I f-7’ NATURAL RESOURCES P INVENTORY * of : BYRAM TOWNSHIP June 1994 Prepared by the Byram Township Environmental Commission. P This revision of Byram’s 1976 Natural Resources Inventory was funded by a $2,500 grant from the New jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Environmental Services and by $2300 from the Township. P Cover designed by Padraic Finnegan. Maps designed and rendered by David Mashas, cartographer to the Morris County Park System. r Printed by Craftsmen Photo Lithographers, East Hanover. ,- When t,his update of the Byram Township Natural Resources. Inventory was beikg produced, members of the Environmental Commission included: Margaret Dull McGarrity, Chairwoman Sally Anne Welsh-Biesty, Vice Chairwoman Robert Gross0 Audrey 0 ‘Connell Marianne Rutkowksi Charles Zafonte John McDonough Mark Smith Richard Golder Mike Marotte Claire Willetts,Secretary Stacey D ‘Onofrio, Secretary Township Council members during the time of its production included: r- Richard Bowe, Mayor Kurt Braun ,--- Gregory Matthews , Marie Venes Charles Vitale (former Environmental Commission Chairman) c. / Richard Meltz The Commission thanks Township Planner Eric Snyder for his contribution to the text and maps I=- and Township Manager Ron Gatti for his advice and support. I 1 Cranberry Lake resident Robert Rumphrey gave the Commission detailed ?-- recommendations on printing this document. r For other acknowledgements please see the I ‘Bibliography and Acknowledgements” at the end of each chapter. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapters are in BOLD. Tables and maps and addenda are in italics. ’ Larger maps are listed in the Appendix in CAPITALS. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 1 COMMENTS PROM THE TOWNSHIP PLANNER............................................................. 2 COMMENTS PROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CHAIRWOMAN.... ...3 Chapter l--A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BYRAM Location and Setting................................................................................... 5 Regional Location Map........................................................................ 6 Climate ............................................................................................................. 7 .................................................................... 7 ,r- Table I: Byram’s Climate Population ...................................................................................................... 7 Table II: Population Clusters .......................................................... 7 /-- Table III: Population Growth ......................................................... 8 Economic Characteristics.......................................................................... 8 ......................................... 8 r=- Commercial and Industrial Development Wastewater Management........................................................................ 8 Water Supply ................................................................................................ 9 .- Government and Services ..................................................................... 10 Schools .......................................................................................................... 10 Sussex County 208 Water Quality Management Plan.. ............ .ll New Jersey Development and Redevelopment Plan.. ............... .l 1 Bibliography and Acknowledgements............................................ .12 P Chapter 2--A HISTORY OF BYRAM Native American Inhabitants.............................................................. 13 Establishment of Byram Township................................................... 14 Iron Works and Mines............................................................................ 15 Allis Mine Map .................................................................................... 17 Cascade Mine Map ............................................................................. 18 Charlotte Mine Map.......................................................................... 19 Frenche’s Mine Map ......................................................................... 20 Gaffney Mines Map ........................................................................... 21 McKean Mines Map ........................................................................... 22 Roseville Mine Map ........................................................................... 23 Silver Mine Map................................................................................. 24 Waterloo ....................................................................................................... 25 k The Status of the Charlotte Uranium Mine ............................... 26 The Morris Canal......................................................................................... 28 The Waterloo Foundation for the Arts.............................................. 29 Other Early Local Industries.................................................................. 29 b Railroads ........................................................................................................ 31 - Lakes and Streams.................................................................................... 32 ........................................................................................... 35 Historic Schools -. The Hudson Guild Farm........................................................................... 35 Bibliography and Acknowledgements.............................................. 36 Chapter 3--NATURAL HABITATS AND ENDANGERED SPECIES Byram’s Six Habitats................................................................................. 38 Description and Typical Vegetation: Mesic Upland Woods.......3 9 Table IV: Typical Mesic Upland Woods -Vegetation............4 0 Description and Typical Vegetation: Wetlands .............................. 42 Table V: Typical Freshwater Marsh Vegetation.. ................ .43 Table VI: Typical Bog Vegetation ............................................... 43 Table VII: Typical Swamp and Floodplain Vegetation......4 5 Endangered Species .................................................................................. 46 Table VIII: Endangered and Threatened Fauna.. ............... .46 Map: Natural Heritage Data ........................................................... 48 Map: Natural Heritage Priority Sites ......................................... 49 List: Priority Natural Heritage Sites Within Byram...........S 0 List: Natural Heritage Records of Rare Species and Natural Communities Within Byram .................................... 51 Bibliography and Acknowledgements .............................................. 52 Chapter 4--BEDROCK GEOLOGY, SURFICIAL GEOLOGY, AND SOILS General Description................................................................................... 53 Bedrock Geology......................................................................................... 55 Table IX: Major Geologic Events Affecting Byram.. ............ .57 Surficial Geology......................................................................................... 58 soils. ..*....................................................... 59 Engineering Properties.. ......................................................................... -6 1 Bibliography and Acknowledgements.............................................. 62 Addendum: Soil Interpretations Records ................................. 64 Chapter 50-WATER RESOURCES -. Byram: Rich and Poor in Water............................................................ 94 The Hydrologic Cycle................................................................................. 94 Illustration: The Hydrologic Cycle ............................................... 95 -The Effects of Septics and Sewers on the Hydrologic Cycle ............................................................................................ 96 - -Byram’s Sewer Line.. ..................................................................... .96 -Monitoring the Effects of Sewers on Byram’s Groundwater......................................................... 97 5 Groundwater Recharge........................................................................... 97 -The Recharge Map........................................................................... 97 -Groundwater Recharge in Byram .............................................. 98 -The Role of Wetlands, Lakes and Streams in Recharge...9 8 -Recharge as an Environmental Constraint ............................ 99 -The Effects of Development on Recharge .............................. 99 P Aquifers ..................................................................................................... 100 -Safe Aquifer Yields and Carrying Capacity.. ..................... .lOl h Well Companies ...................................................................................... 102 Two Lists: Water Companies Serving Byram.. .................. .103 Groundwater Contamination............................................................. 105 r- -Specific Contamination Episodes: Volatile Organics......lO 5 -Specific Contamination Episodes: Radon............................ 107 f-- -General Risks of Contamination.............................................. 107 The Status of the MKY/Mycalex Facility and the Related Wolf Lake Site ............................................ 109 Streams