ANEP: About Estuaries - Barnegat Bay

About Estuaries:
Insights on the NEPs - Barnegat Bay

The primary environmental concern is nonpoint source pollution, particularly path-ogens, nutrients, and sediments. The potential impact of these pollutants is significant as the residence time for water moving through the bay is 50 days.

Activities include a Nonpoint Source Pollution Partnership to coordinate demonstration projects, the NJ Clean Vessel Program which has identified the Bay as a priority area for the installation of marine sewage pumpouts, and progress on a No Discharge Zone application for portions of the estuary.

Habitat loss and alteration is also an environmental concern because of land development. There is a growing network of organizations and agencies working on open space and habitat acquisition in the watershed.

More than 32,000 acres have been set aside in the last 10 years, putting a total of 117,000 acres in parks, forests, and refuges-nearly 1/3 of the county. A recent citizen initiative increased property taxes to add about $3.8 million a year to the public land trust fund.

For more information about the Barnegat Bay Estuary Program:

Write to the Program Office at Barnegat Bay Estuary Program Office, Ocean County College, College Dr., P.O. Box 2001, Toms River, NJ 08754-2001

Call Dr. Bob Scro at 732.255.0472

E-mail at bscro@ocean.edu

Please visit our website at http://www.bbep.org