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m) NONPOINT SOURCE SUCCESS STORY
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Stormwater BMP Project Improves Water Quality at Wanaque River/
Greenwood Lake
Waterbody Improved
Stormwater runoff from a predominately residential lake
community led to the impairment of the Wanaque River. As a
result, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) added the Waraque River at
East Shore Drive assessment unit to New Jersey's 2002 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of
impaired waters for Unknown Toxicity (based on benthic macroinvertebrate sampling in 1998-1999),
To address the problem, West Milford Township developed a CWA section 319-funded watershed
management plan that identified sources of nonpoint source pollution discharging to Greenwood Lake
and corresponding remedial measures. Implementation included intensive storm drain cleaning and
targeted education and outreach concerning use of low/no phosphorus fertilizer and proper septic
system management. Due to these actions, water quality improved and Wanaque River/Greenwood
Lake at East Shore Drive in West Milford was removed from the impaired waters list in 2010.
Problem
Northeastern New Jersey's Wanaque River is a tribu-
tary of the Passaic River that ultimately empties into
Newark Bay (Figure 1). Water quality in this section
of the Wanaque River is greatly Influenced by the
1,920-acre Greenwood Lake, a highly used recreation
area (Figure 2). Greenwood Lake and the Wanaque
River receive stormwater runoff from residential and
agricultural areas from Greenwood Lake and Pine Cliff
Lake/Belchers Creek.
Monitoring data from the NJDEP's Ambient
Macroinvertebrate Network collected in 1998-1999
indicated that the macroinvertebrates at the sampling
station AN02555 in the Wanaque River/Greenwood
Lake at East Shore Drive in West Milford assessment
unit (currently designated as HUC14 02030103070030
Wanaque River/Greenwood Lake above Monks Gauge)
showed an unusually high number of head capsule
deformities. As a result, the NJDEP added the assess-
ment unit to the 2002 CWA section 303(d) list for
Unknown Toxicity.
Wanaque River
Sampling Location
Greenwood Lake
Legend
I | Hue 12
I I Hue 14
Streams
Lakes
Wanaque
River J
5 Miles
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Figure l.The Wanaque River is in northern New Jersey.

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Figure 2. The water quality of Greenwood Lake
strongly influences the Wanaque River.
Project Highlights
In 1999 West Mllford Township was awarded a CWA
section 319(h) grant to design and install 19 sedi-
ment trap stormwater catch basins. NJDEP developed
a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus
in Greenwood Lake (Total Maximum Daily Load
for Phosphorus to Address Greenwood Lake in the
Northeast Water Region), which was approved by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
September 2004. Moreover, in 2008 EPA approved
the NJDEP's TMDL Report for the Non-Tidal Passaic
River Basin Addressing Phosphorus Impairments which
covered West Miiford and the entire Wanaque River
watershed. The West Miiford Township partnered with
the Greenwood Lake Commission, state and county
representatives, and other interested watershed
stakeholders in the agricultural, lake and educational
communities. The restoration of the Wanaque River/'
Greenwood Lake was accomplished by implement-
ing recommendations of the NJDEP-approved Lake
Characterization and Restoration Plan for Greenwood
Lake and the TMDLs.
In 2004 West Miiford Township was awarded an
additional CWA section 319(h) grant in the amount
of $161,875 to develop a watershed implementation
plan. This led to the application of various nonpoint
source mitigation measures such as storm drain
cleaning and targeted education and outreach by the
watershed partners regarding septic system mainte-
nance and fertilizer application.
Results
As noted in NJDEP's 2010 Integrated Water Quality
Monitoring and Assessment Report (2010 Integrated
Report), bioassessment sampling conducted in
October 2008 using EPA's Rapid Bioassessment
Protocol showed that the Wanaque River at East
Shore Drive in West Miiford (current designation:
HUC14 02030103070030 Wanaque River/Greenwood
Lake Above Monks Gauge) received a High Gradient
Macroinvertebrate Index rating of 51.7, which is
considered good (a rating of 10 would Indicate
impairment), and a habitat rating of 166 (considered
optimal). These data indicated that the assessment
unit was no longer impaired; therefore, the assess-
ment unit was delisted in the NJDEP's 2010 Integrated
Report.
Partners and Funding
NJDEP has been actively involved in watershed
management in the Wanaque River/Greenwood Lake
since 1999. Over $1 million in CWA section 319(h)
funds were used to support the development and
implementation of a watershed implementation plan,
manufactured treatment devices and rain gardens.
This funding was matched by $140,000 from West
Miiford Township through in-kind services.
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PRO^°
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA 841-F-17-001D
January 2017
For additional information contact:
Jay Springer, Supervisor
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Water Monitoring and Standards
609-633-1441 • Jay.Springer@dep.nj.gov

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