Clinton Township Newsletter

1 0 O c t O b e r 2 0 1 6 www.ClintonTwpNewsletter.com y e s , t h e r e ' s b e e N r A i N , b u t N o t e N o u g h t o e N d d r o u g h t . d r o u g h t , w h A t d r o u g h t ? That's what you may be wondering if you've heard the news that the northern half of New Jersey – including all of the North and South Branch Raritan River Watershed in Hunterdon, Somerset and Morris counties – is currently under drought watch. On July 25, as a result of prolonged dry weather, the State Department of Environmental Protection declared a water supply drought watch for northern New Jersey and asked residents to voluntarily restrict water use. A few days later, the State got a weekend of soaking rain. Subsequent hot and humid weather brought regular thunderstorms. With all that rain coming down, can there still be a drought? The simple answer is that droughts don't happen overnight, and they don't end overnight. According to The National Weather Service, most of northern New Jersey is several inches below average rainfall for the past year. That results in less "recharge" of the underground aquifers that supply most of the drinking water to residents of the 470-square-mile watershed. About 80 percent of the North and South Branch Raritan watershed region – about 320,000 people - obtain their drinking water from the ground through wells. The water level in aquifers supplying these wells fluctuates with droughts, seasonal variations in rainfall, and the amount of water pumped from wells. If water is pumped out of wells faster than aquifers are recharged, groundwater levels can drop. To make matters worse, much of the rain hitting houses and paved areas quickly leaves the surface as runoff and enters storm sewers instead of recharging the groundwater. This results in a large volume of water carrying pollutants entering our streams and waterways and results in flooding, erosion, and poor water quality. Even though enough rain has fallen in the past few weeks to keep lawns green and farm fields productive, it hasn't been sufficient to recharge aquifers. It could take months of average or above-average rainfall for groundwater levels to return to normal. To avoid placing stress on our aquifers, residents should continue to conserve water. Some tips: • Plant a rain garden and install other forms of green infrastructure to control stormwater runoff and help recharge the groundwater. • Use a rain barrel to capture rainfall from the roof that can be used to water the garden. • Plant large canopy trees and protect existing forests. • Don't over-water lawns and landscaping. Two times a week for 30 minutes usually is sufficient. Use a hose with a hand-held nozzle to water flowers and shrubs. • Avoid watering lawns and plants during the heat of the day, since much of this water will evaporate without helping the lawn. Early morning or evening watering is best. • Use a broom to sweep the sidewalk, rather than a hose. • To save water at home, fix leaky faucets and pipes. • Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth and shaving. • Run washing machines and dishwashers only when full. The Raritan Headwaters Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, member- supported conservation organization. Our Mission is to protect, preserve and improve water quality and other natural resources of the Raritan River headwaters region through science, education, advocacy, land preservation and stewardship. For more information, please visit: www.RaritanHeadwaters.org, or call us at: 908.234.1852 if you have immediate questions. t w o - M i l e C A N i N e C A N C e r F u N d r A i s e r w A l k F o r C A N C e r r e s e A r C h Sunday, October 2, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm | Bundt Park, 8 Red Schoolhouse Road, Lebanon, NJ Won't you please join the PuppyUp Foundation at Bundt Park in Lebanon for a two-mile walk to promote awareness of canine cancer and fundraise for cancer research to benefit both pets and people? The mission of the PuppyUp Foundation is to bring awareness to canine cancer, its similarities to human cancer and to fund education and research that benefits both pets and people. Find out more at: www.PuppyUp.org.

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