June 15, 2023
On June 6th, I had my second class in the 10-week Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Coastal Stewardship Course. The first presenter on this night was Dr. Steven Yergeau of Rutgers, who spoke about watershed management in Barnegat Bay. He explained characteristics of watersheds and their role in the water cycle. He delved a little deeper into the topic of impervious surfaces, which Dr. Hales touched on the week prior. These surfaces, which are most common in urban areas and covered about 9.2% of the Barnegat Bay Watershed in 2015, cannot absorb water as it passes over them, leading to increased runoff. The water can contain microplastics, litter, excess nutrients, pathogens, and chemical toxins, which then end up in the ocean. In March 2021, the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve began a watershed management and restoration plan for Southern Barnegat Bay and the Little Egg Harbor tributaries. Dr. Yergeau explained some of the essential components of such a plan, which follow US EPA guidance. Some of these components include identification of pollutant sources, public education, and water quality monitoring. Next, Graceanne Taylor, the Education and Outreach Coordinator of Save Barnegat Bay, presented to the class about the non-profit organization. She mentioned one central project that the organization is working on, which targets areas with insufficient infrastructure that allows wastewater to escape into the Toms River Basin on its way to a treatment plant through contamination of stormwater pipes. Ms. Taylor also talked about the bay nettle jellyfish overpopulation problem, which can be alleviated in a dual effort to improve water quality by targeting the polyp stage in their life cycle. Lastly, she talked about steps that citizens can take to increase bay health, including reducing fertilizer usage, planting native species and absorbing stormwater in rain barrels or rain gardens. Both presentations were very interesting and informative, and I feel motivated to be a part of these efforts to keep our waterways healthy and clean.
