February 2020February 2020

WATER PAGES eNEWSLETTER

Green Infrastructure for the Raritan Riverin Highland Park, New Jersey

The Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE)Water Resources Program recentlycompleted several green infrastructureprojects in Highland Park, New Jersey.These projects demonstrate bestmanagement practices (BMPs) forstormwater management and promotepositive water quality in the Raritan Riverwatershed.

The projects included:

• A 500 sq. ft. rain garden and 1,300 sq. ft.of pervious pavers at Highland Park TeenCenter, designed with Rutgers LandscapeArchitecture student, Anna Erickson• Detention basin planting at Highland ParkHigh School and Middle School including2,500 native trees, shrubs, and perennials• Replanting and maintenance of existing400 sq. ft. rain garden at Highland ParkHigh School

Green infrastructure is designed tointercept stormwater and allowgroundwater infiltration, enhancing waterquality and managing runoff. In addition tocreating public green space, the plantsfound in rain gardens provide habitat fornative wildlife and support criticalpollinator species.

These projects could not have beencompleted without the support of our localpartners including the New Jersey Tree

Foundation, Borough of Highland Park,Anna Erickson and Richard Bartolone ofRutgers Department of LandscapeArchitecture, and the students and teachersat Highland Park High School and MiddleSchool. These projects were funded by a319(h) water quality grant and acommunity forestry grant from the NewJersey Department of EnvironmentalProtection.

Municipal Action Teams' Green Infrastructure

Initiative Updates

Camden SMART (Stormwater Management andResource Training) met on February 12th. The groupfocused on reviewing the work plan for 2020 while tryingto come up with clear and achievable objectives for theyear with more collaboration between partners. Partnersupdated on projects throughout the city. Rutgers updatedon the status of green infrastructure projects at CamdenTool and Higher Ground Church, which have beenapproved by owners and will be soon sent out tobid. Camden's rain barrel program continues with a newprogram focused on showing people how to build theirown rain barrels. The March meeting is canceled, so thenext monthly meeting is planned for Wednesday, April8th at 2PM at Camden County Municipal UtilitiesAuthority.

Gloucester City Green Team met on February 12th. Thegroup began discussing ideas for a new logo for the GreenTeam that Rutgers will be developing. Drafts of the logowill be shared at the next meeting, so please come if youwould like to give input on the design. The groupreviewed timing for the Gloucester City High Schoolproject that is planned for installation in the summer, andother projects are being looked into with the remaininggrant funding. The next monthly meeting is scheduled forWednesday, March 11th at 1PM at the Gloucester CityMunicipal Building.

Jersey City START (Stormwater Treatment andResiliency Team) members met on March 12th at 10AMat the JCMUA building. The group discussed upcomingconstruction details for the Columbia Park project. Theyalso discussed the CSO Long Term Control Plan and willbe requesting drafts of the final Selection of Alternativesreport. Public meetings to discuss the Climate Action Planfor Jersey City will be held throughout the city in thespring, with the first one being on March 3rd at 6:30PMat Congregation B'nai Jacob. Members also discussedprioritization of the following 2020 goals: a greeninfrastructure challenge, incentives for homeowners, andcreating a subcommittee for these goals. The nextmeeting will be at 10AM on Thursday, March 12th atJCMUA.

Newark DIG (Doing Infrastructure Green) met inNewark City Hall at 11AM on February 25,2020. Partners discussed future grants and fundingsources to ensure that green infrastructure projects inNewark are sustainable and maintained. The NewarkOffice of Sustainability shared preliminary plans for their

Municipal action teams havebeen formed to fostercollaboration and collectiveaction that helps themunicipality speak with acommon voice and achieve acommon goal whileadvocating for greeninfrastructure. Updates on thevarious municipal actionteams across the state arelisted in this newsletter.

Technical assistanceprovided to these municipalaction teams by the RCEWater Resources Program isfunded in part by the SurdnaFoundation, the PassaicValley SewerageCommission with supportfrom the New JerseyDepartment ofEnvironmental Protection(NJDEP), and our localpartners.

Camden SMART

Gloucester City Green Team

Harrison TIDE

Jersey City START

Newark DIG

Paterson SMART

Perth Amboy SWIM

Trenton Green InfrastructurePartners

spring events calendar including Earth Day (April 22,2020) and Arbor Day (April 24, 2020) celebrations,citizen tree training and planting, and riverfrontactivities. The City of Newark is now acceptingapplications for the 2020 Love Your Block Mini-Grantsprogram, with up to $5,000 grants available to beautifyand improve your block in Newark. Learn more online orat an informational session at various locationsthroughout the city in March. Public meetings to gatherfeedback about the Long Term Control Plan andcombined sewer overflow (CSO) issues will be held inApril 2020. Please visit NewarkDIG.org or find NewarkDIG on Facebook for more information. Newark DIGmeetings are held at 11AM on the fourth Tuesday ofevery month in Newark City Hall.

Paterson SMART (Stormwater Management andResource Training) did not meet in February. ThePaterson Green Team is currently seeking funding to helpsupport the continuation of the Adopt-A-Catch Basinprogram and plans to continue to work on the projectthrough 2020. The next meeting in March will beannounced via email by the City.

Perth Amboy SWIM (Stormwater InfrastructureManagement) met on February 19th at 2:30PM in theFaith Room of the Raritan Bay Area YMCA. Theyidentified existing and new green infrastructureopportunities to submit to CDM Smith and MiddlesexWater, such as the impervious cover reduction action planby the RCE Water Resources Program and the SupportDocument from NJ/NY HEP and eDesign Dynamics, tobe included in the Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) forgreen infrastructure practices. Members also discussedplans for the city to host a green infrastructuremaintenance workshop, making and submitting thenecessary edits to the Community Forestry ManagementPlan, and upcoming green infrastructure projects for thisyear. There will be a presentation on citizen sciencesampling results, tree canopy goals, and LTCP solutionson March 5th at 2PM, in the Faith Room of the RaritanBay YMCA. All Perth Amboy residents and anyoneinterested are encouraged to attend (there will berefreshments). There will be a rain barrel workshop at theJankowski Center on March 19th at 6PM, hosted by theLower Raritan Watershed Partnership. The next meetingwill be announced via email.

Trenton Green Infrastructure Partners (GIP) met onTuesday February 18th at 3PM at the Isles Youth BuildInstitute. Members finalized the 2020 work plan andcreated a task list. Upcoming green infrastructure projectsat City Hall and Edgewood Avenue Playground werediscussed, and signage for green infrastructure projects

was finalized. A subcommittee to review the draft of thenew Community Forestry Management Plan was created,and comments will be delivered to DVRPC. Plans forupcoming events this year such as Ciclovia and parkingare also currently in the beginning stages. The green teamis also working on plans to achieve Silver Status withSustainable Jersey, including establishing a green energyprogram and working on recycling/illegal dumping issuedthroughout the city. The next meeting in March will beannounced via email.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Programwater@envsci.rutgers.eduwww.water.rutgers.edu

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