Section 319
• NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
°
Wetf Jersey
Riparian Restoration and Watershed Stewardship Improve Water Quality
in Bear Brook
Wotprhnrlv Imnrnx/prl Stormwater runoff and a lack of forested riparian areas led to
y ^ degraded aquatic habitat in approximately 12 miles of Bear
Brook, in New Jersey's Upper Millstone River watershed. As a result, in 2002 New Jersey
placed this waterbody on its Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters
for aquatic life. The Stonybrook Millstone Watershed Association (SMWA) joined together
with local partners to implement riparian restorations that contributed to water quality
improvement in the watershed. These measures allowed New Jersey to remove a 12-mile
segment of the Upper Millstone River, the Bear Brook assessment unit (above Trenton
Road), from its 2012 list of impaired waters for aquatic life impairment.
Problem
The Millstone River is a 39-mile-long tribu-
tary of the Raritan River in central New Jersey
(Figure 1). It receives Stormwater runoff from areas
of Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer, Hunterdon and
Somerset counties. Early watershed characteriza-
tion efforts identified rapid urbanization of the
watershed (predominately suburban housing),
associated stream bank and lake shore erosion, and
a loss of forested areas as likely causes for impaired
water quality.
The Coastal Plain Macroinvertebrate Index (CPMI)
was used to determine biological conditions in
Bear Brook. CMPI assessment results are placed
in four categories: excellent, good, fair and poor.
CPMI results of excellent and good indicate full
support of aquatic life use, while CPMIs of fair
and poor indicate nonsupport. CPMI results at
AN0383 showed impaired biological conditions
from 1999 to 2004 with poor conditions in 1999
and fair conditions in 2004. Therefore, New Jersey
added Big Bear Brook at Old Trenton Rd (Route
535) in West Windsor Township to the state's 2002
CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters list
for not supporting its aquatic life use. It remained
on the impaired waters list in 2004 when data
confirmed that the aquatic life use was still not
Stony Brook/
Millstone River
Figure 1. The Stony Brook/Millstone River watershed
(light blue) is in central New Jersey.
supported. This segment became the 12-mile Bear
Brook Assessment unit (above Trenton Road-
NJ02030105100120-01)in 2006 when New Jersey
began listing based on 14-digit hydrologic unit
codes.
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Figure 2. In 2001, partners addressed an eroding, incised section of Bear Brook in East Windsor Township's
Anker Park (as seen on left, March 2001) by implementing bioengineering and revegetation riparian
restoration techniques (as seen in the middle, May 2001). By July 2014 (as seen on right), Bear Brook had a
healthy, well-established riparian buffer that provides shade and protects against erosion.
Project Highlights
In 1998 the SMWA received a CWA section 319
grant to restore the 12-mile segment of Bear
Brook in East Windsor Township's Anker Park.
Streambanks in this segment were stabilized and
planted using bioengineering techniques and native
vegetation (Figure 2). In total, the projects resulted
in the restoration of approximately 1,500 linear feet
of stream bank, the addition of 1,000 square feet of
lake shore plantings and the reforestation of 10.4
acres of land. Although this project was completed
in May 2001, it typically takes at least 5 years to
become fully established. Because the 2002 impair-
ment was based on data from 1997-2001, it would
not reflect the benefits of this work. The increased
tree canopy shading the stream contributed to a
reduction in stream temperature, and placement of
groundcover plants helped reduce sediment loading
to the stream during storms.
Results
As a result of the restoration and other steward-
ship activities that were implemented, the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's
(NJDEP's) ambient monitoring data showed that Bear
Brook above Trenton Road now fully supports its
aquatic life designated use. In 2009, sampling
showed that the benthic macroinvertebrate com-
munity had improved to good and was no longer
impaired. Correspondingly, Bear Brook (above
Trenton Road) was delisted for aquatic life in the
NJDEP 2012 Integrated Report.
Partners and Funding
The SMWA has been an active watershed steward
since 1949. SMWA was a key participant in assist-
ing New Jersey with early watershed management
activities, and helping with problem identification
and education of the public regarding actions they
could take to improve water quality.
In 1998 SMWA received $132,000 in CWA section
319 funds that were used to restore Bear Brook.
This restoration benefited from approximately
1,000 volunteer hours, and included participa-
tion from the municipalities within the watershed
as well as the Delaware and Raritan Girl Scouts
Council, Delaware River Keeper Network and other
local volunteers. In addition, since 2000 the SMWA
has hosted an AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed
Ambassador whose role is to engage the local
community in stewardship such as cleanups and
restoration activities in the watershed.
UJ
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-15-001I
Month Year
For additional information contact:
Jay Springer
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
jay.springer@dep.nj.gov • 609-633-1441
David McPartland
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
david.mcpartland@dep.nj.gov • 609-633-1441
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