NJ Water Monitoring Council Meeting Focuses on Barnegat
Bay
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| Barnegat Bay, photo credit: NY Times Richard Perry |
In early February, COA
participated in a NJ Water Monitoring Council meeting that was hosted by the
Barnegat Bay Partnership. The goal of
the NJ Water Monitoring Council was “to promote and facilitate the
coordination, collaboration and communication of scientifically sound, ambient
water quality and quantity information to support effective environmental
management.” About 100 people
attended.
DEP highlighted the Governor’s
10 point plan for the Bay which included developing nutrient loading targets to
direct restoration efforts and to conduct more research to fill gaps in data. DEP has been monitoring the Bay more
intensively from the summer of 2011 and will continue to do so through the
summer of 2013.
The northern part of
the Bay has the highest loadings of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended
sediments – which are linked to the intense development in this region. The Toms River, which drains the largest basin
of the watershed, is the largest source of nutrient loadings.
Nitrogen pollution
comes from land disturbance, increased erosion, fertilizer use, burning fossil
fuels and its fallout from the air, and increased hardened surfaces such as
pavement and roofs that prevent rain, and nitrogen from getting absorbed into
the land and plants. Coastal waters may
become even more susceptible to nutrient pollution as coastal waters warm in
response to climate change.
Too many nutrients
in the Bay has resulted in the excessive growth of harmful algae blooms, such
as brown tide, and macroalgae which can lower dissolved oxygen levels in
localized areas and degrade seafloor habitats. Both of these can contribute to the loss
of sea grass that has been documented in Bay.
The composition of the microalgal community, and associated food quality
for other sea life, may also be affected by nutrient levels.
Although some
shellfish can thrive under high microalgae levels, shellfish are negatively
impacted by brown tide blooms, decreased food quality, and excessive macro
algae such as sea lettuce. Young clams
are also very sensitive to certain types of chemical pollution, such as oil and
gas from cars and boats.
As part of the 10
Point Plan, nutrient water quality standards were adopted for marine waters. DEP now needs to evaluate the Bay under these
standards. DEP will be taking a
comprehensive approach to looking at the nutrient loading problems in Barnegat
Bay, including the impacts of Superstorm Sandy.
For example, sand and debris associated with the storm surge and
breeches have covered seagrass beds and wetlands areas. Localized contamination may also have
occurred from fuel tanks, cars, fertilizer and other household chemicals. The
official determination of whether the Bay fails to meet the state nutrient
water quality standard is important for requiring action to be taken to reduce
nutrient loadings.
In light of
Superstorm Sandy, the need for understanding the sources of the bay’s problems
and action to reduce these impacts is more important than ever. Implementation of the Barnegat Bay
Partnership’s strategic plan is critical and can serve as a guide for recovery
efforts. The Special Area Management
Plan that was part of the Governor’s 10 Point Plan should be made a priority
and be part of the recovery process. In
addition, more enforcement of and stronger stormwater regulations are still
needed. Greater awareness and efforts by
the public to decrease the use of fossil fuels and to reduce rain and
fertilizer runoff as well as soil loss and erosion would be beneficial to the
Bay.
