Physiography and Topography

Kingwood is within the Piedmont Province of NJ, which is characterized by gently rolling hills.  The rocks of the Piedmont are of Late Triassic and Early Jurassic age.   

Today’s topography resulted from relatively recent erosion from a nearly flat plain.  The elevation ranges from 90 feet above mean sea level (adjacent to the Delaware River) to 560 feet.  Slopes greater than 15% are generally considered “steep slopes”.  Steeper slopes are more vulnerable to erosion.

Soils

                The soil is the unconsolidated mineral material on the immediate surface of the earth and which serves as the medium for growth of land plants.  The characteristics of each soil type have developed over time (usually many thousands of years).  Soil is a basic resource for food production, in addition to its essential role in collecting and purifying water before it enters the ground water.  However, soil itself can be a pollutant as dust in the air or as sediment in water.

                The US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) made soil surveys in 1974 to determine soil characteristics and capabilities and to help people understand soils and their uses (accurate within about 5 acres). 

            There are 56 different map units are present in Kingwood.  The ERI includes maps and a table of several important characteristics of these soils.  Depth to high water table is shown below as an example.  When viewed together, most soils in Kingwood have limitations from at least one of the following factors:  poor drainage, high water table, shallow bedrock or steep slopes.  The 1974 Soil Survey report also placed an emphasis on limitations of the ground water.

Water      

                Surface water is water that is visible above the ground surface, such as creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, and wetlands.  Ground water means that portion of water beneath the land surface that is within the zone of saturation (below the water table) where pore spaces are filled with water.  An aquifer is a water-bearing rock or rock formation where water is present in usable quantities. Water is constantly recycled through the hydrologic cycle.

The Aquifers in Kingwood Township

                Kingwood Township relies exclusively on ground water.  Kingwood, like most of the Piedmont Physiographic Province, is underlain by dense, almost impermeable, bedrock that yields water mostly from secondary porosity [Porosity is the measure of voids in soil or rock, which are available to hold water (like holes in a sponge).  Primary porosity is due to spaces between the soil or rock particles or within porous rock particles.  Secondary porosity is found in fractures in bedrock.  Aquifers with primary porosity store far more water than those with only secondary porosity.] and permeability provided by fractures.  Therefore, the distribution and orientation of these fractures controls the rates and directions of ground water flow.

                The aquifers in Kingwood Township consist of the Late Triassic Newark Group of sedimentary rocks in the shallow parts of the Stockton, Lockatong, and Passaic formation and diabase rocks.  Rocks near the land surface experience weathering, caused by freezing and thawing of water, which has widened fractures and dissolved some of the intergranular cement in the sedimentary rocks.  Rocks below the weathered zone, which is usually about 75 feet thick, have no primary porosity. 

            The Stockton, Lockatong, and Passaic formations are characterized by several layers of extensively fractured rocks (water-bearing units) that typically are 1 to 10 feet thick interbedded with layers of sparsely fractured rocks (confining units) that typically are 30 to 100 feet thick.  These geologic formations extend thousands of feet below ground, but the density of fractures decreases with depth.  Water-bearing, interconnected fractures are present only from the land surface to a depth of about 500 feet.  For this reason, wells extended beyond 500 feet usually do not increase well productivity (the extra storage provided by the greater length of the well bore-hole may be necessary, however, to supply enough water for the well’s intended use).  The aquifer consists of the whole 500 foot thick sequence of water bearing units and confining units. 

            The argillite rocks of the Lockatong formation and diabase rocks are among the poorest (lowest yielding) aquifers in NJ due to the scarcity of fractures.

            Movement of ground water is usually quite slow, on average; ranging from about one foot per day to perhaps ½ inch per month.  However, ground water in Kingwood, because it is present in fractures, can potentially move much more quickly.  The rates of movement in large fractures may approach those observed in surface streams.  A contaminant could travel quickly through fractures, with little soil contact to allow for filtration or degradation of pollutants.  Thus, a well located on a large fracture might have a very good yield, but may be highly susceptible to contamination.

            In 1995, the Kingwood Township Planning Board contracted Robert Hordon to analyze ground water data from the argillite formation of Kingwood Township (the Lockatong formation and the Lockatong red beds).  In summary:

Ø      Depth:  Well depths ranged from 100 to 800 feet, averaging 399 feet.  Newer wells are being drilled hundreds of feet deeper than 30 years ago.

Ø      Yield:  Well yields ranged from 0.125 gpm (one pint per minute) to 100 gpm.  The mean (average) was 9 gpm and the median (middle value) was 5 gpm.  Current yields are less than half of historic yields.

Ø      Drawdown during pump test:  Drawdowns varied from 0 feet to 699 feet.  The mean was 222 and median drawdown was 190 feet.  These numbers are very high, and provide evidence that the argillite is a poor aquifer.

Ø      Nitrate-nitrogen:  Nitrate-nitrogen values were available for 105 of the wells.  Many were below the detection limit, but the highest was 6.41 mg/L (the criteria for nitrate-nitrogen is 10 mg/L, however, any value over the natural background level of 2 mg/L is indicative of pollution, possibly from septics or fertilizer use).  Hordon used the Trela-Douglas dilution model to estimate the lot size required to allow infiltration of precipitation for maintaining a nitrate-nitrogen concentration less than 10 mg/L.  This model and other nitrate dilution models can be used to predict future nitrate levels under various planning scenarios.

Recharge

Ground water recharge is defined as water added to an aquifer (for example, precipitation that seeps into the ground).  A ground water recharge area is the land area that allows precipitation to seep into the saturated zone.  These areas are generally at topographically high areas with discharge areas at lower elevations, commonly at streams or other water bodies (i.e. the ground water returns to surface water).  Most ground water flows through the shallow layers of soil and weathered bedrock to the nearest stream.  A smaller percentage penetrates deeper and recharges the aquifer. 

            NJ Geological Survey developed a method which estimates g round water recharge (but not aquifer recharge), and is useful for evaluating the relative effect of present and future land uses on recharge areas.  There were a number of assumptions made for the calculations and model inputs which limit the accuracy of the method, such as the calculated ground water recharge includes any water entering the ground (lesser amounts actually enter the aquifer) and wetlands and water bodies were eliminated from analysis, because the direction of flow between ground water and surface water is site-specific and also varies seasonally, and this level of detail was beyond the scope of the study (these areas were assumed to provide no recharge or discharge and others.  Keeping these limitations in mind, the method estimated recharge rates from 1 to 16 inches per year in Kingwood, for estimated average annual subsurface recharge.  This represents 2 to 34% of precipitation.

            Other studies estimate that of this amount, only between 6 - 20% reaches the aquifer.  Using these estimates, Kingwood may have usable recharge of 0.06 to 3.2 inches of water added to ground water per year.  While it is unknown at this time which figure is closer to actual conditions in Kingwood, the general principle is this:  Recharge is limited.  Therefore, if withdrawals of ground water are greater than the recharge amounts, the aquifer would experience a continuous net reduction in the available water supply.

Ground Water Quality

                Pollution, such as nitrates, bacteria, metals, pesticides and antibiotics, can enter ground water via non-point sources (including septic systems and runoff from fields and roads), point sources (including discharge pipes), and rain.  The NJ Comparative Risk Project (2003) identified a number of possible human health risks from drinking water, including lead (which, when present, is usually from the plumbing (NJDEP, 2004)), radon, arsenic, MTBE, nitrates, and waterborne pathogens. 

            The NJ Private Well Testing Act (N.J.S.A. 58:12A-26 et seq.) became effective in September 2002.  The PWTA requires mandatory statewide private well testing upon the sale of a house.  A report summarizing the first year of data generated by the PWTA revealed that, out of 25 wells sampled in Kingwood Township, 6 wells (24%) exceeded a maximum contaminant level for a primary drinking water standard (2 for bacteria, 1 for nitrate, and 3 for arsenic) (compared to average exceedance rate of 8% statewide and 11% in Hunterdon County).  The report also concluded that: 1.) certain geologic formations in the Piedmont region contain layers that may leach arsenic into the ground water as it passes through, and 2.) wells drilled into bedrock aquifers are more susceptible to fecal coliform contamination than wells in the coastal plain.  In time, the data from the PWTA can be used to determine water quality trends and assessments of the safety of private well sources.  

            The NJ Geological Survey (NJGS) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are also involved in ground water monitoring and protection.

Known Contaminated Sites

The Known Contaminated Sites List for NJ 2001 are those sites and properties within the state where contamination of soil or ground water has been identified or where there has been, or there is suspected to have been, a discharge of contamination (note some may have been fully remediated, and new sites may not be included).  These include Magnesium Elekrton Inc., Barbertown Garage, DeRewal Chemical Company, 3 Hampton Road and the Forge and Anvil Tavern.  An additional 9 sites are known outside of Kingwood’s border but within subwatersheds shared with Kingwood.

There are 15 Underground Storage Tanks listed by NJDEP (8 within Kingwood, 7 within shared watersheds), 9 require no further action, 4 are assigned to a program, and 2 are awaiting assignment.  In addition, the Delaware River within Kingwood Township has been impacted by possible past and/or continuing inputs from the Lehigh River, Boarhead Farms (Upper Black Eddy, PA), Crown Vantage Landfill (Alexandria Township), and others.

Ground Water Level Monitoring

The ground water level is the distance from the land surface (i.e. top of well casing) to the water in a well.  Ground water level monitoring is critical for determining the current state of the ground water, identifying trends and predicting ground water drought.  Kratzer Environmental Services initiated ground water monitoring in one well in the Lockatong aquifer in March 1998.  The well selected is located in the Lockatong argillite geology, in Cain’s Run (also known as Warsaw Creek) watershed.  Preliminary data suggests that it takes only 4-12 hours for precipitation to begin to recharge this well, demonstating minimal water-filtration capacity and vulnerability to ground water contamination from surface pollution sources.

Seasonal variation in this well is about 11 feet.

Watersheds

                A watershed (or basin) is the land area within the confines of a drainage divide in which all surface runoff will drain into a river, river system, or body of water.  Watershed management is the process of managing and protecting all of the water resources within the area of a watershed, rather than on a site-specific basis. 

            All of Kingwood Township is within the Delaware River watershed.  Subwatersheds include the Nishisakawick, Little Nishisakawick, Copper, Warford, Cain’s Run, Tumble Falls, Lockatong and Wickecheoke Creek watersheds.

Surface Water Quality Standards

Surface water classifications are names assigned by the NJDEP to group waters according to designated uses (designated uses include potable water, propagation of fish and wildlife, recreation, agricultural and industrial supplies, and navigation) and water quality criteria.  The criteria are numerical targets for constituent concentrations (such as toxic pollutants) or narratives that describe in-stream conditions to be attained, maintained or avoided, so that the specified uses are protected for the different use classifications. 

            The entire length of Warford Creek has been adopted as a Category One (C1) designation.   NJDEP proposed an upgrade to C1 classification for a number of streams in 2003, including Little Nishisakawick Creek, Lockatong Creek, Nishisakawick and Wickecheoke Creek.  The C1 designation provides additional protections that help prevent water quality degradation and discourage development where it would impair or destroy natural resources and environmental quality.

Point Source Pollution

            Point source pollution refers to discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance.  There is only one such discharge existing within Kingwood Township, which is the Kingwood Township Elementary School sewage treatment discharge.  Frenchtown Boro’s municipal sewage treatment plant discharge is immediately upstream of Kingwood’s boundary, on the Delaware River.  Three other discharges are shown, but are not active (MEI, Hunterdon Industrial Gases, Frenchtown Properties).

Nonpoint Source Pollution

Nonpoint source or NPS pollution is any man-made or man-induced activity, factor, or condition, other than a point source, from which pollutants are or may be discharged.  When water flows off impervious surfaces, such as buildings, homes, parking lots and roads and through storm drains and ditches, this type of Nonpoint source pollution is known as stormwater.  As the velocity of water increases, the amount that can infiltrate into the soil and ground water is reduced and scouring and erosion increase. 

            In February 2004, the NJDEP instituted new stormwater management requirements that emphasize increasing ground water recharge and reducing nonpoint source pollution. 

Wetlands

                Wetlands are those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, commonly known as hydrophytic vegetation.  Hydric soils (see wetlands map) are those soils that are wet long enough to periodically produce anaerobic conditions, thereby influencing the growth of plants.

            For this GIS data layer, NJDEP mapped all freshwater wetland polygons greater than 1 acre in area and all linear freshwater wetland features greater than 10 feet in width.  This dataset is intended to serve as a resource for analysis rather than regulatory delineations.  In addition, updates to the maps may be made based on more in-depth analysis and field inspection for regulatory purposes.  In the map above, the maximum transition area widths of 150 feet are mapped, because the GIS data does not distinguish wetland values.  Only an official determination from NJDEP, called a Letter of Interpretation (LOI) can verify the presence, absence, or boundaries of freshwater wetlands and transition areas on a site.   

Surface Water Quality and Flow Monitoring

                Surface water quality data have been collected at sites on several streams and the Delaware River within Kingwood Township by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), NJDEP, USGS and non-profit groups.    

            When monitoring data show that streams exceed the surface water quality standards, NJDEP has regulations for Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) which set goals for reduction in pollution loads (or inputs) for those parameters for those streams.  Several streams in Kingwood will eventually have TMDLs developed for fecal coliform, total phosphorus, pH and/or dissolved oxygen.

Fish Consumption Advisories

                When toxic pollutants are present in surface water, they are consumed by the organisms that live in the water.  The process of bioaccumulation is when there is an increase in concentration of certain fat-soluble chemicals, such as DDT and PCBs, in successively higher trophic levels of a food chain or web.  This information is intended to help individuals make an informed choice on the number of meals of fish to consume.  Species with restrictions due to PCBs and dioxin include American eel, striped bass and channel catfish.  Species with restrictions due to mercury include largemouth and smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow and bullhead, sunfish and channel catfish.

The Landscape

Humans arrived in NJ at least 7,000 years ago.  An archeological study was done in 1996 at the site of the DeRewal Superfund site.  The study found more than 3,000 Native American artifacts, many dating back more than 1,000 years.  Europeans first began settling NJ as early as 1620 and extensively and repeatedly cut the forests down to use the wood, until only 14% of the land was forested in 1899.  The human population of NJ continued to grow, but the introduction of coal in 1850 began to allow the woodlands to recover to about 36% forest as of 1987.

            Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss are the highest ranking stressors of statewide ecological quality.  Certain species that require large expanses of intact habitat are becoming less common.  Other factors which impact ecological health include exotic species (e.g. the hemlock wooly adelgid (an insect which causes the decline and death of hemlock trees) and exotic diseases, overpopulations of deer and geese, and pollution.

            The largest portion of land in Kingwood Township is agricultural cropland and pasture, followed by deciduous forest (>50% crown closure), deciduous wooded wetlands, rural residential, agricultural wetlands and water.

Wildlife

                A variety of plant and animal species enjoy Kingwood Township’s diversity of habitat types, including uplands, wetlands and open water, although a catalogue of those specifically found within the boundaries of Kingwood has never been done.

            The largest herbivore living wild in NJ is the white-tailed deer.  Although the deer is a large animal, individuals tend to stay in a one square mile or less home range.

            Biologists have estimated that before the arrival of European settlers, there were about 8-11 white-tailed deer per square mile.  By the early 1900’s, NJ’s deer herd was reduced to a handful.  However, the adaptability of deer to human-altered habitats has resulted in the current overabundance of the species.  Studies have shown that deer densities of over 10-15 per square mile have negative impacts on native songbird and wildflower populations, while deer populations in excess of 20 per square mile prevent tree regeneration.  For comparison, NJDEP’s hunting figures for Deer Management Zones 10 and 11 (which encompass Kingwood and some surrounding areas) show that between 28 and 34 deer per square mile are taken by hunters each year, therefore populations are well over the ecological carrying capacity.

            Black bears are the largest omnivores and coyotes are the largest carnivores found in Kingwood Township.  The northern copperhead is the only venomous snake found in Kingwood.  Northern copperheads are active from May through October and prefer rotting woodpiles in rocky, wooded areas, including rocky talus slopes and forest habitats. 

Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species

                The health of an area’s animal and plant populations can be an indicator of the health and sustainability of the environment for people.  The decline or disappearance of one (or more) species may signal the deterioration of the habitat.  Other species, and human health and welfare, may soon follow.  Preserving the future of endangered and threatened species helps preserve our own species, benefiting human health and quality of life by protecting watersheds, preserving land in its natural state, and restoring wildlife habitat.  Many people also place an intrinsic value on all species. 

            A search of NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry Natural Heritage Database in November 2003 for rare species presently recorded in Kingwood Township revealed the documented presence of two critically imperiled bird species (red-shouldered hawk and vesper sparrow), one imperiled bird (bobolink), one rare bird (Cooper’s hawk), one threatened and one rare reptile (wood and map turtles, respectively), and one imperiled amphibian (long-tailed salamander).  Three imperiled or critically imperiled invertebrates are found within the township (a mussel and two damselflies), as well as 11 critically imperiled plants (pawpaw, willow-leaf aster, Nebraska sedge, Meads’ sedge, green violet, wafer ash, Torrey’s mountain mint, coarse grass-like beaked rush, Missouri gooseberry, beaked corn salad, narrow-leaved vervain) and 8 imperiled plants (purple giant hyssop, Hitchcock’s sedge, hairy lipfern, wild comfrey, lowland fragile fern, rock buttercup, veined skullcap, rock spike-moss).

The Landscape Project

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Division of Fish and Wildlife, Endangered and Nongame Species Program developed the Landscape Project.  The project’s goal is to protect NJ’s biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing rare wildlife populations within healthy, functioning ecosystems.  The dataset was created by intersecting endangered, threatened and rare animal species data with the 1995 Land Use / Land Cover GIS layer.  The resulting data layer identifies, delineates and ranks (based on the conservation status of species present) critical habitat statewide.  Each patch is coded for the number of special concern, state threatened, state endangered and federally listed species present. 

Natural Heritage Priority Sites

These Natural Heritage Priority Sites are considered some of the best and most viable occurrences of endangered and threatened plant and animal species and natural communities, but they do not cover all known habitats for endangered and threatened species in Kingwood Township.  They have been identified through the Natural Heritage Database by the NJDEP Office of Natural Lands Management (ONLM) as areas critically important for preservation of NJ’s biological diversity.  According to the ONLM, if these sites become degraded or destroyed, we may lose some of the unique components of our natural heritage.  Four such sites in Kingwood include Treasure Island, Devil’s Tea Table, Byram and Bull’s Island.

            The ONLM has also developed the Natural Heritage Grid Map, which provides a general representation of the locations of rare plant species and natural communities as of June 2002, including both historically and recently documented habitat.  The purpose of the Grid Map is to document rare plant species and natural community habitat to inform decision-makers who need to address the conservation of natural resources.  The map identifies potentially sensitive areas, and indicates where custom database searches are needed for land use decision-making.  The Grid Map does not include habitat for animal species, and not all areas have been surveyed. 

Exotic Species

                Exotic species (also called alien or introduced species) are a threat to natural areas.  Exotic species are those that have been introduced to an area intentionally or unintentionally by people; thus, they are not part of the original natural community. 

Some species adapt well to their new environment and proliferate.  They compete with native species for space, nutrients and light, and can result in the local elimination of native species.  As many as 25 percent of the plant species now present in NJ are exotic plants.  Some of these include the Norway maple, garlic mustard, multiflora rose, Canada thistle, autumn olive and Japanese honeysuckle.  Native plants can be susceptible to exotic diseases and insects, which they have not evolved resistance to.  Diseases have included the chestnut blight fungus and Dutch elm disease.  Exotic insects include the hemlock wooly adelgid, asian longhorned beetle, gypsy moth, and pine looper.  They weaken their host trees, which often succumb to successive years of infestation, to diseases carried by the insect pests, or other environmental stresses.

Historic Resources 

The area that is now Kingwood has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years.  The Township of Kingwood was established in 1746.  A number of structures and cemeteries date over 250 years old.  An active historical society aims to educate and archive historical information concerning the township and its inhabitants. 

Open Space

Township residents approved the establishment of a General Capital Fund and Open Space Tax to provide a stable source of funding for the preservation of the township’s agricultural base, rural character and natural resources. 

The 2000 Open Space and Recreation Plan established a goal of 2,100 acres of preserved open space, or 9.2% of the township’s land area.  To date, about 1,200 acres have been preserved or 5.2% of the township (112 acres owned by the Township; 433 acres owned or conservation easement owned by the state, a non-profit or Bd of Ed; 651 acres of preserved farmland).

Conclusion

            This ERI has summarized and presented the objective resource data available for Kingwood Township.  The data show that some areas are more sensitive to development impacts.  Following the recommendation of ANJEC, specific resource management options or recommendations are not included in this document. 

            However, the Township may use the information in this report to identify areas of specific concern which require additional protection strategies, such as further research and monitoring, public outreach and education, habitat restoration, easements, volunteer projects, and/or revised or new ordinances. 

Important Internet Resources

Kingwood Township’s Official Home Page:  http://www.kingwoodtownship.com

Kingwood Township Environmental Commission

twp.kingwood.hunterdon.nj.us/environmental_commission.html

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/

Hunterdon County Planning Board

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/planning.htm