Township of Byram Lake Management Summary NJ Highlands Council MP3 Program

Transcription

1 Township of Byram Lake Management Summary NJ Highlands Council MP3 Program Submitted to: Township of Byram Stanhope, NJ Submitted by: F. X. Browne, Inc. Lansdale, PA

2 Township of Byram Lake Management Summary NJ Highlands Council MP3 Program Submitted to: Township of Byram 10 Mansfield Drive Stanhope, NJ Submitted by: F. X. Browne, Inc South Broad Street P.O. Box 401 Lansdale, PA (215) FXB Project No. NJ

3 Table of Contents Title Page Executive Summary... i 1.0 Introduction Byram Township Objectives Highlands Council Objectives Existing Lake Management Programs Lake Management Programs in Byram Township Lake Monitoring Existing In-Lake Management Programs Municipal Planning in Byram Township Township Ordinances and Regulations Township Planning Documents Highlands Council Planning Lake Management Recommendations Lake Monitoring Programs Changes to Existing Programs Model Township-Wide Monitoring Program Lake Management Plans Municipal Planning Stormwater Ordinance Township Stormwater Management Plan Tree Ordinance Riparian Buffer Ordinance Natural Landscaping/Noxious Weed Ordinance Pet Waste Ordinance Wildlife Feeding Ordinance Phosphate Ban Ordinance Land Carrying Capacity Planning In-Lake Management Aquatic Weed Control Alum Treatment Chemical Algae Treatment Lake Aeration Lake Dredging Invasive Species Management Watercraft and Vehicle Use Wastewater Management Septic System Management Programs Township Soil Suitability Mapping Decentralized Wastewater Systems Alternative Wastewater Systems Stormwater Management...46

4 3.6 Other Watershed Management Practices Streambank and Shoreline Stabilization Riparian Corridor Restoration Agricultural Management Nuisance Waterfowl Control Golf Course Management Road, Driveway, and Trail Maintenance Public Education and Outreach Program Byram Township Action Plan Action Plan Funding Options Watershed Management Organization/ Environmental Committee References...58 Table of Figures Figure Page 1 The Lakes of Byram Township Preliminary Plan for Highlands Land Capability Map Total Lake Aeration Example of a Soil Suitability Map Comparison of a centralized and decentralized wastewater system Typical Cross Section of an Elevated Sand Mound System Infiltrator Chamber Distribution System Typical Drip Irrigation System Layout Typical Constructed Wastewater Treatment System Recirculating Sand Filter Schematic...45

5 Executive Summary This summary report is being undertaken by Byram Township as part of the New Jersey Highlands Council Municipal Partnership Pilot Projects (MP3) program. The MP3 program provided grants for seven case studies to investigate key areas of concern in coordination with Highlands region municipalities. The information gathered during the Pilot Projects will assist in the development of the Highlands Regional Master Plan. Byram Township is one of eight municipalities participating in the MP3 program. The key issues of concern for Byram Township are lake management and center development. The lakes in Byram Township serve as headwaters for important drinking water sources in northern New Jersey. Protecting these source waters and the watershed areas within Byram Township are a high priority for both the Township and the Highlands Council. Byram Township has long been proactive in its watershed protection efforts. Byram Township has already come a long way in commissioning studies, implementing lake management measures, and enacting regulations for the protection of the natural resources in the Township. The following Action Plan is designed to further the lake management efforts in Byram Township. The items in the Action Plan are organized with the most readily implemented items listed first. It is important to note that certain items lower down in the list, for example, the soil suitability mapping, are high priority items, but may require more funding and planning than items at the top of the list. The Action Plan consists of the following elements: 1. Require septic system inspections whenever a house is sold, planning board approval is sought, or a building permit is issued. Also require a 200-foot notification prerequisite for applications to install, replace, or repair a septic system or well. 2. Develop and adopt a Stormwater Management Ordinance. 3. Enact other municipal ordinances that would help enhance the quality of Byram Township s lakes, including a tree ordinance, riparian buffer ordinance, natural landscaping/noxious weed ordinance, pet waste ordinance, phosphate ban ordinance, and wildlife feeding ordinance. 4. Broaden the scope of the existing Septic System Management Program to encompass the entire Township. 5. Approve legislation banning PWCs on Byram Township lakes and ponds. If this is not possible, implement a noise or vehicle use ordinance to restrict PWC access in sensitive areas and reduce the disturbance of lakeshore property owners. Byram Township Lake Management Summary i NJ January

6 6. Post signs at public access points to the lakes within Byram Township warning users to avoid spreading invasive aquatic plants and providing tips on reducing the negative impacts of boats and vehicles to the lakes. 7. Develop a Public Education and Outreach Program to encourage property owners, business owners, government officials, and developers to become active partners in the conservation of the natural features of the Highlands Region. 8. Organize a Lake Awareness Day, or include workshops at the annual Byram Day to educate Township residents about lake management efforts. Educational programs should also be developed for the local schools. 9. Initiate watershed investigations to identify stormwater management opportunities, streambank erosion problems, riparian buffer restoration opportunities, and other potential sources of water quality problems. 10. Perform a Township Soil Suitability Mapping Project to help guide onsite wastewater management efforts within the Township. 11. Based on the Soil Suitability Mapping, evaluate decentralized wastewater management for those areas that are not suitable for conventional septic systems. 12. Create a Township-wide lake monitoring program. The Township should develop a volunteer monitoring manual and should purchase a set of water quality monitoring equipment for use by lake associations. 13. Develop a weed watch program with volunteers to help prevent the spread of invasive plant species in Byram Township. 14. Develop Lake Management Plans for each of the Township s lakes. 15. Implement watershed Best Management Practices to address the nonpoint source problem areas documented during the watershed investigations. The Byram Township Environmental Committee should work together with members of the Township s Lake Associations and other stakeholders to form a Watershed Watch group. The group should coordinate their efforts to implement the recommendations of this report, seeking funding from such sources as EPA's 319 Nonpoint Source Program, the Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program (EIFP), the Water Quality Byram Township Lake Management Summary ii NJ January

7 Management Planning Pass-Through Grant Program, and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Byram Township Lake Management Summary iii NJ January

8 1.0 Introduction Byram Township covers more than square miles of Sussex County in Northern New Jersey. Byram is known as "The Township of Lakes", having more than two dozen lakes and ponds, as shown in Figure 1. The lakes and ponds in Byram Township constitute the headwaters of three important watersheds: the Musconetcong, the Pequest and the Wallkill watersheds. Several of these lakes and ponds are surrounded by established lakeside communities, each with their own unique character. The largest of these communities include Cranberry Lake, Lake Lackawanna, Forest Lake, Johnson Lake, Panther Lake, and Lake Mohawk. 1.1 Byram Township Objectives Byram Township has long been proactive in its watershed protection efforts. The Township has undertaken several comprehensive planning initiatives, including the Byram Township Master Plan, Smart Growth Plan, and Natural Resource Inventory, in efforts to characterize the Township s natural resources and guide the Township s growth so that its natural resources are adequately protected. The key issues of concern for Byram Township are lake management and center development. The lakes in Byram Township serve as headwaters for important drinking water sources in northern New Jersey. Protecting those source waters and the watershed areas within Byram Township are a high priority for both the Township and the Highlands Council. 1.2 Highlands Council Objectives On August 10, 2004, the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act went into effect. The law is implemented by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, a public body charged with developing a regional master plan, performing land use functions and protecting the region's critical environmental areas and high resource lands. The goals of the Highlands Act are to: Protect and conserve drinking water - quality/quantity Protect natural and cultural resources Preserve land in its natural state including farmland and historic sites Promote compatible agricultural, horticultural, recreational, and cultural uses Discourage incompatible and inappropriate development Promote a sound and balanced transportation system Encourage appropriate patterns of development and economic growth Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 1 NJ

9 Figure 1: The Lakes of Byram Township Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 2 NJ

10 This summary report is being undertaken by Byram Township as part of the New Jersey Highlands Council Municipal Partnership Pilot Projects (MP3) program. The MP3 program provided grants for seven case studies to investigate key areas of concern in coordination with Highlands region municipalities. The information gathered during the Pilot Projects will assist in the development of the Highlands Regional Master Plan. Byram Township is one of eight municipalities participating in the MP3 program. Byram Township was included in the case study because of the importance of its lakes to the Highlands region and because the Township has the simplest and most thorough Septic Management Program in the region. The goal of this summary report is to analyze the existing lake management programs within Byram Township (including lake monitoring, in-lake management, and Township ordinances and regulations), and to put forth recommendations for improving lake management within Byram Township and the Highlands Region as a whole. Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 3 NJ

11 2.0 Existing Lake Management Programs 2.1 Lake Management Programs in Byram Township Lake Monitoring Several of the Township s lakes have been the subject of water testing or other monitoring. The following is a summary of some of the major studies: 1976 Pytlar Thesis: A Study of Six of Byram s Lakes, by a Rutgers graduate student. The study concluded that all six lakes (Cranberry, Lackawanna, Forest, Roseville, Stag, and Panther) were mildly eutrophic and that any further decline will depend largely upon human activity in the lake and watershed Lake Study, by the Byram Township Environmental Commission, measured various chemical and physical properties of Cranberry, Lackawanna, Forest, and Mohawk, the most heavily developed lakes. The study found that Forest Lake was the most impacted of the four study lakes by stormwater runoff. Lake Mohawk was found to act as a nutrient sink with the aquatic vegetation trapping many of the nutrients in the lake. Cranberry Lake and Lake Lackawanna were less eutrophic than the other two. These conclusions were contradictory to other studies that showed Cranberry Lake and Lackawanna Lake as being typically more eutrophic than Forest Lake. All of the lakes appeared to be impacted by road salt runoff Study of Cranberry Lake, by Coastal Environmental Services, was an EPA 314 Clean Lakes Program Diagnostic Feasibility Study. Byram Township Environmental Commission members performed testing and helped administer the study, which was the basis for obtaining a three-year $200,000 USEPA lake management grant for drainage improvements, weed harvesting, community education, and a sensitive land use plan. Nutrient loadings were calculated and a septic leachate detector study was conducted as part of the study. The 1992 Study also resulted in a second implementation grant of $350,000 for dredging a small cove. Cranberry Lake Septic Management District Survey. Septic snooper tests conducted under the 1992 Feasibility Study showed three general areas where septic effluent was reaching the lake. Other in-lake water quality tests were performed for the feasibility study and later during lake management work to show the eutrophic quality of the lake. To help measure the effectiveness of the Septic Management Program, in the mid 1990s an informal survey was conducted of Township septic files for Cranberry Lake properties, which showed that a substantial number of the Lake s homeowners had either repaired or replaced their systems since the inception of the program. It was assumed that many of these repairs resulted from the educational materials sent out as part of the Septic Management Program and from the requirement that homeowners locate and map their systems. Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 4 NJ

12 MTBE testing at Cranberry Lake, The NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the NJ Geologic Survey conducted in-lake and well testing around Cranberry Lake, following a small spill in one of Cranberry s neighborhoods. While the concentrated area of contamination was remediated with filtration systems in affected homes, the study showed that the entire lake was characterized by low-level MTBE contamination, probably from motor boats and jet skis, and that connections between the lake and neighborhood wells and the intensive pumping of groundwater for the community s 500 residents resulted in similar low levels in the approximately 14 Cranberry wells where a series of readings were taken (readings ranged from 0.1 to 3 ug/l, with an average of 0.4). Records of this study are in Township Environmental Commission files. No follow-up measures were taken. Lake Lackawanna Non-Point Source (NPS) Pollution Control Study, Byram Township received a Public Education and Outreach Grant from the NJDEP to fund a study to determine the costs and benefits of controlling NPS pollution at Lake Lackawanna by extending sewer service into the area or by implementing a septic management plan. The study by Thonet Associates involved a cost-benefit analysis of projected NPS pollution under current and build-out conditions, and investigating several options for sewer extensions. The study concluded that although implementation of a septic management plan and sewer extension would yield immediate and long-term water quality benefits, these measures would not significantly change the appearance of the lake and the need for active management would continue. The study also concluded that extension of sewers would increase the development potential of the lake area and the resulting increased development would increase nutrient inputs and off-set the water quality benefits of the sewer system. An alternative of extending limited sewers to serve only the existing homes and infill lots in the Lake Lackawanna area was ruled out since the ability of this option to be strictly limited was considered unlikely and could increase the development potential in the area. Lake Mohawk Monitoring Report, The Lake Mohawk Country Club has initiated an annual Lake Mohawk Monitoring Program and contracted with Princeton Hydro, to manage the testing and reporting program. The master plan identified the primary cause of the lake s continuing eutrophication to be excessive phosphorus loading from stormwater runoff, internal recycling of lake sediments and loading from septic systems. The 2002 report presented results for a variety of water characteristics. In spite of the existing destratification aeration system that was installed in the lake, the lake still suffers from some anoxic conditions near the lake bottom, potentially allowing for internal phosphorus loading and deep-water algal blooms. The mean surface total phosphorus concentration was 0.04 mg/l, which is above the US EPA threshold of 0.03 mg/l for a eutrophic lake, but less than 0.06 mg/l threshold established in the Lake Mohawk Management Plan. The mean bottom water total phosphorus concentration was mg/l, which is below the 0.10 mg/l threshold established in the Lake Mohawk Management Plan. Dissolved organic phosphorus concentrations were consistently low, less than 0.02 mg/l throughout the 2002 season. Water clarity Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 5 NJ

13 suffered somewhat in August 2002, with Secchi disc readings less than 1 foot in the coves and shoreline areas caused by a blue-green algae bloom; but for the rest of the summer, Secchi depths were 3 feet or more. The overall phytoplankton community dynamics of Lake Mohawk followed a pattern that is typical of eutrophic lakes. Bluegreen algae, and to a lesser extent green algae, were responsible for the nuisance conditions in August. Overall water quality conditions were generally acceptable through the 2002 season. Coliform testing at public swimming areas. For the last 15 years, Sussex County sanitarians have tested public swimming areas during the summer. These tests have shown occasional episodes of high coliform counts, typically the result of either nearby septic problems or Canada geese. Commercial recreational lakes do their own testing, with occasional spot-checks by the County. Other Lake Studies: Other than the studies listed, there has been no formal, comprehensive monitoring of the lakes in Byram Township. The assumption is that they all remain in various stages of eutrophication, that septic management is a necessary and effective strategy, that better zoning and land-use practices will positively affect the lakes, and that improved stormwater systems should continue to be implemented Existing In-Lake Management Programs Lake Management Programs have been initiated at several of the lakes in Byram Township. These programs are described below: Cranberry Lake: Cranberry Lake has obtained approximately $550,000 since the 1992 Feasibility Study to undertake a series of lake management strategies including retrofitting of all drainage basins, dredging, in-lake testing, and mechanical weed harvesting. The Cranberry Lake Community Club pays a private company for chemical weed control, which includes some water quality monitoring. One cove of Cranberry Lake with serious siltation and nuisance weed growth was dredged several years ago. Weed harvesting was also tried on Cranberry Lake; it was very successful but expensive. Byram Township is currently considering buying a harvester that could be used on all of the lakes, but they are trying to work out details such as who runs the harvester, scheduling, and other issues. A small gasoline spill occurred on Cranberry Lake several years ago, which resulted in the contamination of several residential wells. Filtration systems were installed in the affected homes but in the course of examining this episode, low levels of MTBE (a gasoline additive) were detected throughout the lake itself and in a number of wells in various Cranberry Lake neighborhoods. The US Geological Survey and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection conducted a series of well tests and produced a pamphlet detailing the results. Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 6 NJ

14 Lake Lackawanna: Lake Lackawanna does not do its own water monitoring; however, their weed control vendor, Allied Biological, does some testing. Limited water quality analyses and a macrophyte survey are included in the monitoring program. LLIC is proposing a small weed harvesting/dredging program in one of its coves. Lake Mohawk: The Lake Mohawk Country Club has an active lake management program and a Lake Master Plan. As part of the 2002 Phosphorus Management Program, the stormwater control system around the lake was updated, including nineteen siltation basins around the lake. An innovative, in-lake alum dosing system was also installed in the lake to bind alum with phosphorus, reducing the phosphorus levels available for algae. The dosing system is designed to release alum at a rate equal to the inflowing phosphorus loading. Additionally, an alum blanket was applied in two separate years in an effort to control nutrient recycling from the sediments. The lake has benefited from a five-fold decrease in phosphorus levels. A destratification aeration system was installed in the deepest parts of the lake to ensure complete mixing, thus maintaining dissolved oxygen levels and further facilitating the alum blanket functions. The Country Club has also engaged in a thorough public outreach and education program, coupled with restrictions on phosphorus fertilizers and household products and requests to the local golf course for integrated pest management practices. The Mohawk Lake Country Club entered into a septic management program in both Sparta Township and Byram Township, much like the Cranberry Lake program. Township-Wide Programs: The Byram Township Environmental Commission is discussing ways to facilitate mechanical harvesting of weeds to diminish the quantities of chemical herbicides applied in the Township lakes. Eurasian Milfoil Harvesting Source: Cedar Eden, LLC Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 7 NJ

15 2.2 Municipal Planning in Byram Township Township Ordinances and Regulations Byram Township has a number of existing ordinances and regulations that are designed to preserve and protect the water quality and critical areas within the Township. Each ordinance or regulation is listed and summarized below. Septic Management Program Ordinance BH This ordinance was originally passed by the Township Board of Health in 1990 to encompass 525 homeowners in the Cranberry Lake neighborhood. It was amended for minor issues in 1998, and amended in 2005 to also include the 312 homeowners in the Lake Lackawanna neighborhood. The ordinance requires that all homeowners: submit to-scale plot plans of their parcels showing the location and nature of their septic systems; submit proof that they are pumping their systems on a 3-year cycle; and pay a $15 program fee to the Township each time they submit proof of pumping. In addition, the ordinance requires that the Township provide homeowners with educational materials about septic system management at the start of the program and imposes possible penalties of $100 per violation plus $25 per day of the violation after the Township issues a notice of violation. The ordinance provides a waiver process based on annual certifications by a licensed pumper that the system does not need pumping, but no pumping schedule shall exceed once every six years unless there are proven extenuating circumstances. Lake Mohawk Septic Management District Ordinance BH This ordinance was adopted by the Townships of Byram and Sparta on the recommendations of the Lake Mohawk Country Club (LMCC), which governs this lake neighborhood lying mostly in Sparta Township. LMCC administers the program and the Townships enforce it. The ordinance requires that all homeowners: apply for licenses to operate their septic systems; submit to-scale plot plans of their parcels showing septic location; and submit proof that they are pumping their systems on a 3-year cycle. In addition, the ordinance requires that the Township provide homeowners with educational materials about septic management and imposes possible penalties of up Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 8 NJ

16 to $100 for each violation plus $25 per day of the violation after the Township issues a notice of violation. The ordinance provides a waiver process based on annual certifications by a licensed pumper that the system does not need pumping. Lawn Fertilizer Ordinance BH This ordinance was passed on the recommendation of the Lake Mohawk Country Club (LMCC) to ban the use of fertilizers containing phosphorus (new turf is exempted for the first growing season). In addition: lawn fertilizers may not be applied when the ground is frozen; fertilizers may not be applied within 10 feet of any wetland or body of water; and leaves and other vegetative materials are not to be deposited on roads or in stormwater drainage systems in the lake. The ordinance provides possible penalties of $200. Tract Disturbance Ordinance Ordinance This ordinance provides for reasonable control of development within critical areas, which are defined as surface water, wetlands, steep slopes, ridgelines and hillcrests, and floodplains. It applies to all applications for development and approval, including subdivisions, site plans, and building permits. Roadway or utility projects undertaken by a government entity, farming as defined in the State Right to Farm Act, and forestry activities related to an approve State Forest Service Forest Management Plan are exempt. Conservation easements/deed restrictions are required for all critical areas inside or outside the area of tract disturbance. All subdivision plats shall reference such easements. Proximity to Waterways Ordinance This ordinance requires that all parcels having frontage on a lake shall meet the minimum lot area requirements of at least the R-2 zone (minimum 40,000 square foot lot size plus greater setbacks), rather than the R-3 (20,000 square foot) or R-4 (10,000 square foot) zones historically typical of the lake communities. This ordinance also requires that all structures (except docks, etc.) be at least one foot above the 100-year floodplain and otherwise not obstruct water flow. In addition, erosion and sedimentation control plans must be in place before any structure is constructed within 75 feet of any lake, stream, or natural watercourse. Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 9 NJ

17 Conduct Article II, adopted 12/19/79 This regulation prohibits the placement of anything in any water bodies, storm sewers, or adjacent to any park that could pollute those waters. Smart Growth Regulations and Standards Ordinance The goals of this ordinance include preserving lake communities and rural environs. Residential schedule of space regulations 240 Attachment 1 These regulations require a minimum setback of building envelopes from surface waters, including wetlands of 100 feet in the R-1 zone, 75 feet in the R-1A zone, 50 feet in the R-2 zone, 35 feet in the R-3 zone, and 40 feet in the R-4 zone. The setback is measured from the 100-year flood line. Open space requirements for subdivisions in all residential zones various ordinances The open space regulations that are included in various Township regulations require that developers must show that the open space provisions are expected to promote one or more objectives, including conservation of natural features such as streambeds, lakes, ponds, protection of floodplains, and preservation of significant/sensitive views. Byram Township Stormwater Management Ordinance The Township is currently developing a Stormwater Management Ordinance. The ordinance is expected to be adopted in the spring of Byram Township Tree Protection Ordinance The Byram Township Environmental Commission has drafted a Tree Protection ordinance for Planning Board and Council review that aims at controlling excessive lotclearing in new subdivisions and existing residential lots, especially around the Township s lakes Township Planning Documents Over the past decade or more the Township has produced several major environmental and planning documents that address, among other issues, the protection and management of the Township s many lakes, with particular concern for sustaining the half dozen lakes that are heavily developed. The most recent of these, the 2004 Master Plan, draws together many of the recommendations in the prior documents and calls for major zoning changes through Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 10 NJ

18 ordinances that emphasize environmental protection and the preservation of Township and neighborhood character. Each of the Township s planning documents are listed and described briefly below. Natural Resources Inventory, 1994 This document, prepared by the Byram Township Environmental Commission, gathered substantial information about existing and potential sources for contamination of surface waters and groundwater, including water testing and lake management studies from the early 1980s. Chapter 5, Water Resources, emphasizes the importance of protecting surface water and groundwater quantity and quality in Byram Township. Chapter 7 contains recommended planning practices and ordinances from the Township Planner and the Environmental Commission. These include: requiring 100-foot buffers around all water bodies; prohibiting development within 100-year floodplains; installing better stormwater controls that emphasize natural structures and pollution control; minimizing tree removal, in particular around lakes; establishing more cautious zoning and planning procedures for the lake communities, including restrictions on house size on small lots or on inadequate septic systems; and prohibiting disturbance on steep slopes and ridgelines. Lubbers Run Greenway Project: A Stream Corridor Study, 1997 with 2000 update This document, prepared under a grant obtained by the Byram Township Environmental Commission, discusses land use and environmental protection within the watershed of the Township s most important stream, Lubbers Run. Many of the recommendations in this Study also pertain to lakeshore and lake watershed land use. Specifically included in the Study is Lake Lackawanna, a dammed portion of Lubbers Run, its Wolf Lake tributaries, and Jefferson Lake, which drains directly to Lubbers Run. (Two other smaller lakes in Byram Township Tomahawk and Dallis were also created by damming Lubbers Run.) Major emphases of the Study include: emphasis on the beauty of the stream corridor and its viewsheds; protection of sensitive ecological communities; best management practices; and improved land use practices. Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 11 NJ

19 Open Space Plan, 2000 The Open Space and Recreation Plan compiled by the Morris Land Conservancy and the Byram Township Open Space Committee establishes project areas that aim to preserve the large undeveloped forested tracts between Byram Township s compact neighborhoods. The Plan also aims to establish trailways and greenways that protect important corridors and connect all of Byram Township s residential, commercial, and civic areas by foot or bicycle. The goals of the plan include: preserving the character and special sense of place of the Township s historic areas; preserving the character and special sense of place of the Township s lakeside communities; maintaining the essential rural character and amenity of the Township by guarding against degradation and destruction of woodlands, steep slopes, lakes and waterways, areas of natural beauty, sensitive environmental areas, productive agricultural areas, and important historic places; and protecting stream corridors, wetlands, woodlands, steep slopes, groundwater recharge, lakes, and other environmentally sensitive lands and waters through the development of local ordinances. The Plan also points out the need to decrease and restrict new impervious surface surrounding the lakes to minimize the amount of stormwater runoff entering the ecosystem and protect the lakes from further degradation. Smart Growth Plan, 2002 Prepared by Township Planners from Heyer, Gruel & Associates under a State Smart Growth Grant, this Plan emphasized a new approach for the Township and was the basis for the new Master Plan. In accordance with the NJ State Development and Redevelopment Plan, the Township s Smart Growth Plan established a Village Center land use plan (along a portion of Route 206) and a preservation plan for the Environs (the Township s lakes and lake communities and broad expanses of undeveloped land between them). The Smart Growth Plan supports the designation of Byram Township as PA 4 and 5 and the location of the Township within the Highlands project area. The Township s Village Center was officially designated by the State Planning Commission on May 19, The Center is approximately 600 acres and occupies about 2 percent of Byram Townships land mass. The remainder of the Township is now officially within the Highlands Preservation Area. The Smart Growth Plan notes that the Township will prepare a separate Lake Development Plan, under a Smart Growth grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions. Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 12 NJ

20 Lakefront Development Plan, September 2003 Prepared by Township Planners from Heyer, Gruel & Associates under an ANJEC Smart Growth grant, this document describes and maps existing conditions, including zoning, at the Township s six most heavily developed lakes Cranberry, Lackawanna, Mohawk, Forest, Johnson, and Panther. It identifies environmental constraints and critical planning issues, relates the Lakefront Development Plan to the Township s Smart Growth Plan, Open Space Plan, and Lubbers Run Greenway Project, reviews State regulations for lake districts, and makes specific recommendations, including: zoning changes and design standards to protect the lakes and maintain neighborhood character; septic management for all lake neighborhoods; open space preservation strategies; public education; and lake management plans for each lake. The Lakefront Development Plan also discusses the importance of protecting the Township s Environs, which are characterized by large expanses of undeveloped land, mostly forested, lying between the compact lake neighborhoods. The Lakefront Development Plan, like the Township s other planning documents, aims at sustaining and improving the lake neighborhoods while limiting development in the environs. Byram Township Master Plan, 2004 Prepared by Township Planners from Heyer, Gruel & Associates under an ANJEC Smart Growth Grant, this document establishes Smart Growth goals and strategies for Byram Township and encompasses the recommendations from the earlier planning documents described above. The introduction and vision emphasize the Township s natural beauty and tight-knit neighborhoods, most of which are settled around the largest of it two dozen lakes and ponds, and the importance of maintaining neighborhood character and water quality. The Goals and Objectives of the Master Plan are to: Maintain the traditional character of each lake community, including preserving the environmentally sensitive areas and undeveloped forests surrounding these communities, which together establish Byram s distinct land use pattern. Minimize the impact of development on Byram s extensive forestlands, waterways, and wildlife. Encourage the preservation of the Township s historic and cultural resources, including scenic views, forests, ridges, waterways, and rural roadways. Support the State Development and Redevelopment Plan and the Highlands Act, which direct carefully planned growth to Byram s designated Village Center and Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 13 NJ

21 call for very limited development in the remaining Environs and the Highlands Preservation Core. Protect stream corridors, wetlands, woodlands, steep slopes, groundwater recharge areas, lakes, ponds and other critical areas through the enforcement of local ordinances. Protect and upgrade water quality in Byram s lakes and ponds and groundwater through enhanced land use controls, open space acquisitions, better stormwater management, and septic-management programs. Minimize the visual impact of residential, commercial, and public development projects on the natural environment. The Land Use and Zoning Plan of the Master Plan calls for increasing most residential lot sizes in the Environs to 5- or 10-acre and establishes an Open Space Zone for preserved parcels. It leaves in place small-lot zoning in already-built neighborhoods, including the lakes, but requires one acre lots whenever new lots are created that depend on septic systems and wells and requires that lakeside lots meet the standards of the 40,000 square-foot zone (even when the neighborhood zoning is 20,000 or 10,000 square feet). The Revised Residential Bulk Standards of the Master Plan establishes more restrictive lot disturbances and building coverages, establishes minimum setbacks from all surface waters (including wetlands) ranging from 50 to 100 feet from the 100-year flood line, and calls for a 10-foot-wide vegetated buffer along at least 80% of the water s edge. The Conservation Recommendations of the Master Plan cites the Byram Lakefront Development Plan for its recommendations to protect water quality and lake health, as well as neighborhood character and notes that it should be considered Township planning policy. It specifically cites the Lakefront Development Plan s recommendation for septic management at all lake communities and calls for each lake to prepare and adopt a lake management plan. Other conservation recommendations in the Master Plan call for: an improved, cohesive stormwater management plan; a reduction in the sewer service area coinciding with the Designated Village Center to help contain sprawl (including major expansions of the lake community boundaries or increases in the density of housing there); a dam safety program (all Township lakes are dammed); an expanded water quality monitoring program in the lakes (currently Sussex County sanitarians do regular summer beach water testing); a comprehensive Township woodland management plan; and protection of groundwater and well water (citing an October 2004 report prepared under a grant obtained by the Byram Township Environmental Commission that Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 14 NJ

22 assesses groundwater and aquifers in Byram Township, calls for a wellhead protection program, and proposes a supply well evaluation ordinance). Under Utility Services, the Master Plan discusses non-point source impacts on the lakes and discusses: retrofitting catch basins (completed at Cranberry Lake under a State lake management grant); harvesting weeds to reduce pesticide use (also used in a Cranberry Lake pilot management strategy and under discussion by the Environmental Commission for all lakes); spot dredging (conducted at Cranberry Lake and proposed at Lake Lackawanna); community outreach and education; and septic system management. Municipal Stormwater Management Plan for Byram Township, 2005 The Municipal Stormwater Management Plan for Byram Township was adopted according to the requirements of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) Municipal Stormwater Regulation Program, under USEPA's Phase II NPDES stormwater rules. The plan contains all of the required elements described in N.J.A.C. 7:8 Stormwater Management Rules including how to address groundwater recharge, stormwater quantity, and stormwater quality impacts by incorporating stormwater design and performance standards for new major developments. Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, 2005 The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan prepared by Harold E. Pellow & Associates was also developed to meet the requirements under the USEPA s Phase II NPDES Stormwater regulations. The Plan describes the measures that the Township is planning to use to meet the six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) required of regulated small MS4 municipalities. The MCMs include: 1. Public education and outreach on stormwater impacts. 2. Public involvement/participation. 3. Illicit discharge detection and elimination. 4. Construction site stormwater runoff control. 5. Post-construction stormwater management in new development and redevelopment. 6. Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 15 NJ

23 2.2.3 Highlands Council Planning In 2004, the New Jersey State Legislature determined that a coordinated regional effort is necessary to safeguard the Highlands Region from the detrimental effects of overdevelopment, and thus created the Highlands Council. The major planning documents that have been developed by the Highlands Council to enhance local land use planning efforts include the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act and the Highlands Regional Master Plan (in development). Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, 2004 The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, or Highlands Act, created the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. The Highlands Act requires that a portion of state realty transfer fee revenue be dedicated annually for conservation purposes in the Highlands Region and the Pinelands Area. The goal of the Highlands Council is to protect drinking water sources, preserve open space, and provide effective regional planning for the Highlands region. Highlands Regional Master Plan, to be completed in 2006 The Highlands Council is charged with the creation of a Regional Master Plan by the spring of 2006, which will include, at a minimum, the following elements: a resource assessment; financial component; government and public input component; coordination and consistency component; transportation component; smart growth component; and a preservation area land use capability component. Included in the Master Plan will be a Land Capability Map that will be the result of a carrying capacity analysis of the Highlands Region. Suburban sprawl, left unchecked, can get out of hand Source: NRCS Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 16 NJ

24 3.0 Lake Management Recommendations A number of lake water quality protection and improvement measures are currently being employed in Byram Township, including lake monitoring programs, municipal planning, Smart Growth initiatives, and in-lake management practices. However, it is clear that more can be done to protect and enhance the lakes, streams, and wetlands in Byram Township that remain so critical to wellhead protection, health, recreation, aesthetics, and natural habitat. This section discusses these additional lake management recommendations in detail. 3.1 Lake Monitoring Programs Existing lake monitoring programs in Byram Township are discussed in Section 2.1. Further recommendations for monitoring the water quality in Byram Township s lakes and ponds are discussed below Changes to Existing Programs Although Lake Mohawk, Cranberry Lake, and Lake Lackawanna have conducted water quality monitoring programs, only Lake Mohawk s program is comprehensive enough to provide long-term data of a quality to reveal trends in water quality, either improving or deteriorating, over time. In particular, the trophic state parameters, including total phosphorus, Secchi disc transparency, and chlorophyll a, should be monitored regularly in order to not only determine the trophic status of the lakes, but also to compare the lakes to EPA standards for these parameters. Biological parameters, such as chlorophyll a, phytoplankton counts, and zooplankton counts, are important measurements to determine how the lake s biological community is responding to the nutrient levels in the lake. In addition, because algae blooms have been a problem at some lakes in Byram Township in the past, we recommend that each lake that is used for swimming be monitored for phytoplankton populations during the growing season. This is due to the fact that some species of blue-green algae produce toxins when the algae are present in large numbers that can be dangerous for humans and animals that ingest or come in contact with the lake water. In particular, Lackawanna Lake s monitoring program should be expanded to include the trophic state parameters Model Township-Wide Monitoring Program Lake monitoring helps lake managers and residents to develop an understanding of key interactions within a lake and its watershed, particularly those related to land use. Data from regular monitoring enables a lake management program to be designed to reduce or minimize those activities within a watershed that may negatively impact water quality. It is recommended that a Township-wide lake and pond monitoring program be established for Byram Township in order to fully evaluate the quality of lake waters that Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 17 NJ

25 have not been monitored, and to compare waters that have been monitored in the past in order to detect changes or problems over time. The monitoring program can be conducted by volunteers that have been trained by professional lake scientists. With a well-organized program, coordination of sample collection and laboratory analyses, as well as data evaluation, can be relatively simple and effective. A lake monitoring manual should be developed that outlines the program, describes each monitoring parameter and why it is used, explains general lake ecology concepts, and provides a set of step-by-step instructions for lake water sample collection. Volunteers could collect lake samples as part of an annual Lake Awareness Day or Byram Day celebration, or on their own throughout the summer. The Township should purchase a set of lake monitoring equipment for volunteer use. An annual training should be held to instruct the volunteers in the use of the equipment. It is critical for the volunteers to perform their analyses under the guidance of a professional lake scientist. Lake data are only as good as the quality of the sampling regime, and poorly collected data are not useful to provide meaningful results. Well-trained volunteers, however, can be highly successful and can significantly lower the cost of a water quality monitoring program. Several different program options could be employed, depending on the desires of the individual lake associations. For simplicity, two monitoring options are described below: a Minimum Monitoring Program and a Comprehensive Monitoring Program. Minimum Monitoring Program At a minimum, each lake or pond in Byram Township should be monitored once per year during the height of the growing season in July or August for the three basic trophic state parameters. These three parameters are: Chlorophyll a: Chlorophyll a is the green photosynthetic pigment found in the cells of all algae. By taking a measured sample of lake water and extracting the chlorophyll a from the algae cells contained in that sample, a good estimate of the biomass of the algal population can be made. The ease of sampling and relatively low cost of analysis makes chlorophyll a an attractive parameter for characterizing the algal population in lakes. However, it is important to understand that chlorophyll a analysis does not provide any information about the species of algae present, which can be important information if one is concerned about the potential negative impacts of algae toxins on human health. Total phosphorus: Phosphorus is one of several essential nutrients that algae and vascular plants need to grow and reproduce. In many lakes, phosphorus is in short supply; therefore, it often serves as a limiting factor for algal growth. The majority of phosphorus enters lake water from human sources. Lakes with developed watersheds often receive humangenerated phosphorus through stormwater runoff, septic leachate, and Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 18 NJ

26 other sources. This runoff fertilizes the water and can stimulate increased algal and plant growth. Secchi disk transparency: Secchi disk transparency is commonly used in lake management as a general indicator of water clarity. Water transparency is affected by a number of factors, including algae, microscopic organisms other than algae, natural or unnatural dissolved materials that color or stain the water, and suspended sediments. Although somewhat simplistic, this testing method probably best represents the conditions which are most readily visible to the common lake user. By analyzing the three trophic state parameters, Carlson s Trophic State Index can be calculated. Trophic state is a term used in limnology (lake science) to describe the amount of productivity (algae and weeds) found in a lake. Oligotrophic lakes have few algae and other plants and appear clean and clear, while eutrophic lakes show an overabundance of growth and often have a pronounced green color due to algae. Knowing a lake s trophic state provides information about what lake management techniques are applicable to the given lake. Comprehensive Monitoring Program A more comprehensive lake monitoring program should be designed for each of the five most developed lakes in Byram Township: Cranberry Lake, Lake Lackawanna, Forest Lake, Johnson Lake, Panther Lake and Lake Mohawk. This program should include monthly monitoring during the growing season (May or June through September) for total phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, nitrate/nitrite, ammonia, organic nitrogen, alkalinity, ph, total suspended solids, Secchi disc transparency, chlorophyll a and phytoplankton and zooplankton populations. In addition, dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles should be measured at each lake. This more comprehensive program would provide more detailed information about the sources of any nutrient loading, as well as critical information about potential algae blooms and toxins. Once a year, preferably in July or August, an aquatic plant survey should be performed to identify the type and distribution of macrophytes (aquatic plants). This should be performed to identify the presence of excessive aquatic plants and/or invasive aquatic species and to document aquatic plant growth patterns in each lake. A bathymetric (lake depth) survey should be performed to determine the amount of sediment accumulation in the lakes and the need for dredging. Wet and dry weather stream monitoring should be performed to estimate the amount of nutrients and sediment entering each lake. Dry weather stream samples generally detect septic system problems and wet weather samples are indicators of stormwater runoff. In addition to the lake monitoring programs, a Township-wide watershed monitoring program is recommended to look for nonpoint source pollution problem areas such as roadside erosion, streambank or shoreline erosion, culvert damage, swale sediment Byram Township Lake Management MP3 Summary 19 NJ