Real Science for Real People:
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANNING
By Beth Ravit
Did you ever wonder what happens to the runoff from a heavy rain or the ice melting after a snowstorm that ultimately flows into our reservoirs or groundwater supplies? Watersheds are composed of the land area that drains into a large body of water, usually a river, lake, or bay. These naturally created areas are bounded by high upland hills or slopes that separate one watershed from another, so maintaining high water quality standards requires addressing the hydrology of the entire watershed which goes beyond municipally drawn political boundaries.
Human influences affect water quality within a watershed, particularly through alteration of water flow and the creation of non-point source "people pollution" that result in contamination of our water resources. The alteration of natural watersheds has been an issue for thousands of years. A Roman decree in the year 11 B.C. forbade the pollution of the public water supply, and urban development, irrigation projects, and drainage systems have been documented over thousands of years of human history.
Today water flow is altered by construction of storm drainage systems and catch basins, human development that changes land contours, and destruction of wetlands or forested areas. Non-point source pollution is currently the biggest threat to our creeks, rivers, wells, ground water, and ultimately our oceans. Common causes of non-point source pollution include fertilizers and pesticides, pet wastes, motor oil, and litter.
In an effort to improve our state water quality, the NJDEP has divided New Jersey into 20 Watershed Management Planning Areas (WMAs). The Hackensack and Hudson Rivers and Pascack Brook are included in WMA5. The goal of the WMA planning process is to publicly detail the factors that are stressing our watershed and address the subtle and chronic problems that contribute to a long-term decline in overall water quality. Other WMAs in the state have addressed the issues of water quality, land use, toxic substances, and habitat alteration and are developing action plans to correct the causes contributing to poor water quality, while establishing research and monitoring programs to guarantee the long term health of our most precious resource – water. Participants in the planning process will look at these critical issues in WMA5.
The planning process for our watershed began in June, and Public Advisory Committee (PAC) Meetings are now occurring monthly. Committees have been set up to address technical and scientific questions, open space and public education. Through the Watershed Management Planning process we can identify the causes of, and more importantly the solutions to, threats to our water quality. Residents of WMA5 are needed at the public meetings and on the working committees to improve our watershed and protect this important natural resource. A schedule of meetings can be obtained from Hackensack Riverkeeper.