44
Washington Township Highlands Plan Conformance Environmental Resources Inventory Presentation to Township Environmental Commission October 9, 2012
Washington Township
Highlands Plan Conformance Environmental Resources Inventory
Presentation to Township Environmental Commission October 9, 2012
Washington Township
Washington Township Background Statistics
• Incorporated: 1849
• Population 2010: 6,651
• Land Area: 11,547 ac (18 sq. mi.)
• Preserved Lands: 2,667 acres (23%)
• Total Forest: 4,308 acres (37%)
Washington Township Significant Highlands Statistics
• Planning Area Lands: 7,953 acres (69%) • Preservation Area Lands: 3,595 acres (31%) • Conservation Zone: 4,685 acres (41%) • Protection Zone: 4,085 acres (35%) • Existing Community Zone: 2,325 acres (20%; Roads 4%) • Forest Resource Area: 4,043 acres (35%) • Agricultural Priority Area: 3,708 acres (32%) • Highlands Open Water Protection: 3,528 acres (30%)
Washington Township Highlands Regional Master Plan (RMP) Tasks
1. Completion of Module 3 – COAH Certification 2. Completion of Module 4 – Finalize/Adopt ERI 3. Completion of Module 5 – Highlands Element 4. Completion of Module 6 – Land Use Ordinances 5. Planning Area Petition Ordinance/Checklist Ordinance 6. Agriculture Retention/Farmland Preservation Plan 7. Highlands Center Designation Planning 8. Habitat Conservation and Management Plan 9. Stream Corridor Protection/Restoration Plan 10. Municipal Zoning Map Update 11. Wastewater Management Plan 12. Highlands Council Training Sessions
Environmental Resources Inventory (ERI)
• Identifies and depicts natural and cultural resources present in a community
• Maps and accompanying narrative provide the basis for inventorying natural resources
• ERI is an integral part of the Master Plan and a base source for resource conservation and protection plans and ordinances
Purpose of the ERI
Provide framework to support Township efforts to bring planning documents into conformance
with the Regional Master Plan (RMP)
Land Use Capability Map Series
LUCM Series consists of five capability maps that support the RMP:
• Land Use Capability Zones
• Water Availability
• Public Community Water Systems
• Domestic Sewerage Facilities
• Septic System Yield
Land Use Capability Zones
RMP requires future land use to be guided by these overlay zones to protect natural, scenic, and other resources including:
• Agriculture
• Forests
• Wetlands
• Stream corridors
• Steep slopes
• Critical habitat for flora and fauna
Land Use Capability Zones
• Protection Zone (PZ)
• Wildlife Management Sub-zone (WM)
• Conservation Zone (CZ)
• Conservation Zone – Environmentally Constrained Sub-zone (CZ-EC)
• Existing Community Zone (ECZ)
• Existing Community Zone – Environmentally Constrained Sub-zone (ECZ-EC)
• Lake Community Sub-zone (LC)
Washington Township Land Use Zones
Zone Planning Area (ac)
Preservation Area (ac)
PZ 1,437 2,517
CZ 2,133 570
ECZ 2,014 33
ECZ-EC 275 3
CZ-EC 1,162 370
WM 100 31
Goals (From RMP): • Develop framework to determine character, location,
and magnitude of new growth and development in the Highlands
• Preserve land and water resources and ecological function of lands in Protection Zone
• Limit development in protection zone to that which does not affect natural resources
• Protect & enhance ag uses and associated land and water resources in conservation zone
• Incorporate regional development patterns and related environmentally sensitive areas within existing community zones
• Support compact, mixed-use, and redevelopment; maximize water, wastewater and transit infrastructure within existing community zone
Washington Township Sub Watersheds
HUC 14 Subwatershed
Name
Location
Pohatcong Creek
Above Route 31
Brass Castle Creek to Rte 31
Edison Rd – Brass Castle Creek
Musconetcong River
Changewater to Hances Brook
Route 31 to Changewater
75 d 00m to Rte 31
Furnace Brook
Goals: • Protect, restore, and enhance highlands open waters
and riparian areas. • Establish a Watershed Resource Value through an
analysis of the relative amount of developed lands, habitat quality for T&E species and forest in each subwatershed.
Washington Township Forest Resources
Goals: • Protect large areas of contiguous forested lands to the
maximum extent possible. • Protect and enhance forest resources in the Highlands. • Include forest protection programs in municipal master
plans and development regulations.
Purpose: • Forests are important to the protection of surface and
ground water resources and offer important recreational resources that contribute to the Region’s unique scenic value.
Preservation
Area (ac)
Planning Area
(ac)
Forest Resource Area 3,026 1,017
Total Forest Area 2,476 1,647
Washington Township Forest Resources
HUC 14 SW Name Integrity Score
Furnace Brook HIGH
Pohatcong Creek (above Rt. 31) HIGH
Pohatcong Ck ( Ck to Rt. 31) HIGH
Musconetcong R (Changewater to Hances Bk.) HIGH
Musconetcong R (Rt. 31 to Changewater) LOW
Musconetcong R (75d 00m to Rt. 31) LOW
Pohatcong Ck (Edison Rd-Brass Castle Ck) MOD
High Integrity Forest Area – predominantly forested, including a high proportion of forest cover consisting of high core area, large patch size, and a low distance to nearest patch.
Moderate Integrity Forest Area – predominantly
forested, but does not exhibit a high proportion of forest cover, core area or patch size and an increase in distance to nearest patch.
Low Integrity Forest Area – predominantly non-
forested or include low values for proportion of forest cover and patch size, or a high distance to nearest patch.
Washington Township Open Waters & Riparian Areas
Open Waters include all springs, wetlands, intermittent or ephemeral streams, perennial streams, and bodies of surface water, whether natural or artificial, located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Highlands Region.
Highlands RMP requires a 300-foot buffer around all Highlands Open Waters to protect Habitat, Water Quality, Temperature Moderation, and Channel Integrity.
Washington Township Open Waters and Riparian Areas include: • 30 miles of Streams
(15 mi in Planning; 15 mi in Preservation)
• 848 acres of Wetlands, Lakes, Ponds (504 ac in Planning; 344 ac in Preservation)
• 3,625 acres Open Water Protection Areas (2,385 ac in Planning; 1,240 ac in Preservation)
• 2,658 acres Riparian Areas (1,558 ac in Planning; 1,100 ac in Preservation)
Washington Township Watershed Resource Values
High • Predominantly forest lands including a significant
portion of the watershed in high quality habitat. • Limited pre-existing developed land within the
watershed. Moderate • Forest lands and some habitat suitable for rare,
threatened, or endangered species. • Typically consists of developed lands. Low • Low proportion of forest lands • Low proportion of habitat suitable for rare,
threatened, or endangered species. • Typically consists of higher levels of developed
lands.
Washington Township Riparian Integrity
High • Predominantly natural vegetation, including high
quality habitat for water/wetland dependent species
• Generally low incidence of impervious area, agricultural uses, and/or road crossings
Moderate • Reduced proportion of natural vegetation, including
high quality habitat for water/wetland dependent species
• Higher incidence of impervious area, agricultural uses, and road crossings
Low • Minimal natural vegetation, including high quality
habitat for water/wetland dependent species • High proportion of impervious area, agricultural
uses, and road crossings.
Washington Township Steep Slopes
Purpose: To effectively manage critical natural resources through identification and classification of steep slopes.
Slope Grade Classification
> 20% (all) Severely Constrained
> 10% (Riparian) Severely Constrained
>15% and < 20% (non-Riparian) Moderately Constrained
>15% and < 20% (non-forested and 1) highly susceptible to erosion; OR 2) shallow depth to bedrock; OR 3) soil capability class is wet or stony)
Constrained
> 15% and < 20% (non-Riparian, non-forested, not highly susceptible to erosion, and do not have shallow depth to bedrock nor soil capability class of wet or stony)
Limited Constrained
Washington Township Steep Slopes include: • 402 acres – Moderately Constrained
(115 ac Planning; 287 ac Preservation)
• 1,640 acres – Severely Constrained (576 ac Planning; 1,064 ac Preservation)
Washington Township Critical Wildlife Habitat
Purpose: To protect the biodiversity of plant and animal species in a particular environment as a critical indicator of ecological viability.
Washington Township Critical Wildlife Habitat includes: • 5,237 acres – Critical Wildlife Habitat to support
rare, threatened, and endangered species (2,750 ac Planning; 2,488 ac Preservation)
Critical Wildlife Habitat Habitats of animal species identified as endangered, threatened, of special concern, or of regional conservation priority in the Highlands Region. Significant Natural Areas Regionally significant ecological communities, particularly for protection of endangered and rare plant species. Vernal pools Confined, ephemeral wet depressions that support distinctive, and often endangered, species that are specially adapted to periodic extremes in water pool levels.
Washington Township Significant Natural Areas
Species Landscape Rank
Bald Eagle 5
Bog Turtle 5
Bobcat 4
Red-Shouldered Hawk 4
Barred Owl 3
Cooper’s Hawk 3
Longtail Salamander 3
Red-headed Woodpecker 3
Sparrow 3
Wood Turtle 3
Washington Township contains 21 acres of Significant Natural Areas - all in the Planning Area.
Washington Township Vernal Pools
Vernal pools are unique ecosystems that: • Provide critical breeding habitat for a variety of
amphibian and invertebrate species; • Contribute significantly to local biodiversity by
supporting plants, animals, and invertebrates that would otherwise not occur in the landscape; and
• Contribute significant amounts of food to adjacent habitats.
Washington Township contains 354 acres of vernal pool protection buffers (327 acres in Planning and 27 acres in Preservation Area)
Purpose: Protect vernal pools and adjacent habitat to maintain ecological integrity and provide habitat for amphibian and invertebrate breeding. Highlands RMP requires a 1,000-foot buffer surrounding each vernal pool to accommodate for many species’ complicated lifecycle, especially during breeding.
Washington Township Preserved Lands
Highlands RMP and the Land Preservation & Stewardship Technical Report were used to evaluate and inventory preserved lands in the Highlands, including: • Public and private land and water areas available for
active and passive recreation • Public and private land and water areas maintained as
conservation areas dedicated to the preservation of natural and cultural resources
• Lands that provide access to inland water bodies • Other public or private lands that may not be directly
accessible to the public but that enhance the open space system in the Highlands Region
Preserved Land Category Acres
Preserved Farmland 1,229
Highlands - Preserved Lands 0
Preserved Open Space
Federal 0
State 260
County 163
Municipal 721
Non-Profit/Private 78
Water Supply Watershed Lands 0
Conservation Easements (where known) 0
Total Preserved Lands 2,451
Washington Township Conservation Priority Areas
Purpose: Identify additional lands in the Region that should be protected in order to preserve their ecological and water supply value. Identify those lands that have the highest ecological resource value. Based on a combination of 33 ecological indicators that measure the quantity and quality of:
• Forests • Watershed condition • Critical Habitat • Prime ground water recharge • Open water • Riparian Areas • Steep Slopes
Washington Township contains 1,185 acres of Conservation Priority Area Planning Area = 392 ac Preservation Area = 794 ac
Washington Township Special Environmental Zones
Method and Indicators: 1. Five indicators in the Land Preservation &
Stewardship Technical Report were chosen as indicators for protection of water resource and environmentally sensitive lands: • Forest within Forest Resource Area • Riparian Corridor Condition High • Highlands Open Water Protection Area • Critical Habitat • Water Quality Management Tier (Lakes)
2. Use Conservation Priority Area Clusters to determine the percentage of each of the 5 indicators in the Preservation Area. (Highest total achievable for a cluster is 500% - if all 5 indicators were present at 100% of the acreage within the cluster)
3. Cluster scores were added and ranged from 0 to 300%. Range was reviewed for duplicate indicators and it was determined that 192% or greater would be the highest priority to preserve. Parcels not contiguous to preserved land and parcels of water were removed. Highlands Council staff reviewed for appropriateness.
Washington Township contains 253 acres of Special Environmental Zone – all in Preservation Area
Washington Township Carbonate Rock Area
Washington Township contains 7,158 acres of Carbonate Rock Area Planning Area = 6,493 ac Preservation Area = 665 ac
Carbonate Rock Areas are areas identified by NJ Geologic Survey and USGS as being underlain by carbonate rocks. Lands that drain surface water into these areas are of particular concern. Due to the make up of the rock, these areas are susceptible to the development of depressions, sinkholes, sinking streams, enlarged bedrock fractures, caves, and underground streams. Management of development in these areas is crucial and can be modified in the design process to identify potential problems early on.
Washington Township Water Resources Availability
Net Water Availability Purpose: To identify the quantity of available water resources in the region to determine sufficiency of supply to support existing human and ecological uses, and to support future uses.
Subwatershed Net Water Availability (mgd)
Furnace Brook -0.214775
Pohatcong Creek (above Rt. 31) 0.014072
Pohatcong Ck ( Ck to Rt. 31) -0.200577
Pohatcong Ck ( Ck) 0.061262
Musconetcong R (Changewater to
Hances Bk.) 0.073936
Musconetcong R (Rt. 31 to
Changewater) -0.609324
Musconetcong R (75d 00m to Rt. 31) -0.067996
Washington Township Prime Groundwater Recharge Areas
Prime Groundwater Recharge Area Definition: Lands within a HUC14 subwatershed that most efficiently provide 40% total drought recharge volume for that subwatershed. Purpose: To maintain hydrologic integrity through the protection of ground water recharge.
The Township of Washington contains 2,484 acres of Prime Ground Water Recharge Areas Planning Area = 1,457 ac Preservation Area = 1,027 ac
Water quality is influenced by the type and intensity of land use adjacent to and upstream of water bodies. Pollutants from non-points sources (NPS) and point sources contribute to water quality impairment.
Washington Township Water Quality
Washington Township has 5 HUC14s listed on the Impaired Water List
HUC 14s
Located
Entirely or
Partially in the
Municipality
Designated Uses Not Attained
(With NJDEP Sublist Where Relevant)
Parameters
Not Attained
TMDL
Drin
kin
g
Water
Prim
ary
Recreatio
n
Aq
uatic L
ife
Tro
ut S
up
po
rt
Ind
ustria
l
Agricu
ltura
l
Co
nsu
mp
tion
Seco
nd
ary
Recreatio
n
Furnace Brook
02040105090050 3 4A 5 5 3 3 3 3 unknown
pollutant
Pohatcong Ck Above Rt. 31
02040105140010 2 4A 2 5 2 2 3 3 Temperature
Pohatcong Creek Edison Rd. – Brass Castle Creek
02040105140020 2 4A 5 5 2 2 3 3 Temperature Fecal
Coliform
Pohatcong Creek Edison Road to Brass Castle Creek
02040105140030 2 4A 5 5 2 2 3 3 Temperature Fecal
Coliform
Musconetcong R Changewater to Hances Brook
02040105160020 5 4A 2 5 2 2 3 3 Temperature Fecal
Coliform
Musconetcong R Route 31 to Changewater
02040105160030 2 4A 2 2 2 2 3 3 Fecal
Coliform
Musconetcong R (75d 00m to Rt. 31)
02040105160040 4a Fecal
Coliform
Purpose: To protect the health, safety and welfare of residents and to ensure supply of safe and healthful drinking water and the protection of the ground water resources that provide drinking water.
Public Community Well: Public water supply serving at least 15 service connections regularly serving at least 25 year round residents.
Non-Community Well: Public water supply regularly serving at least 25 individuals for at least 60 days in any given calendar year.
NJ Wellhead Protection ordinances use 3 tiers of the time of travel – the time it takes groundwater to flow to the well
• Tier 1: 2-year time of travel – potential for bacterial and viral contaminant movement
• Tier 2: 5-year time of travel – prevents long-lived contaminants from reaching a well without interfering with well function
• Tier 3: 12-year time of travel – for plumes of long-lived contaminants
Washington Township Wellhead Protection Areas
Washington Township includes two Public Community Water Supply wells (Planning Area) and 17 Public Non-community Water Supply wells (15 in Planning Area and two in Preservation Area)
HUC 14
Subwatersheds
HUC 14
Subwatershed Name
Drought
Recharge Rate
(in/yr)
Septic System Density
(ac/unit)
Protection
Zone
Conservation
Zone
2040105090050 Furnace Brook 9.0 27.2 10.5
2040105140010 Pohatcong Creek
(above Rt. 31) 9.7 25.3 9.7
2040105140020 Pohatcong Ck ( Ck to
Rt. 31) 8.5 28.9 11.1
2040105140030 Pohatcong Ck ( – Ck) 8.1 30.2 11.6
2040105160020
Musconetcong R
(Changewater to
Hances Bk)
10.5 23.3 9.0
2040105160030 Musconetcong R (Rt.
31 to Changewater 9.3 26.3 10.1
2040105160040 Musconetcong R (75d
00m to Rt. 31) 9.4 26.1 10.0
Purpose: A useful indicator of the potential impacts to ground water quality. Appropriate septic system yields ensure that future development utilizing septic systems provide for sufficient dilution of effluent discharges.
Washington Township Septic System Yield
Purpose: to promote preservation in the ARA and limit non-agricultural uses in the ARA. Where it is not feasible to preserve lands within the ARA, the Highlands RMP requires mandatory cluster for residential development.
Categories mapped within the Highlands ARA:
• Preserved Farmland
• All Agricultural Uses (NJDEP 2007 LU/LC)
• Important Farmland Soils and Soil Quality
• Agricultural Priority Areas
Washington Township Agricultural Resource Area
Category Total (ac)
Planning Area (ac)
Preservation Area (ac)
Ag Resource Area 7,505 6,325 1,180
Ag Priority Area 3,708 3,066 642
Preserved Farmland 1,229 803 426
All Ag Uses 3,619 3,046 572
Important Farmland Soils 7,574 6,106 1,468
Agricultural Priority Areas for the Highlands were determined using 7 indicators. The purpose is to prioritize areas for future farmland preservation.
The 7 indicators are:
1. Location within Ag Resource Area
2. Important Farmland Soils – Undeveloped
3. Preserved Farms
4. Contiguous Farms greater than 250 ac
5. Ag Uses 10 acres or greater
6. 50% or greater Prime Soils
7. 1/4-mile proximity to Preserved Farms
Washington Township Agricultural Priority Area
Preserved Farmland:
Farms that are preserves, farms that have final approval from the SADC and farms under the eight-year easement program.
All Agricultural Uses:
Derived from the NJDEP 2007 Land Use / Land Cover spatial data.
Factors of farmland suitable for preservation.
Washington Township Preserved Farm, SADC Easements,
and All Ag Uses
Four Soil Types are considered:
Prime Soils
• Best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops.
• Soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce high yields of crops
• Not excessively erodible or saturated with water for a long period of time, do not flood frequently or are protected from flooding.
Statewide Important
Land, in addition to prime and unique farmlands, that is of statewide importance for the production of food, feed, fiber, forage, and oil seed crops.
Locally Important
In local areas, these lands are important for the production of food, feed, fiber, forage, and oilseed crops, even though these lands are not identified as having national or statewide importance.
Unique
Land other than prime farmland used for the production of specific high value food and fiber crops.
Washington Township Important Farmland Soils
Washington Township Historic, Cultural, and Archaeological
Resources Map # Title / Location Period / Description
1 Imlaydale Hamlet Beers Atlas, on Register
2 Supplee’s Mill Cave (Indian) & Lime Kiln
Caves of New Jersey
3 Changewater
3a Mark Thompson House
4 Lime Kiln
5 Murderer’s Bridge Beers Atlas
6 J. Sullivan Beers Atlas
7 Lime Kiln
8 St. Matthews Hall Beers Atlas
9 Boat Basin
9a Port Colden School Beers Atlas
10 Mansfield Woodhouse Cemetery Beers Atlas
11 Sherred-Eckel House (Nomination Filed)
12 Eckel Auto Gyroport Washington Messenger
13 Morris Canal Historic Preservation Survey, on Register
14 Old Blacksmith Shop
15 Mrs. Boyd Beers Atlas
16 Bowerstown
17 Consumers Research
18 Lanning-Chamberlain House
Map # Title / Location Period / Description
19 Log Cabin
20 S. Yard Beers Atlas
21 Snyder House Beers Atlas
22 A. Wanding Beers Atlas
23 Grist Mill Beers Atlas
24 Roaring Rock
25 Pony Pratt Truss Bridge An Inventory & History of Engineering and Industry, on Register
26 Twin Arch Concrete Bridge An Inventory & History of Engineering and Industry, on Register
27 Presbyterian Parsonage Beers Atlas, on Register
Washington Township Historic, Cultural, and Archaeological
Resources (continued)
RMP identifies six scenic resources in Washington Twp:
1. Buckhorn Creek Wildlife Management Area
2. Musconetcong River Greenway
3. Oxford Mountain
4. Pequest Wildlife Management Area
5. Warren Trail
6. West Oxford Mountain Natural Resource Area
Washington Township Scenic Resources
RMP Goal for Preservation Areas:
“protect the natural, scenic, and other resources of the
Highlands Region, including but not limited to
contiguous forests, wetlands, vegetated stream
corridors, steep slopes, and critical habitat for fauna
and flora;” and “preserve farmland and historic sites
and other historic resources;”
RMP Goal for Planning Areas:
“protect and maintain the essential character of the
Highlands environment;” and to “preserve farmland
and historic sites and other historic resources;”
Purpose:
Awareness of contaminated sites locations and details provides a municipality with additional planning tools in terms of natural resources protection and planning for future remedial actions.
Washington Township Contaminated Site Inventory
Two Tiers of contaminated sites according to three sources:
1. NJDEP Known Contaminated Sites list (KCS-NJ);
2. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS); and
3. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Tier 1 consists of: • All Final and Deleted Superfund sites (CERCLIS); • All RCRA identified sites; • All sites with a Remedial Level of C3 or D (KCS-NJ); • Remaining sites with a Remedial Level of C2 located
in the Preservation Area (KCS-NJ). Tier 2 consists of: • Remaining sites with a Remedial Level of C2 located
in the Planning Area (KCS-NJ).
Public Community Water Systems and Wastewater Utilities are intrinsically linked to those natural resources for which the Highlands RMP provides protection policies.
Water
• Public water system that pipes water for human consumption to at least either 15 service connections or one that regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.
• May be owned and operated by governmental entities (either as municipal operations or utility authorities) or investor-owned utilities.
• Have the potential for inducing or supporting growth.
Water Utility Existing Area(s)
Planning Area = 1,041 ac
Preservation Area = 103 ac
Washington Township Public Community Water Systems
Wastewater
• Important tool to identify areas where growth should or should not be encouraged and where land adjacent to this infrastructure is appropriate for growth.
• Assist in the identification of areas of concern where dense development patterns without sewer service exist.
• Evaluate the need for potential replacement of septic systems with community wastewater systems in order to safeguard public health.
Highlands Domestic Sewerage Facilities Existing Areas Served
Oxford Facility
Planning Area = 85 ac
Preservation Area = 0 ac
Washington Borough Facility
Planning Area = 66 ac
Preservation Area = 0 ac
Washington Township Domestic Sewerage Facilities
The efficient use of land provides the potential to enhance an accessible, multi-modal transportation system in the Region, while improving the protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
• Goal of better understanding the movement of people and goods, and the relationship of these features to the resources and land use conditions of the Region.
• Evaluate environmental resources and habitat features that are potentially affected by the presence of road and transit networks.
Will become important in planning for agriculture and potential centers development.
Washington Township Roadway Network
Private Bus Route (pink)
Freight Rail Line (black)
Abandoned Freight Rail (green)
Washington Township Transit Network
Next Steps
1. Present revised ERI to Land Use Board (Nov.)
a) Receive comments from LUB
2. Revise and present final ERI to Land Use Board for adoption (Dec.)
3. Submit adopted ERI to Highlands Council (Dec./Jan.)
4. Use ERI information to assist in other plan conformance modules.
Questions?
Contact: Angela S. Clerico, PP/AICP, LEED-AP
Natural Systems Utilities
2 Clerico Lane, Suite 210
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
W: 908-359-5129 x14
