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Environmental Resources Inventory for the Township of Robbinsville

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Environmental Resources Inventory for the Township of Robbinsville The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is dedicated to uniting the region’s elected officials, planning professionals, and the public with a common vision of making a great region even greater. Shaping the way we live, work, and play, DVRPC builds consensus on improving transportation, promoting smart growth, protecting the environment, and enhancing the economy. We serve a diverse region of nine counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer in New Jersey. DVRPC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Philadelphia region—leading the way to a better future. The symbol in our logo is adapted from the official DVRPC seal and is designed as a stylized image of the Delaware Valley. The outer ring symbolizes the region as a whole, while the diagonal bar signifies the Delaware River. The two adjoining crescents represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey. DVRPC is funded by a variety of funding sources, including federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Pennsylvania and New Jersey departments of transportation, as well as by DVRPC’s state and local member governments. The authors, however, are solely responsible for the findings and conclusions herein, which may not represent the official views or policies of the funding agencies. DVRPC fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. DVRPC’s website (www.dvrpc.org) may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. For more information, please call (215) 238-2871. Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................... v CHAPTER 1 Executive Summary ......................................................................................... 1 Report Organization .................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER 2 Brief Township History..................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 3 Location, Size, and Land Use ....................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 4 Physical Resources ....................................................................................... 23 Physical Geography and Geology .......................................................... 23 Topography and Surface Landscapes .................................................... 26 Soils ........................................................................................................ 30 Hydrology ................................................................................................ 45 CHAPTER 5 Surface Water Resources ............................................................................. 55 Watersheds ............................................................................................. 55 Streams ................................................................................................... 59 Lakes and Ponds .................................................................................... 60 Wetlands ................................................................................................. 61 Agricultural Wetlands .............................................................................. 65 Vernal Pools ............................................................................................ 66 Floodplains .............................................................................................. 67 Surface Water Quality ............................................................................. 72 CHAPTER 6 Groundwater .................................................................................................. 97 Aquifers and Geological Formations ....................................................... 97 Drinking Water Supply .......................................................................... 100 CHAPTER 7 Biological Resources ................................................................................... 107 Natural Vegetation ................................................................................ 108 Landscape Project Priority Habitats ...................................................... 113 Animal Communities ............................................................................. 118 i Natural Heritage Database and Natural Heritage Priority Sites ...................................................................................................... 128 CHAPTER 8 The Built Environment ................................................................................. 129 Population ............................................................................................. 129 Transportation ....................................................................................... 130 Historic Resources ................................................................................ 131 Township Facilities, Utilities, and Services ........................................... 136 State Planning Areas and Designated Centers .................................... 140 Parks, Open Space, and Recreation .................................................... 141 Impact of Nonnative and Invasive Species on Natural Areas ..................................................................................................... 149 CHAPTER 9 Environmental Issues .................................................................................. 153 Known Contaminated Sites ................................................................... 153 Underground Storage Tanks ................................................................. 158 Groundwater Contamination ................................................................. 159 Radon .................................................................................................... 160 Flooding ................................................................................................ 161 Other Environmental Concerns (USTs) ................................................ 162 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 163 CHAPTER 10 ERI Relative to Township Ordinance and NJ Municipal Land Use Law ....................................................................................................... 165 CHAPTER 11 Sources of Information ................................................................................ 169 Tables Table 1: Robbinsville Township General Land Use/Land Cover Classes (2007) 16 Table 2: Robbinsville Detailed Land Use/Land Cover (2007) .............................. 17 Table 3: Subsurface Geologic Formations .......................................................... 25 Table 4: Surface Geology .................................................................................... 26 Table 5: Agricultural Values for Robbinsville Soils .............................................. 33 Table 6: Robbinsville Township Soils .................................................................. 38 Table 7: Soil Limitations for Development ........................................................... 41 Table 8: Air Quality Index ..................................................................................... 54 Table 9: Watersheds and Subwatersheds in Robbinsville .................................. 59 ii Table 10: Robbinsville Streams ........................................................................... 61 Table 11: Flood Hazard Area Acreage ................................................................ 70 Table 12: Water Quality Classifications of Streams in Robbinsville .................... 73 Table 13: Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, 2008 .. 76 Table 14: 303(d) List of Impaired Waters with Priority Ranking, 2008 ................ 78 Table 15: AMNET Sampling Locations for Robbinsville Waterways ................... 84 Table 16: Fish Consumption Advisories .............................................................. 86 Table 17: Acreage of Impervious Surface in Robbinsville’s Subwatersheds ...... 93 Table 18: Robbinsville Township NJPDES Permits ............................................. 95 Table 19: Robbinsville Natural Vegetation ......................................................... 108 Table 20: Landscape Project Designations for Robbinsville Township ............. 114 Table 21: Rare Animal Species and Natural Communities Presently Recorded in the NJ Natural Heritage Database for Robbinsville Township ........................... 127 Table 22: Rare Plant Species and Natural Communities Presently Recorded in the NJ Natural Heritage Database for Robbinsville Township ........................... 127 Table 23: Robbinsville Population by Race, 2010 ............................................. 129 Table 24: Sites Listed on the National and State Registers, Locally Designated Historic Districts, and Sites with SHPO Opinions .............................................. 133 Table 25: Mercer County Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Municipality (2005) . 138 Table 26: Robbinsville Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Source
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