Rutgers Cooperative Extension Salem County, NJ
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The health of the Salem River Watershed impacts the vast natural resources
of Salem County. This watershed provides critical habitat for many rare,
threatened and endangered species. The Nationwide Rivers inventory for
the National wild and Scenic Rivers Act lists 17 miles of the Salem River
as an example an outstandingly remarkable values with benefits including
scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife habitats. The Eastern
half of the Salem River/Delaware Estuary watershed is in the Outer Coastal
Plain and overlies the Kirkwood-Cohansey (kcas), the largest underground
aquifer in the United States. This aquifer does not have significant
outcrop areas. Water quality depends on conditions at the surface.
The western half of the watershed is the inner coastal plain and sits over
the Potomac Raritan Mahagothy (prma) underground aquifer, a critical water
zone. These aquifers are recharged by precipitation on intake areas.
Due to heavy development in Camden County, the aquifer is now suffering
from salt water intrusion.
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