GSWA volunteer Bill Marshall (Millington) uses a rubber duck to measure the flow of water on Indian Grave Brook in the Upper Passaic Subwatershed area. Credit: L. Kelm/GSWA, May 2012.

The Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) recently released its final report on a three-year study of water quality in the Great Swamp's Upper Passaic River Subwatershed region.
Between 2011 and 2013, GSWA staff and Adopt-A-Stream volunteers tested the water at several locations in an area that straddles the political boundary between Somerset County and Morris County. Waterways under examination included the headwaters of the Passaic River in Mendham Township, as well as two important tributaries--Indian Grave Brook which drains portions of Mendham Borough and Bernardsville Borough, and Penns Brook which drains portions of Bernardsville Borough and Bernards Township.

A quick review of GSWA's new data set re-affirms old findings made by the former Ten Towns Great Swamp Watershed Management Committee (TTC) between 1998 and 2008. The quality of water along the less-developed Upper Passaic is significantly less impaired by pollution than it is along other streams in the Great Swamp Watershed region.

While water quality remains comparatively high in most areas of the Upper Passaic Subwatershed, some notable problems were detected. Over the three-year study period, Penns Brook, which cuts through the heavily developed heart of Bernardsville, routinely experienced problems with nutrient pollution from excess nitrogen and phosphorous. This stream also experienced considerable pollution from road salt used to de-ice roadways and parking lots in winter.

The study also revealed potential problems with water temperature along stretches of the Upper Passaic that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has designated as important for trout production. Additional investigation will be required in order to determine whether or not high water temperatures recorded in these areas represent a persistent threat to the local fishery.

GSWA's Water Quality in the Upper Passaic River report is available for download right now at GreatSwamp.org.

Several tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) congregate on top of a nesting box at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Credit A. Kaufman, June 2011.

There are two important proposals for environmental action circulating in and around our region that deserve your attention this month. The first proposal concerns the future of our own precious Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The second proposal touches on the fate of pollution cleanup efforts along the lower Passaic River in a place where the water we work hard to clean and protect here in the Great Swamp comes under renewed threat as it flows to the ocean.

A functioning rain barrel. Credit: istockphoto.com/EJ-J.

Why should you get a rain barrel? Use one to capture and store the rain from your home's downspout and you'll routinely have 55 gallons of free water at your disposal. Your barrel will also help slow the flow of stormwater through your neighborhood, and that can lead to reduced flooding and water pollution along your local waterways. Those are two pretty good reasons, right?

If you've been waiting for your chance to dive into the wonderful world of rain barrels, then you won't want to miss our newest workshop. On July 23, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., GSWA will help you build your own water-saving rain barrel. Using a recycled, food-grade barrel and a spigot adaptor kit, we will walk you through the simple construction process. Each registered participant will leave with the event with their very own handcrafted rain barrel that is ready to be hooked up to a household downspout. (The event takes place at GSWA's offices located at 568 Tempe Wick Road in Morristown, NJ.)

The cost for this hands-on workshop is $75 per rain barrel construction kit. Only 16 kits are available, so participation is extremely limited. Join the workshop as an individual or work together as a team to build your barrel. (Families groups are encouraged.) Register online right now to reserve a barrel kit, or register by phone at (973) 538-3500 x22. Note: Participants will be responsible for transporting their rain barrel home at the end of the event.

Want a rain barrel but don't want to build your own? Use this opportunity to purchase a finished, ready-to-install rain barrel through GSWA. The cost is just $100 per barrel. (Note: Advanced purchase is required, and finished rain barrels must be picked up at GSWA's offices at 568 Tempe Wick Rd. in Morristown. Home delivery is not available.) Click here to make your purchase online, or call us at (973) 538-3500 to purchase by phone.

Support for GSWA's rain barrel workshop comes from RBC Wealth Management, Parsippany Complex.

For more information about the workshop or purchasing a finished barrel, visit us online at GreatSwamp.org.

GSWA Executive Director Sally Rubin (right) with former Great Swamp NWR Manager Bill Koch and New Jersey Highlands Coalition Executive Director Julia Somers. Sally, Bill, and Julia (who served as GSWA's executive director from 1990 to 2006) posed for this photo at Bill's retirement party on May 31.

Last month we said farewell, but certainly not goodbye, to Bill Koch, longtime project leader and manager at the Great Swamp National Wilflife Refuge. After a 43 years of dedicated service to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 34 of which were spent right here looking after our very own Great Swamp, Bill has elected to retire from his position and pursue new opportunities in life.

On Saturday, May 31, Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) Executive Director Sally Rubin and other members of our local community gathered to celebrate Bill's legacy and his unflinching commitment to to the protection of our natural resources here in New Jersey.

Bill was recently selected to be the next guest of honor at GSWA's annual gala celebration, so our members and friends can expect to hear a lot more about his many important contributions to our Great Swamp community in days and months to come.


We hope to see you there! Please save the date on your calendar today!

From the Hanover Eagle: Northwest New Jersey is bear country! So what do you do when our large furry friends wander through the neighborhood? Here's some good advice from local officials. Read the Article

From The Alternative Press: In this opinion piece, author Samuel K. Burlam outlines the shifting nature of the public debate over natural gas hydrofracking here in New Jersey. Read the Article

From The Star-Ledger/NJ.com: More than 120 people from around New Jersey participated in GSWA's first-ever Home & Garden Tour on May 28. If you weren't at this spectacular event, this article by Star-Ledger entertainment reporter Kimberly Jackson will fill you in on some of the things you missed. Read the Article

In This Issue

Do you think we're doing a good job of protecting the waters and the land of the Great Swamp Watershed? If so, then please help us continue our work by sending in your gift of support right now!

8AM-9:30AM. Tom Suro, hydrologist and surface water specialist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) New Jersey Water Science Center, will discuss his work on a pilot project designed to map inland flooding in the Passaic River Basin.

This event takes place at GSWA's office located at 568 Tempe Wick Road in Morristown. Breakfast is served at 8AM, and the presentation will begin at approximately 8:30AM.

Learn more here!

9AM-3PM. If you are interested in becoming a GSWA stream monitoring volunteer or you just want to learn more about stream health, this training is for you! An early-morning indoor classroom session helps you learn how to conduct a visual stream assessment and recognize environmental factors that may impact stream health. A late-morning outdoor session helps you practice your new-found skills at a local stream site.

This event takes place at GSWA's office located at 568 Tempe Wick Road in Morristown.

Learn more here!

10PM-11:30PM. Join GSWA's Director of Education & Outreach Hazel England for a rare late-night hike under the Full Strawberry Moon at our Conservation Management Area in Harding Township. The moon rises late on the 14th, so this hike will start late in the evening. By then, bull frogs will be croaking away and the boardwalk across our marsh will transform into an eerie, shadowy, moonlit wonderland.

This event takes place at GSWA's CMA located at 1 Tiger Lily Lane in Harding Township.

Learn more here!

10AM-11:30AM.   The LEED-certified Beinecke Headmaster's House at The Pingry School in Martinsville  incorporates many sustainable and energy efficient materials and practices. Join GSWA for a tour of this fantastic, green residence on June 18. Registration is required.

Only registered participants will receive exact location and driving directions.

Learn more here!

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