All sources of nutrients that contribute to the deterioration of Barnegat Bay and its watershed should be identified and limited, according to a state-sponsored study.
Despite federal and state laws protecting Barnegat Bay wetlands, habitat deterioration and pollution appear to be on the rise, according to a study summary.
The study was conducted by scientists at The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and University of Delaware for the state Department of Environmental Protection.
It looked at sediment cores from bay tidal areas to learn how levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen changed over time and affected the ecosystem.
The Barnegat Bay watershed (Source: N.J. Department of Environmental Protection)
Here are some study findings:
- Levels of nitrogen in sediment increased toward the surface in three of the four cores collected, indicating an increase in nutrients from parts of the watershed. The nitrogen level in sediment doubled at the northernmost core site, beginning in the mid-1950s.
- Algal diatoms (microscopic organisms) point to major shifts toward more eutrophic (overfertilized) conditions, starting in the 1940 to 1950s time frame. That’s a sign of impacts from increasing population and land use in the northern part of Barnegat Bay. The southernmost core site is in a rural or semi-rural area and was the least affected.
- Wetlands in Barnegat Bay can sequester about 79 percent of the nitrogen and 54 percent of the phosphorus estimated to be entering the water from upland sources, illustrating the importance of maintaining and enhancing marshes.
- Salt marshes are vulnerable to inundation if the rate of sea level rise accelerates in the future.
Gov. Chris Christie’s administration is pursuing a 10-point plan for restoring the bay and defends the governor's environmental efforts.
But some environmental activists say the state must do more.
This view of Barnegat Bay from Seaside Park shows smoke from controlled burning and a setting sun (file photo by Doug Hood)
