Impervious surface is also known as impervious cover and has been recognized as a critical driver to degrade water quality in the watershed. Impervious surface is defined as the area that prohibits penetration of water into underlying ground layers, as a result, rain and snow are unable to infiltrate into the ground and runs off. […]
Wetlands are the transitional area or the link between land and water where water covers the soil periodically or throughout the year. The presence of water, nutrients, and sunlight makes wetlands a unique ecosystem in the watershed. The Raritan region includes both inland and coastal wetlands. Examples of coastal wetlands include tidal marshes and mudflats […]
Upland forest plays an important role in protecting water resources by reducing soil erosion, filtering runoff, and increasing groundwater recharge. Forests, therefore, provide numerous environmental and economic benefits, which elevate water quality and protect water resources. Consequently, an analysis of conversion of upland forest (positive and negative) is required to correlate with water quality in […]
Urban areas are expanding rapidly in the United States and soil preferable for development is evaluated based on depth to seasonal high groundwater table, slope, and depth to bedrock (NJWSA, 2002). Soil appropriate for agriculture is also suitable for development. Higher population growth combined with economic activities encourages construction of new houses as well as […]
Groundwater is the water that is present below the earth’s surface in the soil pores and rock void spaces. The availability and quality of groundwater is very important as most of the people around the globe depend on groundwater for drinking and for agricultural and industrial purposes. Additionally, groundwater supplies water uniformly to ecologically sensitive […]
Bioassessment is the evaluation of stream health using living organisms in natural environmental sites (SCCWRP, 2014). It is the process to quantify living organisms against the localized stressors by counting individual numbers at a particular location in the stream. In comparison to traditional water quality measurements (sediment, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP)), bioassessment […]
As the Raritan’s riparian areas are converted to other land uses (both urban and agricultural), and as other pervious surfaces are converted to more impervious surfaces, the Raritan region has become increasingly vulnerable to flooding and its impacts. Transitional areas between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are vital to watershed health. Riparian areas and natural floodplains […]
Riparian areas are transitional areas that lie between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (NRCS, 2007). As a result, riparian areas contain both the characteristic of upland as well as aquatic ecosystems. These areas are vital for healthy watersheds as they: protect streambanks and remove sediments and nutrients from runoff; reduce flooding and protect aquatic ecosystems; and […]
Groundwater is one of the most precious sources of drinking and irrigation water around the globe due to its usually good quality and easy accessibility. However, groundwater is susceptible to pollution and frequently, groundwater contamination occurs due to human activity such as intensive interference of natural land use. Groundwater contamination can be from both point […]
John Jengo, PG, a Principal of Santec Consulting Services, Inc., has produced a new video on the removal of the Weston Mill Dam on the Millstone River that highlights the history of the site and efforts to preserve the historic mill foundation during removal of the dam. View the new video here. See related article […]
