SVAP #25, also known as the Old Farm Road site, lies within a residential development, and displayed some minor bank erosion and an impaired riparian zone.  The area adjacent to each bank of the stream was cleared to the bank, and contained maintained lawn.  NJWSA’s Watershed Protection Unit worked with the three adjacent homeowners to develop a riparian buffer improvement plan that specified planting a mix of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in a twenty-foot zone extending nearly 200 feet on each side of the stream.  The vegetation will buffer the stream from a variety of pollutants contained in stormwater runoff, and will assist in stabilization of this branch of Mulhockaway Creek.  

Mulhockaway Creek at Old Farm Road 

before the planting

John Horack and Ed Smith of NJWSA 

inspect the plants

The areas adjacent to the stream contain a combination of sun/shade and moisture conditions.  Areas exist that are relatively dry, but a few feet away are areas that are extremely wet.  NJWSA worked to select vegetation that would succeed in these varied conditions.  Approximately 100 trees and shrubs representing 22 species were selected, as well as nearly 200 herbaceous plants encompassing 17 species.  The trees and shrubs included American beech, tulip poplar, gray birch, red maple, red and black chokeberry, gray and silky dogwood and spicebush.  The herbaceous vegetation includes blue-flag iris, wild lupine, ferns, switchgrass, butterfly and swamp milkweed and partridgeberry.   

NJWSA’s Grounds staff assisted in site preparation, utilizing a gas-powered auger which resulted in significant time savings versus digging holes by hand.  The grounds staff will also be helping to water the vegetation through the summer.  For the actual planting, we called on staff from several NJWSA departments – including Watershed, Grounds, Accounting, Engineering, Human Resources and the Business Office.  We also received assistance from the South Branch Watershed Association.  

Following the planting, we constructed protective cages around the trees and shrubs to prevent deer predation.  We also treated the herbaceous plants with deer repellent.  

Bill Segreaves looks on as Jeff Cregar 

and Jeff Weirzbinsky drill a hole 

The adjacent homeowners and NJWSA staff are all pleased with the result of the project.  We’re looking forward to seeing the growth of the vegetation and the improvement in the health and structure of this branch of Mulhockaway Creek.  We performed three seasons of biological monitoring (macroinvertebrates and habitat assessment) at the site, along with baseline geomorphological surveys.  We’ll continue to monitor the site at least through the end of the EPA-TW grant.  

The Watershed Unit thanks all of the NJWSA and SBWA staff that assisted with this project especially, Bill Segreaves, Jeff Cregar, Jeff Weirzbinsky, John Jones, John Horack, Mike Pittaro, Dave Ehrich, Rich Lilly, Ed Smith, Carenna Bell, Jeanne Sammond, Sharmila Rahman, Laurie Cagno, Marc Brooks, Gerry Hoagland, Leilani Hershey, Joanna Stem and Jennifer Saqqal from NJWSA and  Don Einhorn and Michael Rehman from SBWA- it truly was a group effort aimed at protecting the quality and quantity of water entering Spruce Run Reservoir.