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Projects & Programs - Watershed Planning & Implementation

Development of Watershed Restoration and Protection Plans for the South Branch Raritan River, Black River/Lamington River, and the North Branch Raritan River Watersheds within the New Jersey Highlands Region

Project Overview:

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has prepared a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for total suspended solids and total phosphorus that requires a 60% reduction in total suspended solids and a 68% to 84% reduction in total phosphorus.  This project will create a plan that will be a blueprint for how to achieve these reductions.  The goal of this project is to develop watershed restoration and protection plans for the South Branch Raritan River, the Lamington River, and the North Branch Raritan River that addresses total suspended solids and total phosphorus inputs which contribute to harmful algal blooms (HABs).  These watershed restoration and protection plans will have the nine components required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).  Each objective below represents one of the nine USEPA components of the watershed restoration and protection plan:

1. Identification of the causes and sources of nutrient loading

2. Estimation of the load reductions expected for the management measures

3. Recommendation of nonpoint source (NPS) management measures to address the causes and sources

4. Estimation of the amounts of technical and financial assistance needed

5. Development and delivery of informational and education component

6. Development of a schedule for implementing NPS controls

7. Development of interim, measurable milestones

8. Development of criteria to ensure load reductions are being achieved

9. Development of a monitoring component to evaluate effectiveness

Deliverables:

South Branch Raritan River:

• FINAL DRAFT Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan (WRPP) for the South Branch Raritan River Watershed, August 2025
  • Appendix A:  Curve Numbers Based on Land Use and Hydrologic Soil Group
  • Appendix B:  A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems
  • Appendix C:  Concept Plans for Potential Green Infrastructure Projects
  • Appendix D:  List of Farm Parcels in the South Branch Raritan River Watershed
  • Appendix E:  EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Fact Sheets
  • Appendix F:  Analysis by Municipality
  • Appendix G:  New Jersey Impairment Scoring (NJIS) Criteria for Rapid Bioassessments and High Gradient Macroinvertebrate Index (HGMI) Protocols

Black River/Lamington River:

• FINAL DRAFT Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan (WRPP) for the Black River/Lamington River Watershed, August 2025
  • Appendix A:  Curve Numbers Based on Land Use and Hydrologic Soil Group
  • Appendix B:  A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems
  • Appendix C:  Concept Plans for Potential Green Infrastructure Projects
  • Appendix D:  List of Farm Parcels in the Lamington River Watershed
  • Appendix E:  EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Fact Sheets
  • Appendix F:  Analysis by Municipality
  • Appendix G:  New Jersey Impairment Scoring (NJIS) Criteria for Rapid Bioassessments and High Gradient Macroinvertebrate Index (HGMI) Protocols

North Branch Raritan River:

• FINAL DRAFT Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan (WRPP) for the North Branch Raritan River Watershed, August 2025
  • Appendix A:  Curve Numbers Based on Land Use and Hydrologic Soil Group
  • Appendix B:  A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems
  • Appendix C:  Concept Plans for Potential Green Infrastructure Projects
  • Appendix D:  List of Farm Parcels in the North Branch Raritan River Watershed
  • Appendix E:  EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Fact Sheets
  • Appendix F:  Analysis by Municipality
  • Appendix G:  New Jersey Impairment Scoring (NJIS) Criteria for Rapid Bioassessments and High Gradient Macroinvertebrate Index (HGMI) Protocols

Municipal Analyses:

Project Partners:
Raritan Headwaters Association
New Jersey Water Supply Authority

Project Funding Source:
Funding for this project was provided by the New Jersey Highlands Council,
GRANT ID# SNJ-Highlands Council - DR00025535
New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council