Phase 1 Diagnostic-Feasibility Study of Weequahic Lake
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FINAl REPORT PHASE 1 DIAGNOSTIC-FEASIBILITY STUDY OF WEEQUAHIC LAKE JUNE 1983 PREPARED FOR DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES, INC. 220 SOUTH BROAD STREET LANSDALE, PA 19446 F X. BROWNE ASSOCIATE:S. INC. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS Project Director Frank X. Browne, Ph.D., P.E. Project Manager Valerie M. Ross Major Contributors Robert C. Borden, Project Engineer Roger S. Copp, Project Scientist Irene Kropp, Technician Kurt C. Schroeder, Assistant Project Scientist F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES. INC. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Phase I Diagnostic-Feasibility Study was partially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 314 Clean Lakes Program. Thomas Porucznik was the EPA Region I I Project Officer. The project was administered by John Brzozowski and Debra Hammond of the Lakes Management Program 1 New Jersey Department of Env i ronmenta I Protection. Thanks are extended for their assistance throughout the project. In-kind services for water quality monitoring and data collection were provided by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Special thanks are due WII I lam C. Scalzo~ Director of the Parks Department~ for his energy In overcoming obstacles and his assistance In the successful completion of the project. Special appreciation Is also extended to Thomas D1Angelo 1 Project Manager, and Barbara Pelczarski 1 Biologist~ of the Parks Department for their participation In the field monitoring and dIagnostIc portion of the study. ApprecIation is extended to a I I other Essex County Department of Parks staff who assisted In the project and were extremely helpful and cooperative throughout the study. F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES. INC. TABLE OF CoNTENTs PAGE List of Figures •. I List of Tables. II Abstract ••••••• Ill Executive Summary •••••• lv 1.0 Project Description •••• 1 1.1 Background •••••••• 1 1.2 Objectives ••••••.•••• 1 1.3 Historical Lake Uses •••• 2 . 1.4 Demographics •••••••••• 3 2.0 Watershed Characteristics ••••••• 9 2. 1 Geo Iogy •••• 9 2.2 Topography. 9 2. 3 So II s •••• 9 2.4 Land Use. 11 2.5 Hydrology •• 11 3.0 Pollutant Source Analyses. .. .. ...... 14 3. 1 MonitorIng ••••••••••• ...... 14 3.2 Hydrologic Budget •••• 17 3.3 Pollutant Concentrations ••• 19 3.4 Pollutant Loads • ••••••. ....... .. 25 3.5 Po II utant Accumulation. ............... 30 4.0 Lake Ecology ........••..............••. 31 4.-.t Lake Morphology ••••••• ~ 31 4.2 Monitoring Program ••••• 33 4.3 Trophic State •••••••• 33 4.4 Water Qua I i ty Data ••••••••• 35 4.5 Aquatic Vegetation •••••• 42 4.6 Sediments ••••••••••••••• 45 4.7 Fish and Zooplankton .• 48 4.8 Waterfowl •• 48 4.9 Bacteria •• 49 5.0 Alternative Evaluation •. 50 5. 1 DredgIng ••••••••••• 50 5.2 Parkland Erosion Control and Shoreline Stabilization. 52 5.3 Storm Sewer Diversion. 54 5.4 Treatment of Inflows .. 55 5.5 Sanitary Sewer Repairs ••••• 56 5.6 Nutrient Inactivation •.•••. 59 5.7 Dl lution/lnduced Infiltration. 60 5.8 Biological Controls •..• 63 5.9 Habitat Manipulation •• 64 5. 10 Watershed Management ••••••••••• 64 F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES, INC. TABLE oF CoNTENTS - CoNTINUED PAGE 6.0 Lake Restoration and Management Plan................... 66 6.1 Projected Benefits................................ 66 6. 2 The PI an. • . • . • . • • • • . • . 6 7 6.3 Environmental Evaluation.......................... 81 6.4 Cost Estimates.................................... 84 7.0 Public Participation................................... 88 8.0 Imp Iementat ion......................................... 89 8.1 Financial Assistance.............................. 89 8.2 Future Mon ltor J ng................................. 90 8.3 Scheduling........................................ 91 8.4 Permrts........................................... 91 APPENDICES A. References B. FW-2 Water Quality Standards C. Data D. Pub I lc Participation F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES, INC. LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE No. TITLE PAGE 1-1 Location of Weequahlc Lake and Neighborhood in Essex County, New Jersey............ 5 1-2 Regional Location of Newark, New Jersey............... 6 1-3 Automobile Access to Weequahlc Park................... 8 2-1 Weequahlc Lake Watershed •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 10 2-2 Land Use in the Weequahic Lake Watershed •••••••••••.•• 12 2-3 Weequahlc Lake Watershed and Storm Sewer System ••••••• 13 3-1 Watershed Monitoring Stations ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 15 3-2 Dye Study for Determination of Weequahlc Lake Watershed •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 16 3-3 Bacterial Concentrations in Stormwater Runoff to Weequahlc Lake ••••••••••••••.•. 23 3-4 Areas in Weequahlc Park With Severe Erosion and Sparse Vegetation ••.••••.•••••••.••••••• 28 4-1 Existing Topography of Weequahic Lake •••••••••.••••.•• 32 4-2 Lake Monitoring Stations ••••••••..•.•.•.•••••••••••••• 34 4-3 Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen Profiles at Station 961 - 1981. •..•••.••••.••••..••. 37 4-4 Seasonal Relationship between Transparency and Total Suspended Solids at Station 961 .....•.•... 39 4-5 Dominant Algal Biomass at Surface - Average of Stations 960, 961, and 962 .•.•......•.•.. 43 4-6 Relationship Between Average Phosphorus .. Concentrations and Algal Biomass at Surface of Three In-Lake Stations ••••••••••••••••••• 44 4-7 Sediment Samp I i ng Locations. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 46 5-1 Check Dam............................................. 53 5-2 Potential Location of Retention Pond/Pollutant Trap on the Elizabeth Storm Sewer ••••••••••••••••.•. 57 5-3 Proposed Pollutant Trap Treating Industrial Area ••••.• 58 5-4 Phosphorus Removal With Ful I Scale Alum Addition •••••. 61 5-5 Phosphorus Removal with pH Adjusted Alum Addition ••••• 62 6-1 Proposed Areas for Revegetation ••••••••••••••••••••.•• 68 6-2 Eroding and Col lapsed Shoreline Areas ••••••••••••••••. 70 6-3 Gr f d Pavers . • • • • . • • • • . • • • • • . • . • . • • • . • . • . • • 71 6-4 High Priority Areas for Erosion Controls and Shore I i ne Stab ill zat l on......................... 72 6-5 Lo~tlon of Observed Leaks and Overflows on the Newark Sanitary Sewer In Weequahic Park ..••••.•• 74 6-6 Proposed Dredging •.••.•••••••••••.•.•.•••••.••••••..•. 75 6-7 Weequahlc Lake Outlet Structure •••..•••••••••••.••.••• 76 i F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES, INC. LIST OF TABLES FIGURE No. TITLE PAGE t-t Inventory of Lakes In Essex County •••.•••••••••••••••• 4 3-t Monthly Ralnfal I Data for Monitoring Period •••.••••••• 18 3-2 Hydrologic Budget for Weequahlc Lake for July 1981 to June 1982 •••.•••••••••••.•••••••••• 18 3-3 Mean Pollutant Concentrations for Base Flow Conditions ••••••••••••••••••••.••••••• 20 3-4 Comparison of Chemical Characteristics of Dry Weather Flow to Typical Groundwater <August 17, 1982) ••••••• 22 3-5 Summary of Bacterial Data for Monitored Storms •••••••• 24 3-6 Pollutant Loads from Urban Land Uses ••••.••••••••••••• 26 3-7 Estimated Annual Pollutant Loads to Weequahlc Lake •••• 29 4-1 Physical Characteristics of Weequahic Lake •••••••••••• 31 4-2 Eutrophic Criteria •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 35 4-3 Average pH and Alkalinity for Monitoring Period ••••.•. 36 4-4 Nutrient Concentrations at Station 961 (August 17, 1982)................................... 40 4-5 Trends In Average Total Phosphorus Concentrations at Station 961 (Surface) ••••••••••••...••••••••••••• 41 4-6 Chemical Analyses of Lake Bottom Sediments •••••••••••• 45 4-7 EP Toxicity Test for Lake Sediments at Station 2 •••••• 47 5-1 Potential Restoration Methods for Weequahic Lake •••••• 50 ,. 6-1 Estimated Costs for Plan Implementation ••••••••••••••• 85 8-1 Milestone Schedule for Weequahic Lake Restoration ••••• 92 ii F. X. BROWNE ASSOCIATES, INC. ABSTRACT Weequah I c Lake Is a reI at i ve I y sha I I ow, 80-acre pub I i c I y owned I ake In Newark, New Jersey. Historically, Weequahlc Lake and the surrounding park have been the focal point of numerous recreational and cultural activities In Newark. Presently Weequahlc Lake Is hypereutrophic. The lake is pea-green from algae throughout the summer and fall, is cloudy, and frequently has a rank odor. The park, the second largest developed park in Essex County, Is highly used by area residents, but the poor condition of the lake adversely affects the recreational uses of the lake and park. In recognition of the need for Improved water qua I i ty and expanded recreation, the EPA se I ected Weequah i c Lake as one of the ten I akes in highly urban minority areas for a Phase I Clean Lakes Study. The Phase I Clean Lakes Program Study was Initiated In June of 1981 and was completed In December, 1982. The study demonstrates that the prImary sources of poI I utants entering the I ake are caused by man's act i v l ties. The I ake watershed Is only one square mile of which approximately 70% is pub! icly owned park I and, a go If course, and cemetery. The rema l nder of the watershed is high density residential, commercial and industrial land. Results of the Phase I study indicate that most of the nutrient load to the lake originates within the park boundaries and is a result of heavy parkland use. The major nutrient source Is severe erosion of the land immediately adjoining the lake and sloughing of the lake banks. Another major source of nutrients Is surface runoff from the surrounding developed areas. The Phase 1 Study recommendations emphasize I oca I centro Is to eliminate s~ere erosion and nutrient and sediment sources in the park. In part i cuI ar, the centro Is emphasize near I ake management to improve the quality of direct runoff into the lake. In-lake