approved plan)
Troy Brook (under development)

Priority Segment for Restoration
Rockaway River between Route 80 and Blackwell Street in Dover (approved plan)

TMDL Implementation Priorities
Whippany River Fecal Coliform (This was the first coliform TMDL developed in the state.)
Passaic River Phosphorus
Rockaway River Fecal Coliform

Active Projects

	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Beaver Brook/Hibernia Brook Watershed Stormwater Management Plan Phase I, Topographical Mapping Morris County This plan will provide 2-foot contour coverage for the study area and LiDar mapping for enhanced topographic mapping. This is intended to provide a basis for a detailed stormwater plan for this Subwatershed.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Speedwell Lake at the Whippany River Shoreline Restoration Project (Phases I-IV) Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey Whippany River Watershed Action Committee This project utilized Best Management Practices (BMPs) to infiltrate stormwater, reduce non-point source pollution, reduce soil erosion and restore habitat for native species. A 30-foot wide riparian buffer was planted along 1200-ft of shoreline along this urban lake in Morristown. A stormwater trench, and a retention pool constructed to reduce scouring at high erosion site along with the installation of boulders to break flow and fishing platforms provide reduction in stormwater impacts. The volunteers also removed invasive species by hand to enhance the habitat.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Regional Stormwater Management Plan for Troy Brook, Morris County, New Jersey Rutgers University This project is developing a Regional Stormwater Management Plan for Troy Brook watershed, a highly urbanized watershed in Morris County. This project enjoys strong local, county and community support. After Hurricane Floyd in 1999, Morris County set aside funding to construct stormwater facilities to control flooding throughout the county. This plan will help to identify those areas where Best Management Practices (BMPs) could best alleviate water quantity, water quality and recharge issues related to stormwater runoff.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Bee Meadow Pond Shoreline Restoration Project Rutgers Cooperative Extension - Department of Environmental Science This implementation project will revegetate and stabilize approximately 1,100 linear feet of degraded shoreline around Bee Meadow Pond to mitigate the harmful effects of waterfowl that are dominating the area. The project addresses the Whippany River’s TMDL for fecal coliform, which mandates a 58% reduction of this pollutant. The project will improve water quality in the lake and provide public access in a highly visible and heavily used community park in Hanover Township.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Morris County Stormwater Treatment Wetland Project - Phase I and II Rockaway River Watershed Cabinet The primary goal of the Morris County Stormwater Treatment Wetland Project is to reduce sediment loading to the Rockaway River, as identified in the Rockaway River Visions and Strategies Plan.. Based on the removal rate in the New Jersey Best Management Practices Manual this project is estimated to remove 7,000 lbs/year of sediment prior to entering the Rockaway River. The project will address runoff from approximately 6 acres of the Morris County Bridge and Road Division facility adjacent to the Rockaway River where Rockaway Township, Jefferson Township and Wharton Borough come together. The success of this project will be determined based on monitoring conducted pre and post installation.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Goose Management and Stream Restoration Project, Hurd Park, Dover Rockaway River Watershed Cabinet Hurd Park in the Town of Dover is an excellent example of a problem that many communities throughout New Jersey are facing in managing open space areas for recreational purposes. Community parks, specifically those with large water bodies and extensive areas of mown turf have been impacted by resident waterfowl, most notably the Canada goose. These waterfowl spoil park areas by defecating on paths and athletic fields, degrading shorelines, eating grass down to the roots and by their aggressive behavior towards park visitors. Due to the large amount of fecal matter that is deposited in areas of the park and then washed into Jackson Brook immediately upstream of the sampling location on the Rockaway River (Rockaway River at Blackwell Street) management of the goose population Hurd Park has become a priority. This project was identified in the TMDL to address fecal coliform in the Northeast Water Region. The project will restore 3,000 continuous feet of degraded buffer around the pond and Jackson Brook and prepare and implement a goose management and maintenance plan for the park.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Implementation of Riparian Forest Buffers and Public Awareness in the Great Swamp Watershed Ten Towns Great Swamp Watershed Management Committee This project has been revised to complement another grant received from the US Fish, Game and Wildlife Service for Loantaka Brook. The grants will develop a watershed plan for that watershed and implement riparian restoration for priority sites in the Loantaka subwatershed.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: Watershed Management Area 6 - Riparian Forest Buffer Protection Program Passaic River Coalition This project will provide education and outreach to municipalities in the Passaic Basin for the development of riparian protection ordinances.
	Section 319(h) NPS Grant: White Meadow Lake Stormwater Implementation Rockaway Township

WMA 6 Partnerships
Great Swamp Watershed Association
Passaic River Coalition
Rockaway River Cabinet
Ten Towns Great Swamp Watershed Management Committee
Whippany River Watershed Action Committee

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