Volunteers Needed For Navesink River Water Testing

RUMSON, NJ — As part of their ongoing efforts to clean up human poop in the Navesink River, Clean Ocean Action is seeking "citizen science volunteers" to help them collect water samples and test water quality in the Navesink. Water collection is done on Wednesdays, and there will be a training this Thursday, July 25, which is required.

In 2016, the Navesink tested positive for high levels of human fecal bacteria. There were also high amounts of fecal bacteria from geese, horses and dogs whose owners don't pick up after them.

Unfortunately, the levels of fecal bacteria in the Navsink continue to climb every year. In 2015, the state DEP prohibited shellfish harvesting from the Navesink.

Many attribute the increasing dirtiness of the Navesink to overdevelopment in Monmouth County: The soil of what used to be farm fields and woods naturally absorbed rain water. These days, parking lots and subdivisions prevent groundwater drainage, so excess rain water goes into the sewage system, causing it to overflow and spill out into waterways like the Navesink and Shrewsbury. Another possible source is boaters who empty their sewage holding tanks close to shore. That's why Monmouth County offers the Royal Flush pump-out boat, which just resumed operations this June in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

According to an analysis of EPA data by the Asbury Park Press, the dirtiest spot in the river is at the Rt. 35 bridge that connects Red Bank and Middletown.

Since then, Clean Ocean Action has been working with the DEP to coordinate a citizen science water quality monitoring program to identify sources of pollution through the Navesink River watershed. Now in year three of the program, they are seeking additional citizen volunteers to participate in weekly water quality sampling.

Since Clean Ocean Action started testing in 2016, a few locations show a marked improvement in water quality and are no longer being sampled weekly, said Dr. Swarna Muthukrishnan, the organization's staff scientist.

"Both Clean Ocean Action and the Dept. of Environmental Protection hope the health of the river will improve to meet our restoration goal in 2020!” she said.

A training session for interested volunteers will be held:

Thursday, July 25 from 7:00-8:00 pm at Bingham Hall (40 Bingham Ave, Rumson, NJ)

To RSVP, email outreach@CleanOceanAction.org, call 732-872-0111 or RSVP on Facebook.

All volunteers must attend that training session, conducted by Clean Ocean Action and NJDEP staff. Volunteers will learn the protocol required for sampling. Trainings are mandatory.

You must be free to do the testing on Wednesday mornings between 7:45 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Twenty sampling locations have been identified in Tinton Falls, Red Bank, Middletown, Fair Haven and Rumson. Each sampling team collects samples at 3-6 locations. The entire sampling process, including pick up and drop off of materials and equipment, takes approximately one hour. Volunteers will pick up and drop off sample bottles and equipment from Count Basie Park (Henry St, Red Bank).

Ongoing Patch coverage:

High Levels of Human Poop Bacteria Found in Navesink River

'The Royal Flush' Services Navesink, Shrewsbury Rivers