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Wreck Pond Watershed Restoration - Action Plan
Updated March 1, 2012
- Action Item - Call for Research, Engineering reports and Analytical Monitoring Data
Wreck Pond has received a significant amount of study over the years producing a vast amount of analytical monitoring data. The Department will identify and gather all research, engineering reports and existing analytical data on Wreck Pond Watershed.
Completed Milestone:
- Initial call for research and data was sent via email on August 15, 2011; Deadline for data research and data was August 29, 2011.
- The Department received a large amount of information specifically from U.S. Geological Survey, Monmouth University, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Health Department, Leon S. Avakian, Inc – Consulting Engineers, and Najarian Associates.
- All data received has been reviewed and converted into a useable electronic format.
Next Steps:
- Continuous and new intermittent data will be gathered and converted into a useable electronic format on a bimonthly basis.
Ownership:
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Implementation:
Ongoing
It’s not too late to submit, if you have research studies or analytical data on Wreck Pond, please contact Sheri Shifren.
- Action Item - Website and Database Development
A Wreck Pond Watershed Restoration web site will be developed into a single source of information on the status of the project to be used by all entities involved in Wreck Pond including the public. The site will house all research and studies identified in Action Item 1 as well as a searchable custom database with all monitoring data. The site will also spatially display monitoring data on an interactive GIS map. The site will also help coordinate activities, educational events and monitor progress.
Completed Milestone:
- Database with all monitoring data has been created.
- The interactive GIS map has been completed on the intranet.
Next Steps:
- The web site is in development.
- Metadata must be completed prior to releasing the interactive GIS map on the internet.
- Web site and interactive GIS map to go on-line April 16, 2012.
- The web site will be updated on a bimonthly basis to incorporate new data and progress.
Ownership:
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring, Office of Information Resource Management
Implementation: April 16, 2012 and bimonthly thereafter
- Action Item – Infrastructure Mapping, Inspection, Assessment and Repair/Replacement
Municipalities within the Wreck Pond Watershed (Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights) shall supply the Department with sanitary sewer and storm sewer system maps (including location of stormwater outfalls and any stormwater Best Management Practices) for their entire municipally owned system. In addition, the municipalities shall supply the Department with any engineering reports summarizing results of inspections, video taping or smoke testing of the systems to determine its integrity and function.
Any gaps identified in mapping, inspection or assessment shall be resolved.
Action item goal is to identify areas within the storm sewer and/or sanitary sewer system that are failing, leaking, broken or otherwise not functioning as designed and have them repaired and/or replaced. Funding opportunities (grants, loans or partial grants/loan blends) will be identified in Action Item 7. A secondary goal is to have complete GIS coverage of the watershed’s sanitary and stormwater infrastructure (including Manufactured Treatment Devices) and to use this tool to identify areas within the system which may be contributing to the impairment.
Completed Milestone:
- All four municipalities have submitted sanitary and storm sewer system maps.
- Spring Lake and Sea Girt (Avakian Engineering) have prepared a Scope of Work and are soliciting bids for an infrastructure assessment of their sanitary and storm sewer systems.
- Spring Lake and Sea Girt have received 2 proposals to date.
Next Steps:
- Spring Lake and Sea Girt have committed to using an EPA Grant ($175,000) to conduct an infrastructure assessment of their sanitary and storm sewer systems. This will include cleaning, video, GPS and GIS of the system as well as identifying any suspected illicit connections, and an engineering report with prioritized list of sanitary and storm sewer repair and replacement.
Ownership:
Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights
Implementation:
Mapping, Inspection and Assessment – to be completed by October 1, 2012
Repair and/or Replacement – small repairs - at time of discovery, large repairs/replacement – based on funding (Action item 6)
- Action Item – Identify, Fund and Replace Broken (privately owned) Laterals
Sewer laterals carry sanitary waste from private homes to the municipal sanitary sewer and are the responsibility of the individual homeowner. It is suspected that many of the older homes in Sea Girt and Spring Lake have broken or cracked laterals. Sewage from these laterals leak into the sandy soil and easily infiltrates, during storm events, into broken, cracked or poorly grouted storm sewer pipes. While the municipality is responsible for repairs to the municipal separate storm sewer, homeowners are liable for the cost of replacing broken laterals.
Action item goal is to identify and repair broken laterals, prioritizing suspected problem areas such as Ocean Ave in Spring Lake and Baltimore Blvd. in Sea Girt. Once broken laterals are identified, homeowners may be directed to repair or replace broken laterals at their own expense or municipalities may consider pass through funding using outside sources.
Completed Milestone:
- All four municipalities have submitted sanitary and storm sewer system maps.
- Infrastructure assessment to be conducted by Spring Lake and Sea Girt will include video of individual laterals.
Next Steps:
- Spring Lake and Sea Girt have committed to conducting infrastructure assessments of their sanitary and storm sewer systems. The assessments will include videoing, GPS and GIS of the laterals as well as identifying the location and suspected source of any illicit connection, and recommendations on areas in need of improvements and/or replacement. Avakian Engineering (Township Engineer for Spring Lake and Sea Girt) will complete a formal scope of work to send out for three additional proposals. Spring Lake and Sea Girt will select a company and begin the assessments.
Ownership:
Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights
Implementation:
Video of Laterals – to be completed by October 1, 2012
Repair and/or Replacement – TBD
- Action Item – Monitoring Plan / Microbial Source Tracking
A thorough review and assessment of all monitoring data collected (Action Item 1) shall be completed. Monitoring points and data will be displayed on a GIS map of the watershed along with sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems (Action Items 2 & 3). Any gaps in monitoring data will become part of a monitoring plan. All existing data evaluated and future monitoring will build on prior studies. Use proven techniques such as optical brighteners, antibiotic resistance and coliphage and new techniques such as Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) to identify sources of bacteria.
Action item goal is to design and implement intensive monitoring based on existing data and pollution source surveys (Action Item 7). Data needed includes quality, quantity, salinity (mixing) and hydrologic response. A clear understanding of how the watershed responds (during storm events) including the time of travel of stormwater from the upper watershed to the ocean outfall and the bacterial load during the duration of the event. This data will help determine the extent of the impairment within the watershed. Implement corrective actions and follow-up monitoring to determine effectiveness of corrective actions.
Completed Milestone:
- All data submitted to date has been reviewed, assessed, evaluated, and displayed on the interactive GIS map including sanitary sewer system.
- 10/2011 - Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring sampled (influent/effluent) four new Manufactured Treatment Devices (MTDs) in Spring Lake and Sea Girt and the discharge from Essex Ave to assess the effects of redirecting Spring Lake’s discharge directly to the Atlantic Ocean (and no longer discharging to Wreck Pond).
- 2/2012 – A gap in data was identified and Storm Study was completed for Spring Lake Heights to determine if an infrastructure assessment is needed. 12 new monitoring stations were created, a second round of sampling the four MTDs was completed and two new additional MTDs were sampled.
- The Bureau has also completed a reconnaissance study and monitoring plan for coordinated monitoring of the entire watershed using 8 ISCO automatic samplers during an entire storm event. This will provide the Department with 768 data points measuring bacteria levels throughout the watershed over a 48 hour period.
Next Steps:
- Complete coordinated monitoring of the watershed using ISCO automatic samplers during the next appropriate storm event.
- Continue to assess the results from the Spring Lake Heights storm sewer system sampling conducted in February.
Ownership:
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights
Implementation: Data Review and Assessment - December 1, 2011 – March 1, 2012
Filling Data Gaps – March 1, 2012 – March 1, 2013
- Action Item – Identifying Sources of Funding / Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Regional Restoration Plan
Potential funding sources shall be identified such as EPA (EPA CARE grants), Section 319(h) watershed restoration grants, Clean Water NJ funds, Infrastructure Trust loan/grant to fund capital improvements (sanitary and storm sewer upgrades – Action Item 3), replacement and repair of sewer laterals (Action Item 4), infrastructure inspection (video of sanitary sewer lines and laterals), and education and outreach (Action Item 8). Green Acres funding could potentially be used for purchase of stream buffers in upper watershed (Action Item 7).
Eligibility for 319 funds is partly contingent on the Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Regional Plan/Watershed Based Implementation Plan being approved by Land Use Management - Division of Policy Implementation and Watershed Restoration. A goal of Action Item 6 is to ensure that the restoration plan is approved.
Completed Milestone:
- Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Regional Stormwater Management Plan/Watershed-Based Implementation Plan was revised and submitted in September 2011 to the Land Use Management - Division of Policy Implementation and Watershed Restoration for review.
- Two projects; Ridgefield Road and Keller’s Pond awarded Section 319(h) watershed restoration grants.
Next Steps:
- Determine if the lack of water quality benefits and permitting hurdles should preclude the continuation of the Ridgewood Rd and Keller’s Pond projects. Select new projects within the watershed and reallocate remaining 319(h) grants.
- Met with NJDOT to discuss off-line stormwater control measures to reduce stormwater flows from RT 34 and repair outfall scouring and erosion in the Keller’s Pond wetland area at the headwaters of Wreck Pond Brook.
Ownership:
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring, Land Use Management, Green Acres, Solid Waste
NJDOT
Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Committee
Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights
Implementation: May, 2013
- Action Item – Identifying Land Use Cover/ Preserving Buffers in Upper Watershed
One of the most important factors that can affect the quality of a surface-water body is the land use within its watershed. Using GIS satellite imagery, existing GIS Land Use Coverage layers and ground truthing (pollution source surveys), identify land uses and how those land uses may contribute to impairment of the Wreck Pond Watershed. Identify and inspect Animal Feeding Operations (horse, cattle, and poultry farms) to ensure proper nutrient management plans are in effect. Use GIS to identify parcels of open space available to preserve stream buffers in the upper watershed.
Completed Milestones:
- Existing GIS coverages provided by Monmouth County Office of GIS
- Aerial assessment of the watershed
Next Steps:
- NJDEP will review and select sites for stream bank restoration, and possibly stormwater basin retrofits.
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension to re-inspect AFOs within watershed and evaluate manure handling practices.
Ownership:
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Monmouth County Office of GIS
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Implementation: May, 2013
- Action Item – Public Outreach and Education
Develop and expand a public education and outreach program within the watershed to target permanent residents, summer residents and vacationers. Effectively communicate impacts of non-point source pollution and how individual’s actions affect water quality. Leverage the Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Committee’s existing public education campaign. Apply for EPA’s CARE grant. Work with municipalities to post educational information on beaches and pass out information with beach badges. Accelerate public education campaign for summer 2012.
Completed Milestones:
- An Education and Outreach Plan has been completed which includes:
- Clean Ocean Action has agreed to develop a Wreck Pond awareness program (Wreck Pond Pals), and conduct several seminars to complement Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Build-A-Rain-Barrel Program, Rain Garden Workshop and Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project.
- Watershed Ambassador (Tom Thorsen) will also conduct 7 school presentations and teacher training.
- Katie Barnett (DEP-Clean Water NJ) will sponsor a Wreck Pond “Blitz” to clean up the watershed and increase educational awareness.
- Department will also hold a “Green Infrastructure Seminar for Decision Makers”.
Next Steps:
- Implement Education and Outreach Plan
- Clean Ocean Action shall submit the draft Wreck Pond Pals.
- NJDEP will review and approve funding for Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- Begin groundwork for the Blitz and Green Infrastructure Seminar for Decision Makers.
Ownership:
DEP - Clean Water NJ
Clean Ocean Action
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador
Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Committee
Implementation: May 2012 – September 1, 2012
- Action Item – Identify and Implement Watershed Restoration/Water Quality Projects
Identify and implement watershed restoration and water quality/quantity projects to improve overall water quality within the Wreck Pond Brook Watershed. Projects should address one or more of the following pollutants of concern: pathogens/bacteria, suspended solids, nutrients and/or quantity.
Assist Monmouth County with the implementation of plans to dredge parts of the Wreck Pond Watershed and identify other areas for localized dredging. Investigate the feasibility and cost of larger scale dredging project and sources of funding. Further study the sediments in Wreck Pond and whether they contribute to elevated bacteria levels. Investigate whether dredging would help in the restoration of the watershed?
Completed Milestones:
- Monmouth County successfully completed the pilot dredging project of Wreck Pond west of RT 71.
- Met with Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association to discuss successes within their watershed.
- Conducted extensive site investigations at Keller’s Pond and Ridgewood Road project sites to ascertain the viability of the projects.
- Met with the Freehold Soil Conservation District (FSCD) to discuss stream assessments that had been completed for Wreck Pond Brook Watershed in 2005. FSCD agreed to provide NJDEP with a prioritized list of stream bank restoration sites based on their assessment, property owners and accessibility, and a list of all stormwater basins locations in the watershed.
Next Steps:
- Monmouth County will submit a report summarizing the benefits of the project, and identify other areas to dredge within the watershed.
- Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association to provide model ordinances for possible adoption (septic, stream corridor protection, forest protection, and new development)
- FSCD will submit the prioritized list of stream bank restoration sites and stormwater basin locations for possible for off-line retrofits.
Ownership:
Monmouth County
FSCD
Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring, Land Use Management
Implementation: Ongoing
- Action Item – Flood Control
Work with Spring Lake on implementation of the flood mitigation project that is currently being evaluated and assessed by FEMA. The project has two components: a permanent pump system that would allow Spring Lake to pump the pond ahead of and during a storm event and a plan to raise the berm around certain areas of Wreck Pond perimeter by 18 inches to 2 feet.
Completed Milestones:
Next Steps:
- Dredge Wreck Pond between 1st and outfall
- Install pump
- Raise berm in Spring Lake and Spring Lake Heights
Ownership: Spring Lake Borough
Implementation: TBD
- Action Item – Increase Tidal Influence/Mixing
Investigate the effects the Wreck Pond outfall extension had on the tidal flow and mixing within Wreck Pond. Study whether the change had a detrimental effect on pond health and whether changes to promote more tidal influence and mixing would improve conditions and help restore the water body. The existing outlet structure may restrict flows into, and out of, the watershed. This delayed response prevents rapid mixing of stormwater with the ocean during and after a rain event and results in negative water quality from the storm to impact localized beaches over a longer time period (48-72 hours).
The action item goal is to restore a natural tidal exchange between Atlantic Ocean, Wreck Pond, Black Creek, and other appropriate areas of the watershed while balancing the need for flood protection, including analyzing the effectiveness of the outfall structure.
Completed Milestones:
- On 1/6/12 Water Monitoring and Standards, and the Office of Engineering and Construction met with Deputy Chief of Staff and agreed to refine scope of an Army Corp project to focus on the restoration of natural tidal exchange within the Wreck Pond Watershed to improve water quality, eliminate beach closings and as an ancillary benefit mitigate flooding. It was also agreed that the Department would consider being the non-federal sponsor if our cost share could be covered by in-kind services.
- On 1/20/12 Water Monitoring and Standards met with the US Army Corp and it was agreed to focus the project on the restoration of natural tidal exchange and may include redesign and replacement of the outlet structure, inclusion of a tide gate and the dredging of channels to Wreck Pond Brook and Black Creek to increase tidal flow velocity and naturally remove remaining sediment in the pond over time. US Army Corp agreed that the Departments cost share could be satisfied by in-kind services.
Next Steps:
- Send letter of support to US Army Corp.
- Revise the scope of work/project management plan.
- Sign-on as Non-Federal Sponsor for the project management plan using in-kind services to satisfy 50% cost
Ownership:
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring, Office of Engineering and Construction
U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers
Implementation:
Ongoing
- Action Item – One Vision / One Goal
Improve communications within the Department to ensure all Division’s with a stake in the Wreck Pond watershed restoration efforts have a clear vision and understanding of the Commissioner’s goal of improving water quality within the Watershed and to resolve impairments contributing to the regular closings of beaches to recreational bathing in Sea Girt and Spring Lake.
Improve communications, involvement and establish partnerships with the four municipalities within the Wreck Pond Watershed (Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Wall Township, and Spring Lake Heights). Work through the Office of Local Government Assistance to establish relationships with mayors and administrators to ensure that we all share the same environmental outcome for their local resource. Continue to update and communicate progress to local Assemblyman Kean’s office through Deputy Chief of Staff.
Improve communications and establish partnerships with external stakeholders, including Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Committee, Clean Ocean Action, Monmouth County Planning Board, Rutgers University, Army Corp of Engineers, consultants, Freehold Soil Conservation District, Monmouth University, Monmouth County Health Department, Monmouth County Regional Health Commission, NJ DOT, and local residents to clearly and transparently communicate our regional watershed approach with one vision and one goal: to improve water quality.
Completed Milestones:
- Monthly meetings with Wreck Pond Brook Watershed Committee and local residents.
- Monthly internal meetings with Water Resources A.C., Water Compliance and Enforcement, Land Use Management, and Division of Water Quality
- Regular meetings with Borough Administrators and reps.
- Improved internal coordination with Land Use Management on site specific projects
- Improved internal communication with Green Acres and Solid Waste (Ridgewood Road project)
Next Steps:
- Continue to communicate with all internal and external stakeholders on a regular basis.
- Continue to ensure all internal DEP stakeholders are working together and clearly understand the Commissioner’s goal. Work with DEP programs to ensure water quality projects are cost effective, are able to be permitted, and will achieve the desired environmental outcome.
Ownership:
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Implementation: September 1, 2011 – ongoing
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