P R E S S   A D V I S O R Y

Contact: Captain Bill Sheehan, Riverkeeper and Executive Director
                Kathy Urffer, Special Projects Manager

Hackensack, NJ – On Saturday, November 23rd, from 9 AM until 3 PM, Hackensack Riverkeeper, the citizen-steward of the Hackensack River and its living resources, will conduct a workday at Staib Park, Summit and Coles Avenue, in Hackensack. This first phase of the planned COLES BROOK RESTORATION will include the installation of proven bioengineering techniques designed to stabilize the stream banks and the reintroduction of native riparian vegetation. When completed, the project will have restored 750 feet of streamside habitat along Coles Brook by stabilizing its banks and a recreating a large riparian buffer of native plants.

"Over the years exotic plants like Japanese knotweed and Multiflora rose have colonized the park and reduced the diversity of flora and fauna along the brook," says Kathy Urffer, Hackensack Riverkeeper's Special Project Coordinator. Exotics - a poor source of food for most native animals - will be carefully removed and replaced with native plants. When the Restoration is completed, Hackensack Riverkeeper will have improved the water quality not only of the brook, but of the entire Hackensack watershed as well.

"Also over the years, illegal dumping has degraded and disfigured the beauty of Coles Brook," Urffer continued, "and pavement currently parallels the Brook for much of its length, lying to within twenty feet of the water's edge."

Ms. Urffer also cites runoff from the paved and turf areas of the park that flows directly into the brook (and eventually the Hackensack River) as carrying dog waste, automotive fluids, fertilizer and other non-point source pollutants. This polluted runoff also concentrates in rivulets in some locations, causing erosion along the banks.

Water Quality testing performed on October 11, 2002 showed fecal coliform units (cfu) at a level of 10800 cfu/100ml which is 54 times the acceptable level set in NJDEP's Surface Water Quality Standards N.J.A.C 7:9B. According to this stream classification, "Fecal coliform levels shall not exceed a geometric average of 200/100mL nor should more than 10 percent of the total samples taken during any 30-day period exceed 400/100mL" Additionally, "phosphorus as total P shall not exceed 0.1 in any stream, unless it can be demonstrated that the total P is not a limiting nutrient and will not otherwise render the waters unsuitable for the designated uses." The phosphorus levels found in the stream were tested at 0.18mg/L.

Hackensack Riverkeeper encourages volunteers to join with them on November 23rd. All training will be provided on-site. Participants should also expect to get dirty and work hard. Lunch and refreshments will be provided and questions answered throughout the afternoon. Those wishing to participate should contact Kathy Urffer at 201-968-0808, or kathyu@hackensackriverkeeper.org.

The Coles Brook restoration project is a cooperative venture between Hackensack Riverkeeper, the City of Hackensack and Omni Environmental Services. Funding for the project is provided through a NJDEP grant under Section 319(h) of the federal Clean Water Act to mitigate non-point source pollution.