{"id":1009,"date":"2026-04-07T12:39:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T12:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/water-resources-program\/?page_id=1009"},"modified":"2026-04-14T12:15:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T12:15:50","slug":"highlands-wrpps","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/water-resources-program\/projects-and-programs\/highlands-wrpps\/","title":{"rendered":"Development of Watershed Restoration and Protection Plans for the South Branch Raritan River, Black River\/Lamington River, and the North Branch Raritan River Watersheds within the New Jersey Highlands Region"},"content":{"rendered":"

Project Overview:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has prepared a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for total suspended solids and total phosphorus that requires a 60% reduction in total suspended solids and a 68% to 84% reduction in total phosphorus. This project will create a plan that will be a blueprint for how to achieve these reductions. The goal of this project is to develop watershed restoration and protection plans for the South Branch Raritan River, the Lamington River, and the North Branch Raritan River that addresses total suspended solids and total phosphorus inputs which contribute to harmful algal blooms (HABs). These watershed restoration and protection plans will have the nine components required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Each objective below represents one of the nine USEPA components of the watershed restoration and protection plan:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Identification of the causes and sources of nutrient loading<\/li>\n
  2. Estimation of the load reductions expected for the management measures<\/li>\n
  3. Recommendation of nonpoint source (NPS) management measures to address the causes and sources<\/li>\n
  4. Estimation of the amounts of technical and financial assistance needed<\/li>\n
  5. Development and delivery of informational and education component<\/li>\n
  6. Development of a schedule for implementing NPS controls<\/li>\n
  7. Development of interim, measurable milestones<\/li>\n
  8. Development of criteria to ensure load reductions are being achieved<\/li>\n
  9. Development of a monitoring component to evaluate effectiveness<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Deliverables:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    South Branch Raritan River<\/u>:<\/h3>\n