By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
Testing of the Millstone River has shown detectable levels of arsenic near the Grovers Mill area of West Windsor and unacceptably high levels of suspended solids, phosphorous and acidity, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
”It’s one of the more impaired waterways in New Jersey,” said Karen Hershey, a DEP spokesperson.
The poor test results, attributed in part to the density of population in its watershed and past use of agricultural pesticides that are now banned, have made it one of the department’s highest priorities. DEP officials are promising more stringent restrictions on areas posing the greatest environmental threat to the river, which flows 38 miles, from Millstone Township in Monmouth County to Bound Brook in Somerset County.
But groups including the Stony Brook–Millstone Watershed Association say the condition of the Millstone is not as bad as the DEP tests results suggest, relative to other waterways in comparably developed areas.
Jennifer Coffey, an environmental specialist and director for the watershed association, said she is “excited the DEP is taking a serious look at the Millstone” but added, “It is located in the most densely-populated state, and we’re hard-pressed to find any streams that aren’t affected.” Considering its location, she said, “We feel that it is a healthy system, in terms of what it could have been.”
Watershed officials said they are working with the DEP to develop a more stringent set of rules to regulate the maximum amount of pollutants — or “total maximum daily load” — that can enter the Millstone River.
DEP officials said that information forming the basis of the future total maximum daily load is contained in the federally mandated New Jersey Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, which lists several area locations along the Millstone as points where contamination has been detected.
Near the Grovers Mill area of West Windsor, state testing found detectable levels of arsenic, along with what the state considered elevated levels of phosphorous. Phosphorous usually comes from fertilizer, and contributes to the over-vegetation of waterways and the eventual reduction in the level of oxygen in the water necessary to support fish and other animals, according to officials from the Watershed.
Arsenic was also detected in the area near the Route 1 bridge over the Millstone, according to the report, along with tell-tale worms and insects known as benthic invertebrates, which are usually signs of an unhealthy waterway.
However alarming they may seem, the Millstone River’s problems are actually quite typical of New Jersey waterways in highly developed areas, according to DEP spokesman Larry Hanja.
While the presence of arsenic has raised flags among DEP officials, what is really problematic for the waterway itself is the overgrowth of algae and aquatic plants, resulting from constant runoff and dumping of agricultural chemicals in the river from years of farming conducted on lands near the river.
”Pesticides and fertilizers have degraded the overall water quality,” Mr. Hanja said.
The chemicals and the plants’ growth that results sucks oxygen out of the water, killing fish and creating an unsightly river, Mr. Hanja said.
He said the Millstone was not a toxic river, but it is beset by these ecological problems resulting in what he labeled as “aesthetic issues,” especially for people who may use the river. He did advise those who fish the river to consult the DEP Web site for periodic advisories on what kind of fish can be eaten, and how frequently.
For conditions like these to improve, Ms. Coffey of the watershed association said the important thing is for the citizenry, municipalities and other entities to recognize what goes on near the river will eventually affect the river.
”What you do on land affects the water,” Ms. Coffey said.
Some DEP reports noted that arsenic in the river likely came from older, now-banned pesticides that were once used on agricultural land. Drums containing remnants of such substances have been found over the years in areas like Cranbury, although the amount found there, off Old Trenton Road in 2001, was not determined to be at a dangerous level by municipal officials.
The banning of the use of arsenic, more regulation, and more vigilance about what goes on in around the river has increased over the years, with more legislation, like the Clean Water Act, which has in turn increased the involvement of DEP and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
There are also organizations such as the Watershed Association, which compile periodic reports on the waterway. They also maintain a team of professionals ready to descend on the river, perform tests, or simply stay on the lookout for problematic trends or developments that could signal new problems.
The Watershed also pursues legislative efforts, like the drive to get municipalities to pass stream corridor ordinances that protect the area immediately surrounding the waterways like the Millstone.
Ms. Coffey said these buffers of vegetation and undeveloped land help prevent erosion and provide somewhat of a protective shield to prevent contaminants and pollutants from entering the stream directly.
She said nine of 26 area municipalities have already passed the ordinance, and they believe others should be passed in the near future.
Officials from both the DEP and the Watershed said that increased awareness and efforts from people living in the area represents the best way for tackling some of the environmental issues facing waterways like the Millstone River.
”We need everybody’s help,” Ms. Coffey said.
