Repaupo Creek  – 1996 – 2005

The Repaupo Creek flooding problem is a serious problem as it affects over 400 homes and businesses in Logan and Greenwich townships in Gloucester County. The fix, though is complex engineering and legal wise, and expensive.  Many of the concerns and problems brought up in New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina are also present here. The South Jersey RC&D Council has assisted these local governments find solutions to this serious problem.

A little background……A number of levees were built in colonial times through the 1800’s to prevent flooding along the Delaware River in southern New Jersey. These levees also improved agricultural drainage to allow salt hay production and provided wildlife habitat. These levees were owned and managed by Meadow Bank Companies, which provided for their upkeep and maintenance from income from salt hay and trapping. One of these levees, the Repaupo Creek levees now protects over 400 homes and businesses in Logan and Greenwich townships, Gloucester County.

In modern times, the Repaupo Creek Meadow Bank Company, like many meadow bank companies, stopped maintaining their levees as monies were not available and permitting became onerous. Logan and Greenwich townships along with Gloucester County then stepped in to get state and federal help to protect their citizens from flooding.

Recent Repairs……. In 1962 a major Delaware River flood overtopped the existing levee and was repaired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under an emergency program.  The Natural Resources Conservation Service (then known as the Soil Conservation Service), following development of the Repaupo Creek Watershed Plan assisted the Repaupo Meadow Bank Company in the installation of the White Sluice tide gate system in 1964.  In April 1996, following numerous meetings with local officials, the Natural Resources Conservation Service issued Preliminary Estimates of Costs and Benefits of Alternative Solutions for Flood Damage Reduction for this vicinity.  The last levee break occurred in December 1996. It took over 4 weeks for the water to retreat to normal levels.  Greenwich Township has upgraded the fencing around the Repaupo Creek tidegate.  The Repaupo Creek tidegate structure was upgraded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1999 under an emergency program.  The upgrade is expected to have a service life of approximately 15 years.  Greenwich Township has also been removing brush and other woody vegetation from the levee and, since September 11, 2001, has installed security fencing to exclude the public from gaining vehicular access to the levee.

Crosswicks Creek Project – 2001 - 2003

The South Jersey RC&D Council was a sub-contractor to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) in its effort to develop a watershed management plan for the Crosswicks Creek and Blacks Creek Watershed Management Area 20. This watershed lies in parts of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties.  The DVRPC obtained funding from the NJ-DEP for this effort.  The Council helped develop the agricultural and open space component of the plan with the other involved partners.

An on-going organization, borne out of the Monmouth County Regional Environmental Planning Councils in the 1990s, is the Crosswicks/Doctors Creek Watershed Greenway Group (soon to become the Crosswicks Creek Watershed Association) formed to pursue education and conservation within the Watershed. Their website serves as a public information base for activities, events and plans occurring within the Watershed.

Organized educational and recreational trips for the watershed such as field and paddling trips may also be found at Friends for the Marsh. This site also contains a large and interesting photo gallery.

Cedar Lake "Partners for Wildlife" – 1999 to 2003

This project was a partnership of: US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, Cape-Atlantic Soil Conservation District, NJ Conservation Foundation, NJ  Department of Environmental Protection  Fish, Game, &Wildlife, and others. It is located in both Atlantic and Gloucester counties, New Jersey. It built new water control structures where failed dams sat. When completed, this project created a 40 plus acre shallow water wetlands, meeting our goals to prevent flooding and provide wildlife habitat. Prior to this construction, there was not a pool of water here, which is critical to migratory birds and other wildlife.

These early wildlife projects lead to the formation of Team Habitat in 2003.

South Jersey Recycling Projects – 1990 To 2000

This Council held two area wide recycling meetings in the early 1990’s. Total attendance exceeded 180 people. Over 20 corporations presented their recycling efforts and how the corporation could benefit the local municipality. Corporations attending included steel and aluminum can, paper, glass, hauling entities, and others.

The Council then demonstrated the uses of recycled plastics (i.e. old juice and milk containers) in the projects below:

Dudley Grange Park Picnic Shelter - 1996

The Dudley Grange Park Picnic Shelter located in Camden, New Jersey was constructed entirely from recycled HDPE (plastic lumber) and baby diapers (roofing panels). It was financed by the US Forest Service through an Urban Forestry grant. Phoenix Recycled Plastics of Philadelphia supplied the plastic lumber, while Camden County Parks supplied the labor. This shelter has room for 8 full size picnic tables. This shelter meets are goal of using new or old products in a new fashion. It provides outdoor enjoyment for the inner city area.  This shelter is the first of its kind in the United States made from recycled plastic lumber.

At the same time, the William Penn Foundation provided a grant for new landscaping. Landscape design was by Design with Horticulture and labor provided by Camden County Parks. The shelter is on the corner of Federal and Dudley Streets in Camden. A walk was begun using recycled roofing shingles.

Rowand Pond  - 1998 - 2000

The Council worked with the NJ Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife to repair a failed dam structure at the Rowan Pond Wildlife Management Area. This old mill pond had gone from a good fishing spot to a mosquito laden area.  With Camden County’s interest in recycling, we encouraged the USDA NRCS to design the replacement structure using the same plastic lumber used in the picnic structure at Dudley Grange Park. The spillway was completed in the summer of 1999. The Camden County Mosquito Commission then dredged areas of the pond as deep as 8-foot as an in-kind donation. In the spring of 2000 Rowan Pond was stocked with trout.  This was the first spillway built in the United States using recycled plastics.

Bear Creek "Partners for Wildlife" – 1995 to 1997

This project, located on the Mullica River in Atlantic County, was a partnership of: US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service; Cape-Atlantic SCD, NJ Conservation Foundation, NJ  Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), NJ  Fish, Game, &Wildlife, and others.. This partnership rebuilt a failed water control structure on a 40 acre impoundment. They chemically controlled the common weed Phragmites using a helicopter and Rodeo (an approved herbicide for water application).  Following the herbicide treatment, the NJ Fish and Wildlife and NJ Forest Service conducted a prescribed burn on the area.  The burn removed the dead vegetation in a controlled process. The USDA Plant Material Center in Cape May provided a number of new plants for the wetland.  The new water control device aided in encouraging the growth of the new plant material and resident plants. The Bear Creek site is now home to various ducks and Canada geese.  Eight wood duck houses were installed. Two families of wood ducks were seen during the spring and early summer months of 1997.

These early wildlife projects lead to the formation of Team Habitat in 2003.

Irrigation Water Management – 1987 - 1992

Prior to the use of weather stations, the Council, working with the Cape-Atlantic Soil Conservation District and Rutgers University, used a Campbell Pacific neutron probe to measure soil moisture in the field; an infrared thermometer to measure crop canopy temperature; irrigation system evaluation hardware; and irrigation scheduling software. This pilot project led to expansion in Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties. The demonstrated need for Irrigation Water Management for crop production and water conservation led to the development of an Irrigation Water Management position within the USDA NRCS.

Lake Rehabilitation Guide — 1988 to 1990

This Council received many requests for help in restoring local lakes. To help as many as possible, the Council developed a Lake Rehabilitation Guide for the local municipal leaders to use to improve the lakes within their jurisdictions. This guide combines technical information with a do-it-yourself process. A paper copy of this document is available for reprint.

Beverly Riverbank Restoration – 1984 to 1990

The Council worked with the Burlington County Soil Conservation District, the Burlington County, and the City of Beverly to stabilize several hundred feet of eroding shoreline along the Delaware River in the City of Beverly. This eroding bank was threatening a road and city park. Special New Jersey state legislation spearheaded by Senator Cathy Costa obtained the required $220,000 in funding. The USDA NRCS, working for this Council, developed the engineering solution and administered the construction project. The project was completed in the spring of 1990.

Smithville Lake Restoration – Early to mid 1980’s

This Council working with the Burlington County Soil Conservation District, Burlington County,  the New Jersey Green Acres fund, completed a recreation project on Smithville Lake. The project included a water control structure to maintain a constant pool of water. It constructed fishing piers and dredged parts of the lake to improve fishing.

Bridgeton Redevelopment – mid 1980s

During the mid 1980’s, this Council, working with a host of groups, helped with the redevelopment of the downtown Bridgeton in Cumberland County. The RC&D Program designed and constructed bulkheads along the Cohansey River. It also constructed fishing piers, comfort stations, and an amphitheater at Sunset Lake. This Council provided almost $900,000 towards the effort.

Turnmill Pond Dike Restoration – early 1980’s

The Council and NRCS provided designs and funding to repair this old dam in a New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Management Area.  The total cost of this project in the early 80’s was $325,000. The surface area of this pond is over 100 acres. This pond is used for boating, fishing and hunting.  The water control structure shown in the picture still looks good after 25 years