Devita,, R., Passaic River/Newark Bay restoration program.  (abstract)

Feng, H., Onwueme, V., Jaslanek, W.J. and Stern, E.A., Lower Passaic River sediment contamination study: using GIS as a visualization tool.  (abstract)

Gruber, E., Watershed Management Area 4 (Lower Passaic and Saddle Rivers).  (abstract)

Lerin, P., Bulking & tiering wetland system.  (abstract)

Maher, A. and Jafari, F., In-situ solidification of toxic sediments by cement deep soil mixing method.  (abstract)

Mankiewicz, P.S., Alderson, C. and Mankiewicz, J.A., Strategic approaches to the restoration of the Passaic River Watershed:  Comparing the scale of available properties to wetland and buffer area required to reduce pollutant loads.  (abstract)

Mansoor, N. and Slater, L., Integrating high-resolution geophysical technologies with a GIS-based decision support system into evaluation and management of wetlands.  (abstract)

Palmstrom, N., Mitchell, D. and Hobble, C., Screening level ecological risk assessment of contamination in wetlands considered for restoration in Hackensack Meadowlands District.  (abstract)

Pardi, R., Priority stream segment: Watershed Management Area #4 - Non-tidal segment of the Passaic River from Two Bridges to Elmwood Park.  (abstract)

Pecchioli, J.A., The NJ toxics reduction workplan for NY-NJ Harbor: Overview of the water quality sampling program.  (abstract)

Pollock, L.W., Environmental influences on macroinvertebrate communities of the Great Swamp tributaries of the Upper Passaic River, 2000-2003.  (abstract)

Quillinan, K., New Jersey Community Water Watch.  (abstract)

Rosman, L., Shorr, B., Brosnan T. and Steinbacher, J., An ecological risk assessment of DDT in a New Jersey urban industrialized waterway.  (abstract)

Russo, A., Educational outreach program of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners.  (abstract)

Schaffer, J. and Horne, M., Great Brook benthic community assemblages in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.  (abstract)
 

In July 2002, ~0.9 mol of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) was injected into Newark Bay, NJ, a 14 km2 estuary that forms part of New York Harbor, to investigate circulation, mixing, and the transport and fate of solutes. The SF6 tracer was observed over 11 consecutive days using a high-resolution measurement system. Total tracer mass in the sheltered waters declined quasi-exponentially at a rate of 0.29 ± 0.03 d-1. Air-water gas exchange was estimated to account for 56% of tracer mass loss, upon the basis of wind speed/gas exchange parameterizations. Large-scale tidal transfer of solutes through the Kill van Kull strait (7 km long) caused net seaward flushing contrary to the apparent residual circulation. Seaward transport via the Arthur Kill strait (20 km long) appeared to depend on longitudinal dispersion, residual circulation, and freshwater discharge and was ~1 order of magnitude lower. The loss rate due to flushing alone was 0.13 ± 0.02 d-1, indicating a mean residence time for water and solutes in Newark Bay of ~8 days (without gas exchange). The experiment provides direct visualization of the transport of a released contaminant, and suggests a relationship between the length and configuration of tidal straits and related transport of solutes.
 

Presenter:
Paul J. Schmieder, Graduate Research Assistant
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
schmied@ldeo.columbia.edu
Website:  http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/tracer/

In 1998, the Commissioners created the Passaic River/Newark Bay Restoration Program to promote the recreational and economic uses of Newark Bay, the Passaic River and its tributaries. The Program is comprised of three elements shoreline clean-ups, floatables removal, and "in-house" clean-ups.
The shoreline clean-up element has been among the most successful programs of its kind in the nation. Beginning in 1998, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners (PVSC) began assisting volunteer groups in conducting shoreline clean-ups to remove litter and other debris from along waterways within its service area. In 2000, PVSC created a department of 15 full-time personnel to conduct larger shoreline clean-ups in addition to those organized by volunteer groups and community agencies. To date, PVSC’s Restoration Program has conducted or assisted volunteers in more than 250 shoreline clean-ups that have removed over 1,000 tons of litter and debris from area shorelines.
In 1999, PVSC added floatables removal to the Program, after using state grant monies to purchase an innovative 50-foot surface skimmer vessel. Christened the S.V. Newark Bay, this vessel embarks on daily patrols on the Newark Bay and Passaic River, removing floating debris and litter. In 2001, PVSC added a second, smaller skimmer vessel to its clean-up arsenal, this one to conduct daily patrols in shallow water that had been inaccessible to the larger vessels.
Finally, PVSC conducts "in-house" riverbank clean-ups using the services of its employees. These projects are in response to requests for assistance from local municipal leaders. The crew is deployed to clean and restore specific problem areas within the PVSC service area. The success of the program can be demonstrated in its numbers. Since 1998, PVSC has removed 650 tons of floating matter and over 2,000 tons of shoreline debris.

The Passaic River is about 14 miles west to New York City, located in the New Jersey-New York metropolitan area.  This river has been heavily polluted by dioxins, PAHs, PCBs and heavy metals due to agricultural and industrial activities.  Identification of these contaminant sources, “hot spots” and the factors controlling the distribution and accumulation of these contaminants in the Passaic River system are not yet clearly addressed.  In order to spatially characterize contamination from point and non point sources, we use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map the distributions of contaminants in the sediments.  This study is designed to address these issues adequately by spatially mapping and modeling contaminant sources and fate in the Passaic River system using GIS methods. The results are expected to be vital in developing environmental management strategies. Using largely existing databases, we address current environmental issues in Passaic River.  Results are further analyzed, to: 1) determine the nature and extent of pollution in the system, 2) characterize various pollutants and identifying their probable source, 3) determine highly concentrated “hot spots” of specific contaminants, and 4) assessing their potential environmental impact.
 
 

*Research supported in part by New Jersey Sea Grant College Program under Project No. R/D-2003-2, the US Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886 and through Interagency Agreement DW89941761-01 between the US Environmental Protection Agency, and Montclair State University FSIP Program.

The vision of Watershed Management Area 4 (WMA 4) is to preserve, protect, enhance and restore our water resources and the associated ecosystem, and to instill pride in our rivers, streams, lakes and ponds.  We will accomplish this through a balanced approach consisting of education, stewardship and managing growth in accord with available water resources, while being environmentally sound and economically viable.  We have created this vision for the benefit of our children and for future generations.

Public Advisory Committee (PAC)
We are a dedicated group consisting of concerned citizens, municipal officials, environmental groups and local stakeholders.  Under the guidance of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), we are working towards a future of clean and plentiful water. 

Education and Outreach Committee (EOC)
The goal of the EOC is to assure that all residents have a basic understanding of what a watershed is and their direct connection to their watershed. 

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
The TAC will facilitate the development of a comprehensive, holistic watershed management approach for the protection and restoration of WMA4 by providing technical leadership and guidance on all scientific and technical issues.

Open Space Committee (OSC)
The mission of the WMA4 OSC is to protect and preserve open space within WMA4 in order to maintain water quality and water quantity and to protect public health and maintain and improve the ecologic integrity of the waterway biodiversity.  Preservation should be through sound ecological methods that take into account sound economics for public benefit and public awareness.

For general questions on the WMA 4 process please contact Pat Rector, NJDEP, at (609) 633-8173 or visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/watershedmgt/index.html.

Technology – The innovation of constructing multiple bulkheads in a tiered fashion can help recreate the unique ecosystem of a troubled waterway; especially, estuarine tidal banks that have been heavily encroached upon and dredged for commerce. The installation would be surveyed according to the fluctuation of the inter tidal zone which is termed ‘a green belt in the littoral.” Bulking & Tiering Systems provide the ideal grade that is necessary in establishing saltmarsh foundation species. In addition, the aforementioned technology provides a platform for phyto-remediation, which uses nature’s aquatic filters for Combine Sewer Overflow abatement.

Product and Services – The method of installing a Bulking & Tiering Wetland System would be constructed of interlocking sheet pilings that are impervious to the harsh marine environment. These sheet pilings are specially formulated of post- industrial recycled vinyl. They are attractive in appearance, durable, and more affordable that conventional retaining walls. Unaffected by sunlight, salt water, or marine borers, this sustainable design material has been specified for its ability to contain toxins.

Application – The System would be particularly appropriate for sediments that are considerably contaminated and which may be a source of contaminants to other water ways in the area. Establishing a bulkhead and capping the existing sediments would specify significant amounts of beneficial uses material to achieve the proper elevation. A layer of sand must be applied to establish a root zone where seeding takes place and any modifications for proper drainage can be adjusted.

Water Quality – Throughout much of our history salt marshes have been little regarded and often destroyed. They have been filled in as dumps and valued only when drained and developed. In the last several decades, we have only begun to unde4rstand that wetlands are a fertile and precious nursery. Besides nurturing millions of species –many endangered- wetlands replenish the Earth’s water supply, blunt the ravages of nature and provide sanctuary and serenity for humans.

The pollutant load (source) as quantified in available datasets for the Passaic River can be used to determine the scale of wetland  and upland buffer restoration required (sink) to address specific pollutants including phosphorus, nitrogen, biochemical oxygen demand, hydrocarbons, and specific metals. Using this method, findings on the mineralization or sequestering of specific pollutants are used to determine the scale of wetlands and/or soil buffers required to remove specific annual loadings. An alternative approach to water quality improvement may be taken whereby the available properties that can be readily acquired along the Passaic River are identified. A comparison of these two approaches may be used as a planning tool to inform acquisition and restoration programs and to assess their potential biogeochemical effects.  This poster thus utilizes source-to-sink ratios in the Passaic River Watershed as a general method to evaluate acquisition and/or restoration approaches in terms of ecosystem services required to meet desired water quality improvement. 

Conventional dredging methods may not be feasible in removal of the toxic sediments at the Lower Passaic riverbed.  Cement Deep Soil Mixing prior to excavation is offered as one alternative to conventional dredging. 

The removal of toxic sediments, if not conducted properly, could disperse the highly contaminated sediments beyond their existing location and thereby impact the environment and human health. It has been demonstrated that conventional dredging and handling techniques when applied to sediments with high moisture content may introduce sediments into the open water and expose humans to contamination. 

One possibility for mitigating the risk of sediment dispersion during dredging and transportation would be to implement in-situ solidification prior to dredging toxic sediments.  An added benefit would be that solidification would facilitate the transportation and disposal of the sediments in an environmentally sound manner. Solidification could be achieved by mixing the sediment in-situ with cement slurry.  The sediment is mixed using mixing augurs, while cement slurry is injected into the soil matrix. This technology is often referred to as Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM.)  The amount of cement that would be added to the soil is generally laboratory-determined prior to field implementation.  This ensures that the mixed material is not pulverized and dispersed during excavation, and it also allows excavation to be performed using conventional dredging equipment. 

Before being recommended for use in the Lower Passaic River, CDSM needs to be evaluated for its applicability to the excavation of contaminated sediments.  Therefore, a pilot study should be conducted with the objective to evaluate the applicability of CDSM in the solidification of highly contaminated soft silt sediments under field conditions. Specifically, the pilot would provide valuable information regarding the feasibility of mixing and solidifying highly organic soft silt sediments with Portland cement slurry.  Additionally, the study would provide the basis for developing practical specifications that could be used in the implementation of future large-scale field operations. 

Wetlands perform many ecological functions and provide numerous societal benefits such as providing unique wildlife habitats and natural mechanisms for water purification. Geophysical technologies are increasingly used on land for environmental assessment. However, geophysical evaluation of wetlands has received minimal attention. The problems associated with direct sampling of subsurface properties are exasperated in shallow water wetlands due to the logistical constraints imposed by these environments. Growing interest in wetlands highlights a need for high-resolution, non-invasive methods for evaluating wetlands. We have developed an integrated geophysical-GIS approach to investigating shallow water wetlands. Rapid geophysical data acquisition in shallow water is achieved using a plastic paddleboat modified as a “research vessel”. The vessel is designed for reconnaissance electromagnetic terrain conductivity, gradiometer and 2D/3D electrical resistivity imaging. A multi-purpose surface water quality probe simultaneously records surface water parameters. All instruments are set to take a multi parameter measurement every two seconds while paddling. Decimeter scale location of all measurements is obtained at the instant of acquisition using precision differential GPS unit.

A GIS framework is used as a database for visualization. The system manages raster images, land use zonation, topography and spatial data. We have initiated wetland geophysical studies in the Hackensack Meadowlands of northern New Jersey. Our study focused on Kearny Marsh, a unique freshwater wetland ecosystem situated within a highly industrialized part of the Hackensack Meadowlands. Surface water quality and ecosystem health are threatened by runoff from landfills, industrial facilities and major highways. Extensive geophysical surveys show that (1) the tidal connection to brackish water located east of the marsh exerts little control on water quality (2) surface water quality is degraded west of the marsh from the Keegan landfill and (3) leachate from 1D landfill and illegal dumping exert significant control on the water quality adjacent to the Passaic River.

The NJMC owns or manages approximately 3400 acres of wetlands, and is actively acquiring more wetlands for preservation and/or restoration.  As a result of activities such as development, dredging, draining, mosquito control, landfilling, and industrial pollution, wetlands have been modified and contaminated to varying degrees. Contaminants such as pesticides, PCBs, and heavy metals have been detected in wetlands.  These contaminants, particularly bioaccumulative ones, may pose risks to fish and wildlife feeding and reproducing in the wetlands.  This EPA funded project aimed to develop methods that would support rapid assessment of potential ecological risk in wetlands that NJMC might be considering for acquisition, management or restoration.  The Project included the development of a database of historic data, a screening level ecological risk assessment (SLERA) for several trophic levels, development of wildlife assessment curves based on food web modeling, and efforts to correlate contaminant concentrations with measures of benthic community health and laboratory measured toxicity.  The findings of this project indicate that with refinement SLERA and wildlife assessment curves may serve as useful tools for the assessment of potential ecological risk in wetlands being considered for acquisition, management or restoration with a minimum of investigations and analysis. 

This project will be conducted over a one-year period.  The study will focus primarily on the impacts made to the defined segment by the several tributaries that enter the Passaic between Two Bridges and the Dundee Dam; namely, Deepavaal, Preakness, Molly Ann, Goffle and Diamond Brooks along with the Peckman River and runoff from non-channel watershed segments adjacent to the Passaic itself.

The study will have four components:

• Review of available data including definition of data gaps
• Design and execution of a limited water quality monitoring program
• Initial modeling of water quality variables employing existing data
• Development of a Management Plan

As part of the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program Contaminant Assessment and Reduction Project (CARP), the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan for NY-NJ Harbor (NJTRWP) collected ambient water samples at 20 locations throughout the estuary. Effluent samples from all 12 NJ wastewater treatment plants (POTWs) that discharge to the harbor, and samples from selected Combined Sewer Outfalls (CSOs) and Storm Water Outfalls (SWOs), were also collected. Together with hydrodynamics studies, these sampling activities comprised Phase One of the NJTRWP, and have largely been completed. A key program goal was the development of sampling and analytical protocols that would provide significantly lower detection limits than those achieved in routine environmental sampling work. Large-volume ambient river and estuary samples were collected using a Trace Organics Platform Sampler (TOPS), which used glass fiber filters to collect organic contaminants associated with suspended sediments, and XAD-2 resin columns to collect dissolved fraction PCBs and pesticides. The TOPS samples were analyzed using high resolution methods for PCBs, dioxins/furans, PAHs, and pesticides. Grab/composite samples were analyzed for Cd, Pb, Hg, methyl-Hg, and dissolved PAHs. Grab/composite methods were used to collect the POTW, CSO, and SWO samples, which were similarly analyzed for total PCBs, dioxins/furans, PAHs, and pesticides, and total/dissolved Cd, Pb, Hg, and methyl-Hg. Data analysis/interpretation and report preparation work are currently underway; final project reports should be available in the fall 2004. This poster provides a summary of the NJTRWP Phase one sampling activities.

Annual June surveys of macroinvertebrate communities (MIV) have been conducted at 17 sites among 5 streams of the Great Swamp Watershed (2000-2003).   A regionally generated Benthic Index of Biological Integrity (B-IBI) has been applied and results have been compared to concurrent environmental measures and EPA habitat assessments.  A bi-monthly survey (2003) of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and total dissolved substances (TDS) at these sites provides additional perspectives.  Annual studies at each site are based on the generic/specific identifications of 200-individual subsamples of specimens pooled from triplicate Surber samples.  Typical results include 3500+ specimens representing 129 genera/species. 

Great Swamp streams follow an east-west gradient of increasing quality in MIV and conditions.  Easternmost Black Brook sites reflect low water flow, higher temperatures, and proximity to the Chatham Township Sewage Treatment Plant.    Loantaka Brook also includes a sewage treatment plant, a strongly eutrophic pond, and an unidentified headwater source of very high TDS.  Great Brook communities have somewhat higher  quality, but sluggish flow and sedimentation are limiting.  The westernmost streams, Primrose Brook, the upper Passaic River, and our "reference", Indian Grave Brook, host much improved B-IBI scores.  The latter streams pass through minimally developed landscape.

Community quality (B-IBI scores) at more stressed sites (Black, Loantaka, and Great Brooks) correlate significantly and positively with habitat values and with dissolved oxygen levels less than 11 mg/L.  The same sites negatively correlate with
temperatures above 11.5 C and with TDS above 200 ppm.  Community quality at low stress sites (Indian Grave and Primrose Brooks, upper Passaic River) is unaffected by environmental conditions beyond June-based threshold values of >11 mg/L DO, <11.5 C,  and <200 ppm TDS.  These values may serve as useful targets for the maintenance of good quality macroinvertebrate communities.  Comparison of habitat features is necessary to reveal the relationships among these better sites.

New Jersey Community Water Watch is a joint program between AmeriCorps and the NJPIRG Law and Policy Center.  Based on eleven college campuses across the state, we work to empower students and community members to address water quality problems in New Jersey's urban areas through education and service.  Chapters of Water Watch located at Rutgers University in Newark, Montclair State University, and William Paterson University, respectively, focus on the Passaic River and its tributaries via three major program areas: river cleanups, stream monitoring, and environmental education. 

Through community waterway cleanups, we work to remove trash and debris from riverbanks while raising community awareness of local water quality issues. Cleanups not only deliver immediate results to the waterway, but also provide a hands-on opportunity to engage volunteers in making a difference in their own community. This year, three Water Watch AmeriCorps members have recruited hundreds of community volunteers and college students to help organize and attend cleanups along the Passaic River.

NJ Community Water Watch also works with volunteers, community organizations, and local and state governments to provide much-needed research about the health of our area's waterways, particularly focusing on the tributaries to the Passaic.  Under our stream monitoring program, we analyze and report the contents of local water bodies, and work to map local waterways and identify sources of pollution.

Finally, Water Watch educates and trains college students, children, and community members about their local water quality and the steps that people can take to make an impact in their community. Water Watch AmeriCorps members and volunteers organize campus and community-wide educational forums and conduct hands-on educational programs for K-12 students

Situated on the southern shore of the tidal Passaic River, the Diamond Alkali Plant produced DDT and phenoxy herbicides beginning in the 1940’s, and various other chemicals throughout its industrial history including hexachlorobenzene, lindane, ovex (miticide) and low gamma-benzene hexachloride. It has been identified as a major source of dioxin, furan, and DDT contamination to the Newark Bay Complex.  DDT and DDD ranged from 0.65 to 5,090 mg/kg, and 1.2 to 164 mg/kg, respectively, in surface soils.  DDT was detected at up to 22 mg/l in groundwater.   Maximum concentrations in surface and subsurface sediments adjacent to the site were 0.260 and 156 mg/kg, respectively.  Other point and non-point sources contribute to the complex mixture of contaminants present in the system. 

DDT, DDD and DDE data from NOAA’s Newark Bay database and mapping project are analyzed for the NY/NJ Harbor area including the Newark Bay Complex and compared to sediment guidelines.  Surface sediment concentrations vary throughout the estuary depending on source conditions and tides with the highest concentrations and greatest exceedances of sediment guidelines in the Passaic River and Arthur Kill.  The spatial coverage for subsurface concentrations is more limited in scale.  The relative contribution of DDD, DDE and DDT in fish is examined within the lower Passaic River relative to a reference location.  These results are juxtaposed to tissue residues for the broader NY/NJ Harbor area and beyond.   Likewise, the ecological risk posed by this class of compounds to fish, birds, and mammals is described.

Given the tidal nature of the Passaic and the complexity of contaminant sources, future studies should be designed to expand sampling beyond the historic and present geographic boundaries and should consider the effects associated with the dominant chemical classes present in sediments and biota throughout the salinity gradients and miles of waterway.

The Educational Outreach Program of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners (PVSC) rolled out its series of school presentations this year much to the delight of students and educators in district schools.  The Pollution Prevention Program has added to the presentation to give a more rounded view of the effect by the PVSC to protect local waterways.  The PVSC feels that by explaining its program, which is intended to keep industrial and household wastes within the sewerage system, it could fill in the rest of the story of the River Restoration Program's effort to keep the waters clean in a way that is easy to explain to children.  This also provides a fuller explanation of the things done at the PVSC to protect the environment.

The 50 minute program starts with Power Point presentations of the River Restoration Department and Pollution Prevention Program.  This is followed by a 12-minute DVD of "Messy Marvin", which entertains while teaching children about a "Messy" character who learns how his actions can add to the pollution of our waters.  The presentation is completed by a hands-on demonstration of a model environment which shows how waterways can be polluted by everyday activities.  The PVSC has been flooded by letters of thanks from students and teachers alike.

If you are interested in having the Messy Marvin Crew visit your school, please contact Anthony Russo, Supervisor Pollution Prevention, at 973-817-5975.  More information can be found at http://www.pvsc.com.

A quantitative benthic community survey was performed in the lowland drainage of Great Brook which is one of the primary lotic features which drain the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Basking Ridge, NJ.   The survey was part of an RI/FS investigation for a former landfill located in the Refuge.  Four grab samples were collected from five sampling stations located upstream from waterfowl pool #1 in the refuge.  Great Brook in the area of investigation is characterized by steep channel basins, sluggish current and depths > 4 ft.  Bottom substrates were composed of  black silts and fine sand, rich in coarse and fine particulate organic matter.  Overhead canopy coverage created a well shaded channel in the palustrine forested areas present.  Water quality in August was slighly acidic in pH (6.9-7.2), low dissolved oxygen (<2.5 mg/L) and elevated temperatures (25 oC) indicative of the lowland nature of the brook in the refuge.  Benthic community metrics including taxa richness, total density (No. individuals/m2), percent dominant taxon, dominant taxon, feeding guild analysis and  community composition data were evaluated. 

Forty individual genera were identified during the survey.  Benthic communities were dominated by non-insect, warm water benthic macroinvertebrates which were tolerant to the extremes in water temperature and low dissolved oxygen.  Infaunal assemblages  included isopods, leeches, amphipods, isopods, turbellarians and gastropods. Densities of up to 10,000 individuals/m2 of the isopod genus Caecidotea were observed. Chironomids dominated by the genera Einfeldia and Chironomus were the most abundant insect taxa identified. Pill clams (Pisidium), pea clams (Musculium), and predaceous and parasitic leeches (Hirudinea) were also abundant. Results of the survey illustrates the diverse communities present in the headwater areas of the Passaic River drainage basin  compared to the typical upland, cobble dominated streams common to the Highlands Area sub-basins.