Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Salem County, NJ
 Technology
Tools
 New
Jersey Agriculture Facts
 Nutrient
& Pest Mapping
 Identifying
& Managing Crop Stress
Watershed Management
Papers presented at Second Int'l Conf. on Geospatial Info. in Ag. and For.,
Jan.10-12, 2000, FL
|
Project Background
Return
to Main Greenkeepers Page
The 115-square mile Salem River Watershed covers 1/3 of Salem County,
NJ making it the largest watershed in the county. The watershed provides
critical habitat to many rare, threatened, and endangered species.
Non-point source (NPS) pollution, occurring when water flows over the land
or through the ground and picks up nutrients, pollutants, and sediment
and deposits them into rivers, lakes and estuaries is a significant cause
for concern in this waterhsed. Segments of the Salem River are now
characterized by the U.S. EPA as moderately to severely impaired due to
imbalances in fecal coliform, pH, temperature, and total phosphorus measured.
The EPA (document 841-F-96-004A) attributes agriculture, particularly nutrient
(nitrogen and phosphorus) run-off, fertilizer practices, livestock management,
and urban run-off as the main contributors to NPS pollution.
The goals of this project are:
-
To reduce agricultural run-off (chemicals and fertilizers) into the river
by improving nutrient management practices among growers in the region.
-
To reduce coliform in the river related to leaching septic systems of homeowners
and businesses.
-
To reduce NPS pollution related to sediment from stream bank erosion created
by man-made practices of homes and farms along the waterways.
-
To reduce NPS poluution from boating practices of boaters, fishermen, and
recreationalists by educating them about watershed friendly practices.
-
To raise public awareness about watershed protection by educating the general
public on the importance of water resources, and steps they can take to
reduce NPS pollution.
 Return
to main page
|