Water

Life in our human community depends on safe and available potable water in our homes, schools, and businesses for drinking, cooking, and bathing.  Agricultural concerns rely on potable water for irrigation of fruits and vegetables and the watering of livestock. We also want safe and clean waters for swimming, boating and fishing. Wild animals and plants likewise depend on clean water for habitat and food. Because of their importance, multiple entities monitor the status of our water and waterways.

Waterways

Ponds, Lakes and Bays:

  • Raritan Bay
  • Lake Lefferts
  • Treasure Lake

Brooks and Creeks:

  • Matawan Creek
  • Whale Creek
  • Long Neck Creek
  • Clapboard Creek
  • Mohingson Creek
  • Luppatatong Creek
  • Gravelly Brook
  • Birch Swamp Brook

(Source: Encountering the Brooks and Creeks of Aberdeen Township)

Wetlands:

  • Happy Meadows – includes parts of blocks and lots between Woodmere Drive, Prospect Avenue, Amboy Avenue, and the Raritan Bay (366-1 and 2 on pages 97 to 101)
  • River Gardens Park – includes parts of blocks and lots between Riverdale Drive, Matawan Creek, and the Garden State Parkway (247-4 and 24 on pages 42, 43, and 58)
  • Wetlands  – includes parts of blocks and lots between Rte 35, GSP, Matawan Creek, and Mohingson Creek (248-1 pg 59; 275-6, 7.01 pg 68; 277-1, 01, and 2 pg 69; 278-1, 2, 3 and 279-1 pg 70; 281-1 and 282-1 pg 72; 283-1 pg 73; 284-1  pg 73)
  • Wetlands – includes parts of Green Acres and Utility Department blocks and lots between Whale Creek, Treasure Lake, Lenox Road, Route 35, and the Middlesex County border (310-4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 on page 81; 333-11 on pages 88 and 93; 339-1 on pages 89, 90 and 91; 341-1 on pages 92 and 103; 343-15 on page 93, and 347-21.01, 40, and 41, and 349-3.01 on page 94)

Drainages:

TBD

Links – Water Resources

Water resources are managed at the local, regional, county, state and national levels. Below is an assortment of links to organizations that advocate for and provide information and/or assistance on water and watershed issues.

  • Aberdeen Township Water Department – The Water Department manages the water supply, provides information about where the Township receives its water supplies and publishes periodic water quality reports. Website: http://www.aberdeennj.org/content/153/177/295/default.aspx
  • Bayshore Regional Watershed Council – An all-volunteer organization established in 2000 and dedicated to improving water quality and restoring wildlife habitat along Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay. Website: http://www.restoreraritanbay.org
  • Monmouth County Department of Health – 20 Lakes Report (1990), includes statistics on Lake Lefferts, Lake Matawan, and Treasure Lake. Link: https://co.monmouth.nj.us/documents/121/20lakes-rpt2.pdf
  • New York/New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program (HEP) – A NY/NJ regional program affiliated with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focused on protecting and restoring healthy waterways and productive habitats, managing sediments, fostering community stewardship, educating the public, and improving safe access to the region’s waterways. Website: http://www.harborestuary.org/ (Note: HEP produces very useful planning documents. See: http://www.harborestuary.org/about-planningdocs.htm)
  • New York/New Jersey Baykeeper – A not for profit organization advocating for the protection of Raritan Bay and New York harbor. Website: http://www.nynjbaykeeper.org 2013 Baykeeper Report on Aberdeen Township: http://nynjbaykeeper.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Aberdeen_Final_.pdf
  • New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) – A state regulatory agency dealing with protection of New Jersey’s air, land and water. Its website includes a page with links to water, coastal and watershed information. Website: http://www.nj.gov/dep/infofinder/topics/water.htm
  • New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program – A joint project of NJ DEP and Americorps to place future environmental leaders in New Jersey’s 20 watershed councils to promote water issues in the Garden State. 2016-17 Flyer: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/docs/americorps_flyer.pdf, Website: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm
  • New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute (NJWRRI) – A federally funded water resources institute based at Rutgers University. It is the state level element of a national system of such institutes associated with the US Geological Survey (USGS). See NIWR and WRRI below. Website: http://njwrri.rutgers.edu/about.html
    • New Jersey Watershed Organizations – NJWRRI provides a handy map with links to watershed organizations by county. Website: http://njwrri.rutgers.edu/watershed_orgs.htm
    • New Jersey Water Organizations – NJWRRI provides a useful list of links for New Jersey water organizations. Website: http://njwrri.rutgers.edu/org-links.html
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — The CDC looks at potable water safety, including the potential for water to be a carrier of disease or polluted by agricultural and industrial sources. Website: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/
  • National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) – The umbrella organization for state institutes like NJWRRI (above). Website: http://niwr.info/
  • Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) – The US Geological Survey (USGS) element that coordinates with NIWR and individual state research institutes on water resource problems, grants and programs. Website: https://water.usgs.gov/wrri/index.php
  • Surf Your Watershed (EPA) – Sandy Hook/Staten Island Watershed – The page provides an array of useful links to US Geological Survey (USGS) data, New Jersey sub-watersheds, and impaired waters. (Links related to local and regional watershed organizations, including a list of such organizations or a tool to add your organization’s name to the list, are dead links as of November 2017.)
  • Watershed Summary Reports (EPA) – Sandy Hook/Staten Island Watershed – As of late 2017, this site provides 22 official reports from NJ and NY dating from back as much as twenty years.
  • Earth Echo Water Challenge (UN) – March 22 is United Nations World Water Day each year. The Water Challenge, formerly known as the World Water Monitoring Challenge, runs from March 22nd through December. It involves testing local waters and submitting the results to the UN. Test kits can be purchased for individuals or classrooms for about $15 or $65 each, respectively.