Mullica Township Environmental Resource Inventory
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'!'1-oo'f MULLICA TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY Prepared by Catherine F. Werick-Fine President, ERI, INC. Environmental Research Specialists This document was prepared for the Mullica Township Environmental Commission with the aid of a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Environmental Services 2000 - FORWARD Mullica Township is located in the guide decisions concerning the northeast portion of Atlantic future of Mullica Township. County, in the New Jersey Pinelands. The township has a We want to thank the Mullica total of 55 square miles. It is Township Committee for their bounded on the north by the support in the effort to present Mullica River; on the east by the this data to the people and various City of Egg Harbor; on the south boards that control the fate of by Hamilton Township; and on the Mullica Township. west by the town of Hammonton. Mullica Township is at a crossroad to determine it's future. Its open space is both attractive to developers and residents who cherish its rural character. .- Whether increased development in Mullica is perceived or real it must be acknowledged. The Mullica Township Environmental Commission with the assistance of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) began its compilation of data in July of 1998. The Mullica Township Committee agreed to mach the grant provided by the NJDEP to continue this compilation of environmental data to include historic data throughout the Township. The information presented within ,.- this Environmental and Historic Resource Inventory is intended to GEOGRAPHY THE SCIENCE OF GEOGRAPHY DESCRIBES MAN, LAND AND CLIMATE. MULLICA TOWNSHIP I LOCATED ENTIRELY WITHIN THE NEW JERSEY PINELANDS I HAS A FLAT, SANDY TOPOGRAPHY TYPICAL OF ALL AREAS LOCATED ON THE NEW JERSEY COASTAL PLAIN. GEOGRAPHY . 3 LOCATION ................................................................................................................................... 3 TOPOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................... 3 DRAINAGE ................................................................................................................................... 3 CLIMATE ...............................................•.............................................•........................................ 4 POPULATION .............•........................•......................................................................................... 4 MUWCA TOWNSHIP GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION MAP ....................... 5 Mullica Geography Page 1 - - -- Mullica Geography - GEOGRAPHY Location Topography Situated in south central New Jersey, Mullica Township has a total area of thirty-eight miles east of Philadelphia 55 square miles. The township is and twenty-two miles west of Atlantic primarily a rural community with a few City, Mullica Township is easily population centers, some agricultural accessible by major highways to the areas, cranberry and blueberry farms, metropolitan areas of Boston, New and vast acres of sparsely settled York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and woodlands and natural wetlands. Washington. Mullica Township lies within the Mullica is located in the Northeast Atlantic Coastal Plain geologic portion of Atlantic County. The formation, which was formed as a entire township is within the result of marine deposition and protected area known as the New erosion over the last 170 to 200 Jersey Pinelands. million years. The Coastal Plain is described as one of gently rolling terrain made up of sandy, droughty soils with no rock outcrops, steep slopes or mountain peaks. As part of the coastal plain, Mullica's landscape is primarily flat with small rolling hills in some areas. Altitudes range from sea level to 110 feet above sea level. Drainage The Township of Mullica is drained primarily by the Mullica River and several small streams that drain into The township is bounded on the north the Mullica, which is tidal in its lower by the Mullica River and Washington reaches. The river is bounded by Township in Burlington County, on the extensive tidal marsh areas and the east by the City of Egg Harbor, on the northeastern and northwestern thirds south by Hamilton Township, and on of the Township are swampy in nature. the west by the town of Hammonton. Mullica Geography Page3 A small area in the southern portion Nesco in the northern sector, and of the township is part of the Egg Weekstown in the northeastern Harbor River drainage basin. sector. Weekstown, Sweetwater, and Pleasant Mills are all located on or Climate near the Mullica River. Elwood is Because of its posit ion on the Coastal situated along the township's only Plain and its proximity to the ocean, major transportation artery, State Mullica Township has a humid, Route 30, or the "Whitehorse Pike.H temperate climate with a moderate Population trends have been relatively temperature range and mild winters. stable historically. Increases and Temperatures range from a maximum decreases have reflected the average of 90°F in summer to a availability of local or neighboring minimum average of 25°F in winter. employment opportunities. There is a The growing season averages 192 population bulge due to an influx of days; the average date of the first migrant workers during the harvest frost occurs about October 13 and season. Mullica Township had a the average date of the last frost population of 5896 in 1990. I n 1996 occurs about April19. the population was estimated at Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed 6154-104 persons per square mile. throughout the year. The average Of the 1990 population of 5896, 5020 annual precipitation, measured over were white, 532 black, 20 Native the last thirty years is 41 inches. American, 48 Asian, and 276 other. The prevailing wind during the summer The Hispanic population was 757-145 is from the southwest; northwest Mexican, 606 Puerto Rican, and 6 winds prevai I during the winter. Cuban. Destructive wind velocities rarely The median age in Mullica Township is occur and are generally restricted to 32.8 years. summer thunderstorms, nor'easters and occasional hurricanes of the late summer and early fall. These storms sometimes cause tidal flooding in the Mullica River basin. Population The major population centers within the township are Elwood in the southern sector, Sweetwater and Mullica Geography Page4 MULUCA TOWNSHIP GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION MAP The Mullica Township Geographic Location Map depicts, in the left-hand section, the location of Atlantic County in the state of New Jersey and the placement of Mullica Township in the County. On the right, the boundaries of Mullica Township and its population centers, agricultural areas, forested areas and state owned lands are shown. - Mullica Geography Page 5 - -' Mullica Geography Page 6 MULLICA TOWNSHIP GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION N E s + D Agricultural area CJ Forested lll888 stale owned CJ -q Industrial c:l Municipal boundary -Populated Area 4000-- - 0 4000 8000 Feet SOILS SOILS ARE LIVING MATERIALS INVOLVED IN A CONSTANT PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS NOTHING MORE BASIC TO OUR ENVIRONMENT THAN THE LAND ITSELF. SOIL TYPES DO MUCH TO SET LIMITS ON APPROPRIATE LAND USE. SOILS ............................................................................... 3 SOIL CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................ 3 DESCRIPTIONS OF SOILS .............................................................................................................. 4 A tsion Series............................................................................................................................. 4 Aura Series................................................................................................................................ 5 Berry/and Series ...................................................................................................................... 7 Downer Series........................................................................................................................... a Evesboro Series ....................................................................................................................... 9 Fort Mott Series ................................................................................................................... 10 Hammonton Series................................................................................................................. 11 Klej Series ............................................................................................................................... 13 Lakehurst Series.................................................................................................................... 14 Lakewood Series..................................................................................................................... 15 Matawan Series...................................................................................................................... 16 Muck........................................................................................................................................... 18 Pokomoke Series .................................................................................................................... 18 Sassafras Series................................................................................................................... 20