Site ID: MD01
Bedminster, Township, Somerset County
Stream Category: FW2-NT (Category 2, Non-trout waters)
Site monitors Middle Brook (North Branch Raritan River) subwatershed (HUC: 02030105060080)
The site is located upstream of the River Road bridge, North of the Confluence with the North Branch Raritan River. This site is located on private property.
What is being monitored at this site?
Each June, Raritan Headwaters scientists and volunteers visit 72 stream sites in the North and South Branch Raritan Watershed Region (WMA8) of New Jersey to collect data on the health of our streams. Data collected includes a sample of benthic macroinvertebrates (used to calculate the High Gradient Macroinvertebrate Index;HGMI score), an assessment of the habitat in and around the stream, and chemical conditions in the water. Chemical parameters include dissolved oxygen, phosphate, chloride, specific conductance, nitrate, turbidity, pH, and temperature. The HGMI is used by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to determine if the site is meeting state and national water quality standards under the Clean Water Act. Click here to learn more about our stream monitoring program and water quality reports.
Select a parameter below to view annual data. Hover over the chart to get more information.
The HGMI at MD01 was found to be good in 2019, which means it was not biologically impaired. Because MD01 has been consistently impaired based on the HGMI prior to 2019, however, it is part of our quarterly chemical monitoring program so that we can begin to identify and address the causes of impairment. This site is located within an agriculturally rich section of our watershed, which means that run off from farm fields as well as lack of riparian buffers are likely negatively impacting the water quality of this stream. The biggest water quality issue that we found at this site was high levels of phosphates in the water. Most of the anthropogenic phosphates in streams comes from stormwater run-off, wastewater treatment plants, and septic systems. High levels of nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates cause an overgrowth of bacteria and algae and eventually result in oxygen depletion. More sustainable farming practices and keeping an intact riparian buffer may help to increase water quality in this stream.
Many people take clean water for granted, but we know it takes vigilance and hard work to protect the water in our rivers, streams and homes.
And we can’t do it alone. We need your help to ensure that everyone within our reach has access to safe, clean water that is swimmable, fishable and, above all, drinkable.
Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA), Rutgers Cooperative Extension – Water Resources Program and NJ Water Supply Authority are excited to announce
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