Green Infrastructures Offer Solutions to Nine Impaired New Jersey Waterbodies

In 2022, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and Stevens Institute of Technology received a $788k grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for a collaborative project that addressed contaminant release into New Jersey waterbodies through stormwater runoff. 

The research team evaluated nine lakes listed as impaired under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and continued to monitor them from 2023 through 2026. Many of these waterbodies, including Weequahic Lake, were found to have chemicals such as phosphorus and nitrogen, commonly resulting from fertilizer use, exceeding standard levels, and contributing to harmful algal blooms (HABs).   

The team accordingly identified sources of nutrient loading for each waterbody and calculated pollutant loads based on land use and land cover in each watershed. They then ran hydrological models to estimate the volume of runoff and peak flows while accounting for filtration and used the data to determine the recommended pollutant-reduction percentages.  

To achieve these results, researchers developed Watershed Restoration Protection (WRP) Plans for each lake, using green infrastructures like rain gardens to address nonpoint source pollution. 

The Weequahic Lake WRP Plan includes a specialized rain garden with Stevens-patented Green Engineered Mulch (GEM). Typical rain gardens often fail to remove dissolved metals and phosphorus effectively. Commonly used filter materials in these green infrastructures have even been found to be sources of phosphorus pollution; however, GEM filters stormwater pollutants on-site.  

This project also prioritized educating the next generation of water resource professionals. Findings have been incorporated into traveling seminars, graduate classes at three universities on stormwater management, and internship programs at NJIT and Stevens. Multiple high school students near the lakes were offered internships, and town hall meetings in various communities informed residents about challenges in each watershed.  

Through these collaborative initiatives, NJIT, Rutgers, and Stevens prioritize innovative solutions to water restoration projects that prioritize the health and safety of local communities.