Borough of Folsom, N.J. 1993
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. '· -·· ,~;..:_ I ) ) BOROUGH OF FOLSOM, N.J. 1993 Prepared by: Borough of Folsom Environmental Commission FOLSOM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Appointed Chairman Joseph Haug Appointed Members Jack Anastasia Marie Anastasia Robert L. Fennimore, Jr., M.S. Physical Scientist Meteorology/Hydrology/Geophysics Judith L. Fennimore Edward Gandolfi Joel Spiegel Advisory Member and Consultant Deborah V. Anderson, R.A.P.P. Architect/Planner/Wetland Scientist .... - PREFACE - Our primary purpose for initiating this Environmental Resource Inventory was to accumulate data relating to land use and the environment and provide it to Folsom's governing body and planning board in a format that could be used to assist them in future municipal - planning and legislation. It is also hoped that the information provided here will be of interest to the residents of Folsom and, perhaps, encourage a few residents to become more involved in their community. - This report should be considered a starting point, not a finished product. It needs to be corrected, improved and amended as additional information becomes available. This Inventory should grow with the community and be used by them to help preserve and protect the present high quality of Folsom's environment. ,.., Joseph Haug Chainnan, F.E.C. PRAISE TO THE CHAIN OF LIFE GIVING Praise to the plants; whose roots, stems, leaves, seeds, and fruits we eat. Praise to the earth; whose elements and myriad life forms nurture the plants. Praise to the plants and animals; whose bodies have decomposed and became the earth. Praise to the sun, to the rain, to the air. Praise to the rhythms and cycles of the life spirit. Praise to the chain of life give. Presented by Marie Anastasia- Author anonymous II ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This Environmental Resource Inventory was prepared by the Members of the Folsom Environmental Commission. The information and data gathered are the result of much endeavor by the commission members, who gave of their time, effort and expertise to produce this Report. It represents a joint effort of the commission and their individual contribution to its completion; however, three members deserve special recognition for the efforts they put forth on this project. Deborah Anderson, although having moved from the Borough and no longer a resident of Folsom, continued to serve as an advisory member and also as our consultant. Ms. Anderson's talent and expertise were invaluable tools due to her vast knowledge of geology acquired through similar past endeavors. Robert Fennimore was involved in virtually every aspect of this project. Mr. Fennimore, a physical scientist, applied his analytical capability and technical-writing expertise from onset to completion of this narrative. Judith Fennimore's organizational technique and proficiency of computer processing were essential elements. We are grateful to the Borough Council, especially Mayor AI Effinger, and former Mayor Edward Gandolfi, for providing both encouragement and the needed funding. Our thanks are also extended to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy for Grant #9224, without which this Environmental Resource Inventory could not have been undertaken. We also wish to thank the following individuals who assisted us with this report by generously providing significant information and sharing their various specializations and talents with us. Robert Brewer Supervising Planner, Atlantic County Ronald Detrick Regional Forester, NJDEPE Robert Vettese Folsom Engineer, Adams, Rehmann & Heggan Joseph lngemi Folsom Tax Assessor Mary Beth Spiegel Cover Artist, Folsom School Teacher Nadine Spencer Folsom Resident Otto Zapecza USGS Lloyd Mullikin NJGS Claude Epstein Stockton State College NOTE FROM THE FOLSOM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEMBERS TO JOSEPH HAUG We commend and thank our Chairman, Joseph Haug, for his steadfast guidance and encouragement which brought the commission members together as a team and motivated us toward our goal, which was the completion of a useful Environmental Resource Inventory for the Borough of Folsom. The Members of FEC Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION HUMBER PAGE HO. BOROUGH OF FOLSOM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION I PREFACE . II ACKNOWLEDGMENT . III 1. DESCRIPTION OF BOROUGH OF FOLSOM 1.0 - 1.1 2. LAND USE ...... 2.0 - 2.3 a) Land Use Map b) Zoning Map 3. HISTORY 3.0 - 3.2 4. CLIMATE . 4.0 - 4.4 a) Introduction . 4.0 b) Geographical Influences 4.0 - 4.1 c) Winds and storms .... 4.2 d) Temperature and Humidity . 4.2 e) Precipitation . 4.2 f) Clouds and Sunshine . 4.3 g) Air Quality . 4.3 h) Planning Considerations 4.3 i) Tabular Summary . 4.4 5. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS . 5.0 - 5.18 Introduction - Formation of Land . 5.0 SECTION I - PHYSIOGRAPHY . 5.0 - 5. 3 a) Surface Drainage . 5.1 b) Tertiary Sedimentary Rocks 5.2 c) Tertiary Life . 5.2 d) Miocene - Tertiary Period . 5.3 e) Physiography Map SECTION II - GEOLOGY 5. 4 - 5.18 a) Tertiary . 5.4 - 5.6 b) Soils . 5.7 c) Hydrologic Formations 5.8 d) soil Conditions . • . 5.8 - e) Soils by Type . • . • . 5.9 f) Marine Alluvium . 5.10 g) Marine Deposits . • . 5.10 h) Aquifer Bearing Formations 5.11 i) soil Legend . 5.12- 5.18 j) Geology Map SECTION III - WETLANDS 5.19-5.28 a) Introduction - Wetland Definition 5.19 b) Wetland Hydrology - Definition . 5.19 c) Influencing Factors . 5.20 d) Classification . 5.21 e) Hydric Soils . 5.22 f) wetland Indicators . 5.22 g) Wetlands Communities . 5.23 h) Mapping . 5.23 i) Wetlands Legend . 5.23 - 5.25 j) Wetland Map . SECTION IV - PRIME AGRICULTURAL SOILS 5.26-5.28 a) Soils Map TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION HUMBER PAGE HO. 6. HYDROLOGY . 6.0 - 6.23 SECTION I - SURFACE HYDROLOGY. 6.0 -6.10 SECTION II - SUBSURFACE HYDROLOGY/GROUNDWATER 6.11 - 6. 24 a) Introduction . 6.11 b) Geologic History . 6.11 - 6.14 c) Potomac-Raritan-Magothy Aquifer System . 6.14 d) Individual Aquifers and Confining Units and the Composite Confining Layer . 6.15 e) Kirkwood Units and the Kirkwood Cohansey Aquifer System . 6.16 - 6.18 f) Recharge, Discharge, Withdrawal and Water Quality . 6.18 - 6.19 g) Septic Suitability . 6.20- 6.21 h) Well Log for Nearest Well of Substantial Depth . 6.23 7. VEGETATION RESOURCE . 7.0 - 7.14 Introduction . 7.0 SECTION I - LOWLAND FOREST VEGETATION . 7.1 - 7.2 a) The Hardwood Swamp . 7.1 b) The Cedar Swamp . 7.1 c) The Pitch Pine Lowlands . 7.2 d) Bogs . 7.2 SECTION II - UPLAND FOREST VEGETATION . 7.3 a) The PinefOak Forest . 7.3 b) The Oak/Pine Forest . 7.3 c) Forest/Vegatation Map SECTION III - RARE PLANT SPECIES OF FOLSOM 7.4 SECTION IV - FOLSOM BOROUGH PLANT LIST 7.5 7.14 8. WILDLIFE HABITAT . 8.0 - 8.18 SECTION I -GAME . 8.0 - 8.2 SECTION II - BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS . 8.3 - 8.5 SECTION III - BIRDS . 8. 6 - 8.18 9. BIOLIOGRAPHY . 9.0 - 9.3 DESCRIPTION OF BOROUGH OF FOLSOM Folsom is a predominantly rural community of about 2000 people lying entirely within the Pine lands National Preserve. Three separate population clusters exist within the borough; Collings Lakes, The Village, and Penny Pot. The Borough occupies a flat-to-gently-rolling, rectangular, eight-square-mile area of mostly forest and wetland straddling the Great Egg Harbor River, designated in 1993 by the US Dept. of the Interior as a Wild and Scenic River. Folsom is centrally located within the interior of Southern New Jersey, both geographically and demographically, see the locator map on next page. Its position at the western end of Atlantic County is approximately at the midpoint along the major surface transportation corridor connecting metropolitan Philadelphia and Atlantic City, approximately 30 miles to the northwest and southeast, respectively. This corridor includes one major highway passing through the borough itself (The Black Horse Pike), and two major highways (The Atlantic City Expressway and The White Horse Pike) and the Atlantic City Rail Line, all accessible a few miles to the northeast in neighboring Hammonton. While maintaining a serene rural character, in close harmony with its natural and agricultural surroundings, it claims easy access to the many recreational and cultural offerings and economic opportunities of Atlantic City, the Jersey Shore, Philadelphia and its metro area, New York City and Washington, DC, the latter two about 2.5 hours by car. Considerable commerce, much of it agricultural commodities, moves along the Route 54/Route 206 corridor connecting Vineland/Millville through Folsom and Hammonton with the Trenton/Princeton area. A few light industries, several small service/retail establishments, and a number of farms operate within Folsom, but the commercial activities of most borough residents are carried out elsewhere. Recreational pursuits that can be played out nearby include camping, bicycling, and canoeing on the many wilderness lands and waterways in the Pine Barrens. The facilities maintained within Folsom by various governing units for swimming, non-power boating, team sports and general frolic are tabulated on the following page. 1.0 - Folsom's Recreational and Park Facilities Name Location Facilities Jack L. Mays Landing Road Six acres, partly wooded; 1 double tennis court; 1 little league ball - Eckhardt and 13th Street field; 1 basketball court; approved children's playground Park (Village) equipment; 30 + parking spaces; water and electric; maintained by the Borough of Folsom (ball field by Little League Association) - Pine Lane Pine Lane and S. Mini-playground, approx. 2/3 acres; playground equipment for Park River Drive (Collings children; maintained by Borough of Folsom Lakes Subdivision) Penny Pot Lake Drive and Mini-playground, wooded area; playground equipment for children; Park Oakwood Drive maintained by Borough of Folsom (Penny Pot Subdivision) CLCA E. Collings, Fenimore Three swimming beaches; gravel basketball court; picnic area; Recreational Drives (Collings lake water tested annually; maintained by Collings Lakes Civic Facilities Lakes Subdivision) Association (CLCA) Rt.