Environmental Resource Inventory for Pittsgrove
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ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY FOR PITTSGROVE TOWNSHIP SALEM COUNTY, NEW JERSEY December 2004 Prepared for: Pittsgrove Township Environmental Commission Prepared by: Amy S. Greene Environmental Consultants, Inc. 4 Walter E. Foran Boulevard, Suite 209 Flemington, New Jersey 08822 This document was prepared with the aid of a Smart Growth Planning Grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) ASGECI Project #2379 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page # 1.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1 2.0 HISTORY...............................................................................................................2 2.1 Local History...............................................................................................2 2.2 Historic Preservation ..................................................................................4 3.0 CLIMATOLOGY...................................................................................................6 4.0 GEOLOGY.............................................................................................................7 4.1 Physiography...............................................................................................7 4.2 Stratigraphy ................................................................................................7 4.3 Surficial Formations ...................................................................................8 4.4 Aquifers and Recharge Areas.....................................................................8 4.5 Potable Water Supply.................................................................................9 4.6 Contamination ............................................................................................9 4.7 Well Head Protection................................................................................ 11 4.8 Known Contaminated Sites ...................................................................... 11 4.9 Sole Source Aquifers................................................................................. 12 5.0 SOILS ................................................................................................................... 13 5.1 Soil Types .................................................................................................. 13 5.2 Prime Farmland........................................................................................ 15 5.3 Hydric Soils ............................................................................................... 15 5.4 Steep Slopes............................................................................................... 17 5.5 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control.......................................................... 17 6.0 WATER RESOURCES........................................................................................ 18 6.1 Drainage Basins and Major Surface Water Features ............................. 18 6.2 Surface Water Quality Classification....................................................... 19 6.3 Surface Water Quality.............................................................................. 21 6.4 Surface Water Quality Protection............................................................ 25 6.5 Floodplains................................................................................................ 28 7.0 WETLANDS......................................................................................................... 29 7.1 Definition and Identifying Factors ........................................................... 29 7.2 Wetland Locations .................................................................................... 30 7.3 Wetland Resource Value Classification ................................................... 30 7.4 Wetland Communities .............................................................................. 31 8.0 AIR QUALITY..................................................................................................... 38 9.0 LAND USE ........................................................................................................... 39 9.1 Land Use/Cover Types.............................................................................. 39 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Page # 10.0 WILDLIFE ........................................................................................................... 41 10.1 Fisheries .................................................................................................... 41 10.2 Endangered and Threatened Species ....................................................... 41 10.3 Endangered and Threatened Plant Species ............................................. 47 10.4 NJDEP Priority Site.................................................................................. 49 10.5 The Landscape Project ............................................................................. 49 10.6 Forest Fragmentation and Corridors....................................................... 50 10.7 Regulatory Protection for Endangered and Threatened Species............ 52 11.0 FIGURES.............................................................................................................. 53 Figure 1: Location Map....................................................................................... 54 Figure 2: Geology ................................................................................................ 55 Figure 3: Wellhead Protection Areas and Known Contaminated Sites ........... 56 Figure 4: USGS Topographic Map.................................................................... 57 Figure 5: Soil Series............................................................................................ 58 Figure 6: Slopes .................................................................................................. 59 Figure 7: Watersheds ......................................................................................... 60 Figure 8: Surface Water Resources ................................................................... 61 Figure 9: HUC 14 Subwatersheds...................................................................... 62 Figure 10: Floodplains......................................................................................... 63 Figure 11: Wetlands ............................................................................................ 64 Figure 12: NJ Landscape Project Map and Forest and Grassland Habitat...... 65 Figure 13: Potential Vernal Habitat ................................................................... 66 Figure 14: Land Use/Land Cover ....................................................................... 67 Figure 15: Bald Eagle Foraging Habitat ............................................................ 68 Figure 16: Natural Heritage Priority Site........................................................... 69 Figure 17: Forested and Emergent Wetland Habitat ........................................ 70 12.0 REFERENCES..................................................................................................... 71 APPENDIX A: NJDEP NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM DATA AND U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RESPONSE LETTER LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Pittsgrove Township Known Contaminated Sites ............................................ 12 Table 2 Soils Mapping Units and their Characteristics................................................. 14 Table 3 Pittsgrove Township Watersheds...................................................................... 19 Table 4 Biological Condition of Streams in Pittsgrove Township................................. 22 Table 5 2002 Impaired Waters Listed on the 303(d) List for Pittsgrove Township ..... 23 Table 6 NJPDES Permitted Facilities in Pittsgrove Township ..................................... 25 Table 7 Distribution of Wetland Communities in Pittsgrove Township....................... 32 Table 8 Distribution of Land Use/Land Cover Types ................................................... 39 1.0 INTRODUCTION The purpose of the Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) for Pittsgrove Township is to identify and describe the natural resources, cultural conditions and environmental features within the Township. The ERI provides both visual depictions of natural resources, in the form of mapping information (Section 11.0, Figures), and text that describes these resources, their sensitivities and limitations for development and suggested measures for protection of sensitive resources. The text has been gathered from existing resources such as the Pittsgrove Township Master Plan and reports and studies provided by County, State and Federal Agencies. Existing map sources provided the basis for establishing the location of natural resources presented in this ERI. Since the maps were not field verified, the resource mapping presented herein is intended for general planning purposes and should not substitute for site-specific surveys. The following map sources were used as the basis in establishing the extent of natural resources in Pittsgrove Township: ?? USGS Topographic Series Maps, Elmer, Newfield, Bridgeton & Millville NJ Quadrangles ?? NJDEP – Office of Information Services, Bureau of Geographic Information Services; Municipal Boundary for the State of New Jersey ?? NJDEP – Office of Information Resources Management, Bureau of Geographic Information and Analysis; NJDEP Wetlands of Salem County, NJ 1986