Alloway Creek has had many names throughout history, including Cotton, Korten, Monmouth and Roiters Run. The current name originated from the Leni Lenape leader Alloes. Located in Salem County, Alloway Creek begins its life as a river in Upper Pittsgrove and Pilesgrove Townships and flows west toward the Delaware River above Artificial Island. Five tributary branches form the headwaters of Alloway Creek which flow into Alloway Lake, the largest lake in Salem County. Below Alloway Lake, the creek changes from a riverine and forested wetland ecosystem to a tidal marsh and meadow estuary. Alloway Creek is surrounded by agricultural property as well as significant freshwater and tidal wetlands. As a watershed, Alloway Creek represents a continuous greenway belt accounting for approximately twenty percent of Salem County land area and provides valuable habitat essential for commercial fishing as well as recreational activities, such as sport fishing, hunting and trapping.
Although Alloway Creek is still primarily rural, it is not without adverse environmental impacts and threats to its environmental quality. These impacts are incremental loss of wetlands and upland buffers to development; clear-cutting of headwater wooded areas for sludge composting; lack of wastewater treatment facilities in the major population centers and the cooling water intake system for one of the nations largest nuclear-powered generating station, the Salem Nuclear Generating Station.
The natural resources of the Alloway Creek watershed should be protected and preserved to improve property values and a quality of life enjoyed and appreciated by many local residents. A quality of life rapidly vanishing in many neighboring South Jersey communities as a result of development.
The Alloway Creek has a Riverkeeper Monitoring Site
Riverkeeper has a volunteer monitoring site in Quinton, adjacent to the Route 49 bridge. Riverkeepers test the surface water twice a month for basic water quality parameters. They also record stream conditions, flora and fauna sightings and any observations of pollution or other threats. This information is recorded in Riverkeeper's database and distributed to environmental protection agencies responsible for stream protection, and is available to residents and decision makers. The goal of Riverkeeper is to ensure that the Delaware River and every tributary stream of the watershed is actively protected by local residents. To that end, Riverkeeper promotes citizen involvement in municipal land use decision-making, sponsors streamwatch training workshops, and assists local groups to actively work on local stream protection projects.
VITAL STATISTICS
Length: 24 miles
Watershed Area: 75 square miles
Headwaters: Daretown/Aldine
SE-1 (Saline Waters of Estuaries). Designated uses are: 1. Shellfish harvesting in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:12; 2. Maintenance, migration and propagation of the natural and established biota; 3. Primary and secondary contact (as stated above); Industrial and agricultural water supply; 4. Any other reasonable uses.1
Point Sources:
NJPDES Permitted Discharges: None listed per NJDEP.
Nonpoint Sources:
Agricultural....crop production, pasture lands, feed lots and animal holding areas.
Suburban/Urban/Industrial....housing construction, urban surface runoff, mining, septic systems, road maintenance and occasional chemical spills.
Known Contaminated Sites in New Jersey:
(data gathered from June 1994 - May 1995)
Monitoring Station: Quinton, adjacent to the Route 49 bridge.
pH:
Range: 7.0-8.0; Mean: 7.5
The pH of natural waters is an important water quality indicator because pH is a major factor affecting most chemical and biological reactions. The pH observed in water is determined by a number of
complex interactions and provides an overall measure of the intensity of the
various acid/base interactions which are occurring. For example, the geology of an area, including soil type, and the increasingly acidic Riverkeeper Data Summary precipitation (acid rain) can have a significant affect on the pH reading. The pH of normal rainwater (containing no pollutants) is about 5.6. As the rainwater travels over and through rocks and soil, chemical reactions with minerals affect the pH and buffering capacity of the water.
The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14 standard units. A pH of 7 indicates neutral conditions, while waters with a pH less than 7 are acidic and those with pH values greater than 7 are basic. Since pH is expressed on a logarithmic scale, each 1 unit change in pH represents a ten-fold increase or decrease in hydrogen ion concentrations. Therefore, a pH of 6 would be 10 times more acidic than a pH of 7 and 100 times more acidic than a pH of 8.
Nitrate (NO3-N):
Range: .88 - 4.40 mg/L; Mean 2.64 mg/L
Nitrate is the principal form of nitrogen in most surface waters, but high concentrations of nitrate (>4 ppm) may reflect unsanitary conditions because human and animal wastes are major sources of nitrate.
Phosphate (PO4):
Range: 0.10 - 0.20 mg/L; Mean 0.2 mg/L
Phosphorous is a natural and essential nutrient and is often the factor limiting additional growth of aquatic organisms. However, excessive phosphorous concentrations can be detrimental to surface water quality. Typical external sources of phosphorus are fertilizer, septic leachate, sewage effluent, detergents and soaps, and particulate materials transported by stormwater.
Dissolved Oxygen:
Range: 4.8 - 11.6 mg/L; Mean 9.1 mg/L
The dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a river is an important indicator of the overall "health" of the system. Oxygen is essential for the survival of fish and many other aquatic organisms. The amount of oxygen which can dissolve in water is subject to fluctuation in temperature, photosynthetic activity, and stream flow (low flow and high temperatures are a common cause of low oxygen readings during the summer months). Respiration processes, oxidation of inorganic wastes, and the decomposition of organic matter deplete oxygen, while photosynthesis and re-aeration by contact with the atmosphere increase oxygen concentrations in water. Most desirable aquatic organisms require a DO concentration of 4.0 ppm or greater for long-term survival.
Dissolved Oxygen Saturation:
Range: 59.0 - 124.0%; Mean 85.5%
Dissolved oxygen can also be expressed in percent of saturation. The amount of oxygen that can dissolve in water decreases with increasing temperature and dissolved solids concentration. For this reason alone, dissolved oxygen concentrations in surface waters usually increase significantly during the winter months. By eliminating the seasonal variations caused by temperature, dissolved oxygen saturation can provide a better comparison of dissolved oxygen in water between sampling dates than dissolved oxygen concentrations. Rivers with dissolve oxygen saturations of 90% or greater are considered healthy. Unless the waters are supersaturated due to cultural eutrophication (enrichment of surface water
as a result of human impacts). Rivers below 90% saturation may have large amounts of oxygen demand materials (organic waste).
Riverkeeper Observations and Comments:
As part of the regular monitoring procedure, Alloway Creek Riverkeepers also observe wildlife, weather conditions and general water and habitat conditions. Wildlife sightings and other observations can be excellent indicators of the health of the watershed.
Discussion of Riverkeeper Data Results:
The overall results of the water quality monitoring data are in the range generally considered acceptable to support some levels of wildlife. The low readings of both dissolved oxygen concentration (4.8 mg/L) and corresponding dissolved oxygen saturation (59.0%), while a concern, occurred during late June through August and appear to be the result of high water temperatures and low water flow.
A diverse population of flora and fauna, many of which are listed on the State and Federal Endangered or Threatened Species Lists, are regularly observed at or near by the monitoring site. Sightings include Coopers Hawk, Northern Harrier, Great Blue Heron, Osprey and Bald Eagle. Also observed are the North American River Otter and the Swamp Pink flower. More than 100 bird species winter in Salem County.
Riverkeepers have confirmed what you already know -- Alloway Creek has its problems, but is still an extremely viable ecosystem worth protecting and preserving. It supports wildlife and offers tranquility and recreation. Alloway Creek needs continued monitoring so that field tested stream conditions can be used as input to devise strategies for improving water quality and streamside habitat. Considering the lack of State water quality monitoring on the Alloway, continuation of Delaware Riverkeeper Network water quality monitoring is especially critical to ensure that problems are identified early and corrected before significant degradation occurs.
Pollution Incident Reports:
Since December, 1993, Riverkeepers along the Alloway Creek have reported at least 20 incidents of pollution or non-compliance with state, federal, or municipal environmental regulations. These incidents include: illegal dumping (including hazardous materials), illegal landfill operation, accelerated erosion and sedimentation from construction activities, wetlands fillings, and streambed encroachment.
Environmental Issues of the Alloway Creek Watershed:
For Additional Information:
Riverkeeper Fact Sheets are updated as new information becomes available. If you have additional or updated information on the Alloway Creek, please call the Alloway Creek Watershed Task Force at (609) 358-3835 or Delaware Riverkeeper Network at (215) 369-1188.
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Sources:
1. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy. 1994. Surface Water Quality Standards, NJAC 7:9B.
2. Salem County Planning Board. July 1991. Existing Land Use in Salem County.
3. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. July 1994. Known Contaminated Sites In New Jersey. Site Remediation Program, p 401-405.
prepared Fall 1995