NJDEP Division of Watershed Management Awarded an EPA 319(h) Grant to Restore Neshanic River Watershed

Researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology are leading an effort to improve water quality in the Neshanic River watershed. The watershed, a 35-square mile region encompassing Raritan, Delaware, East Amwell and Flemington, is part of the Raritan River basin.

"We all need clean water for drinking, recreation and other purposes," said team leader Zeyuan Qiu, an assistant professor of environmental economics in the Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science at NJIT.

Qiu's team believes the water in the Neshanic River watershed is polluted.

"We think the pollutants have come from nonpoint sources such as municipal storm sewer systems, agricultural fertilizers and pesticides and lawn care products applied in the watershed," Qiu said.

Scientists and engineers have been developing management measures and practices to restore water quality. Some measures could be expensive, such as constructing a drainage basin and stabilizing stream banks.

Some of them, though, could be as simple as explaining the best time to apply lawn care products.

"When fertilizer and pesticides are applied to a lawn and it rains a day later, some fertilizers and pesticides will not be absorbed by the lawn and instead they will be carried out to the stream," Qiu said. "How much fertilizer is washed away depends on the amount applied by the homeowner and the timing of the application. By getting the word out, or making some rules as to when to apply lawn care products, we believe at least part of the problem could be averted."

A grant from the Environmental Protection Agency supports the effort.

"The grant will improve water quality in watershed communities by mapping out an integrative and comprehensive restoration plan, Qiu said."

The development of the restoration plan for the Neshanic River watershed will address the sources and causes of nonpoint source pollutants, the management measures to address the causes, the reductions in non-point source pollution that would result from implementing the management measures and the technical assistance and financial support to implement the measures.

"A unique feature of our effort is that the economic principles will be incorporated to help select and prioritize the restoration efforts," Qiu said. "We probably assembled one of the most experienced teams on watershed management in New Jersey."

Researchers and practitioners from Rutgers University, New Jersey Water Supply Authority, North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, South Branch Watershed Association, Hunterdon County Soil Conservation District, and NJDEP Division of Watershed Management are collaborating with NJIT on the project.