On a recent Riverkeeper canoe trip from Haddonfield to the Delaware River, we were pleasantly surprised by these struggling habitats. From the wooded park that protects the banks on both sides where we began the trip, to the tidal marshes at the mouth, the Cooper River contains a variety of different environs. Portions of the river are open expanses of water such as Cooper River Lake, some portions remind you of its urban surroundings (i.e., the Admiral Wilson Boulevard), yet others provide a quiet oasis (replete with mulberries) away from the hustle and bustle of Camden. Wildlife was abundant, from the Great Blue Herons, Belted Kingfishers, bank swallows, and Great White Egrets, we observed a surprising amount of diversity.
Riverkeeper has a volunteer monitoring site on Cooper River Lake in Haddon Township at the cement pier adjacent to Cuthbert Boulevard Bridge. Roxanne Shinn and others 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 all 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.
| Length: | 16 miles |
| Watershed Area: | 40 square miles |
| Headwaters: | North Branch: Voorhees Main Stem: Gibbsboro |
| Significant Tributaries: | Chandlers Run Millard Creek Nicholson Branch North Branch Cooper River Tindale Run |
| Impoundments: | Cooper River Lake Evans Pond Hopkins Pond Kirkwood Lake Linden Lake Square Circle Lake Wallworth Lake |
| NJ Stream Classification: | FW-2 Nontrout: fresh waters that flow, at least partially, through privately owned lands, that are not maintained in their natural state of quality and are subjected to any man-made wastewater discharges, as designated in N.J.A.C. 7:9-4.15 (h) Table 6. |
| Land Use: | Developed 65% Wooded 30% Farmland 5% |
| Municipalities: | Barrington Berlin Township Camden Cherry Hill Collingswood Gibbsboro Haddon Township Haddonfield Lawnside Lindenwold Magnolia Merchantville Pennsauken Somerdale Stratford Tavistock Voorhees |
"However, in just a few miles where the Cooper River reaches Lawnside it has received wastewaters from a number of municipal treatment facilities. Water quality is now very poor with extremely high amounts of nutrients and fecal coliform, and severely depressed dissolved oxygen." "Downstream at Haddonfield the Cooper River is still grossly polluted and in very poor conditions." (Water Quality Report, p. III-140, 141)
"DEPE enforcement is reporting improvements in water quality brought about by the extensive regionalization of the wastewater treatment plant system in the Cherry Hill/Camden area. Substantial improvements to water quality are however expected to be hampered by runoff and benthic oxygen demand for some time into the future." (Water Quality Report, p. III-141) One suspected pollution source, flowing in from Stone Creek, a tributary in Cooper River Lake, "could be the runoff of horse manure from the garden State Race Track after rain" and snow melts. (Water Quality of Cooper River Lake, p. 90)
"The Cooper River from Cooper River Lake downstream to the confluence with the Delaware River is closed to recreational fishing because of chlordane contamination of the fish tissues. Elevated levels of chlordane and PCB concentrations have also been identified in stream sediments." (Water Quality Report, p.III-141)
"Cooper River and tributaries partially meet the swimmable and fish propagation/maintenance designation uses only in the headwater reaches. At Lindenwold the Cooper River is considered marginally swimmable, but downstream of this location it is not. In addition, below Lindenwold, excessive pollution prohibits the maintenance and propagation of natural biota. Tindale Run is currently meeting the fish propagation/maintenance goal, but it is threatened from the various pollution sources." (Water Quality Report, p.III-142, 143)
Point Sources:
"The water quality problems of the Cooper River have been the result of excess municipal and industrial wastewater discharges, combined with the effects of urban stormwater runoff and the limited assimilation ability of the stream. The Camden County U.A. regional sewage system is acting to eliminate most of the discharges to the Cooper River. Under terms of a 1986 Consent Order, construction of the Camden
County Municipal Utilities Authority's regional wastewater treatment system is continuing." (Water Quality Report, p.III-142)
| NJDEPS Permitted Discharges: | Permit # | Receiving Water |
| Campbell Soup Co | 0005953 | Cooper River |
| Merchantville-Pennsauken* | 0032085 | Chandlers Run |
| Collingswood Boro Water Plant | 0029564 | Cooper River |
| NJ Tpk Auth Area 3S* | 0020753 | Tindale's Run |
| Hussman Refrigerator Co | 0003999 | Cooper River |
| Cherry Hill-Barclay STP* | 0025046 | Cooper River |
| Cherry Hill-Old Orchard* | 0025054 | Cooper River |
Nonpoint Sources:
On a recent Riverkeeper field trip, the day after heavy rains and snow melt, staff observed a "combined sewer overflow" (a combination stormwater and sewage discharge pipe that, in the event of heavy flow, diverts excess water out of the system). At this location, in Haddon Township, behind the Edison Grade School, there was evidence that water overflow, including toilet paper, poured out of a manhole cover, down the embankment and into an unnamed tributary.
Other nonpoint sources include:
| Parameter | Range | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| pH: | 6.5 - 7.5 | 7.0 |
| Nitrates: | 0.44 - 2.64 mg/L | 1.40 mg/L |
| Phosphate: | 0.2 - 0.8 mg/L | 0.4 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen: | 3.1 - 12.6 mg/L | 9.1 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen Saturation: | 36.0 - 146.0% | 85.0% |
| Turbidity (clarity): | 1.0 - 2.8 meters | 1.8 meters |
Other Identified Surface Water Monitoring:
U.S. Geological Survey conducts monitoring at:
Norcross Road, Lindenwold (chemical, microbiological)
Lawnside (chemical, microbiological)
Haddonfield (discharge, chemical, microbiological and sediment)
pH
The pH of natural waters is an important general 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 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)
Nitrate is the principal form of nitrogen in most surface waters, but high concentrations of nitrate (>4 ppm) may reflect unsanitary conditions because of human and animal wastes are major sources of nitrate.
Phosphate (PO4)
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
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
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 dissolved 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).
Observations and Comments
Volunteers observe wildlife, weather conditions and general water and habitat conditions. Volunteers observed a variety of wildlife, including Mallards with ducklings, Osprey, Great White Heron, Double-crested Cormorants, and Great Blue Herons. Muddy water was consistently observed along with several algae blooms.
Discussion
The overall results of the water quality monitoring are in the range generally considered acceptable to support some levels of wildlife and are similar to neighboring tributaries being monitored by Riverkeeper. The low readings of both dissolved oxygen concentration (3.1 mg/L) and saturation (36.0%), while a concern, occurred in September and appear to be the result of high water temperatures and low water flow.
Water turbidity readings, however, are consistently poor. The reduced water clarity in the Cooper River is the result of suspended solids (i.e., silt and soil) in the water; these suspended solids are related to severe stream bank erosion. High levels of suspended are of concern because they can: reduce the rates of photosynthesis, provide a place for harmful bacteria to lodge, and clog the gills of fish. The severe erosion is caused by a lack of shoreline vegetation; wind, wave and ice action; heavy pedestrian traffic; and several unprotected stormwater discharge pipes.
The volunteers have confirmed what you already know -- the Cooper River has its problems, but is still a viable ecosystem worth protecting and restoring. It supports wildlife and offers tranquility and recreation. The Cooper River needs continued monitoring so that field tested stream conditions can be used as input to devise strategies for improving water quality and streamside habitat. Continued monitoring is also important to ensure that problems are identified early and corrected before significant degradation occurs.
Recent Pollution Incident Reports:
February 1993 -- Garden State Race Track discharging horse manure to Stone Creek, tributary to Cooper River Lake. Action taken -- Camden County Health Department Haz-Mat Division investigation lead to
NJDEP fines. Race Track representatives state manure is routinely piled near stables and transport off-site. A snow melt caused the runoff to enter stream.
April 1993 -- Fish kill (approximately 100 fish) in Cooper River Lake. U.S. Fish and Wildlife investigation determined that the effected fish were Gizzard Shad and that the "kill" was the result of reduced water quality from lake stratification (the naturally occurring formation of water layers of differing density and temperature) and nutrient enrichment from stormwater runoff.
Protection and Restoration Activities and Issues
NJ Supreme Court Dilutes Wetlands Law; In The Matter of Fresh Water Wetlands Permit No. 0409-91-024.2 was brought by concerned citizens in opposition to wetlands fill activity by NJ DOT along the Cooper River and Pennsauken Creek, Camden County. The Supreme Court refused to overturn a Lower Court decision which had ignored evidence that the NJDEP had (i) agreed to issue a permit for the projects even before the application had been filed or a hearing had been held and (ii) ignored all alternatives to wetlands fill presented at the public hearing.
Cooper River Water Quality/Erosion Control Demonstration Project was developed to stabilize the stream banks of the Cooper River Lake and prevent further erosion. The ongoing erosion has caused significant amounts of suspended solids in the waterway. The target project area is located in Collingswood, Camden County, between Browning Road and Route 130. The project will evaluate the erosion control effectiveness of a variety of natural and structural methods side by side. This project has attracted the interest and sponsorship of the Delaware Estuary Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); the USFWS has proposed an adjoining project consisting of all bio-engineered methods of erosion control. The long range goal of these complementary projects will be to replicate the results of the studies throughout the rest of the park system.
North Camden Land Use Plan, a community-based effort, to plan for and guide future development and open space in North Camden including a linear park along the Cooper and Delaware Rivers, to the base of the Ben Franklin Bridge.
Cooper River Greenway Project is underway by the N.J. Conservation Foundation to preserve open space throughout the Cooper River corridor.
Cooper River Watershed Study and Plan was commissioned in 1989 by the Camden County Park Commission. The Plan identified the following goals:
For Additional Information: