Jersey Shore Magazine

34 jewels' of their community, as the watershed surrounding each lake became increasingly developed, the lakes became relegated to the role of regional stormwater basins," stated John Tiedemann, Assistant Dean, Monmouth University School of Science. The lakes festered and stagnated, victims of red tape and lack of widespread governmental attention. "Complicating any attempt to manage or restore the coastal lakes is the fact that, with few exceptions, no organization, agency, or governing body has taken overall responsibility for these waterbodies," Tiedemann said. Tiedemann and colleagues from the Urban Coast Institute met in February at the Coastal Lakes Summit to map out post-hurricane recovery and restoration efforts, urging a more regionalized approach. Before Sandy, area lakes had been "getting very little attention," Tiedemann said. One of the most visible victims of lake pollution is Wreck Pond, which borders Sea Girt and Spring Lake. Its moniker did not come as an ironic term for the current state of its waters. It was coined at the turn of the twentieth century, as a result of shipwrecks that occurred when sailors mistook its original natural inlet for the Manasquan Inlet. Wreck Pond became a hub of outdoor activities—crabbing, swimming, fishing, and boating—in the 1960s, as well as an important estuary for River Herring (the Alewife) and the American Eel. River Herring, an important food source for Striped Bass, is currently a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act due to habitat loss that has occurred due to the closing of natural inlets like Wreck Pond. Wreck Pond's history as a recreational lake was short-lived. In the past few decades, its waters became stagnant, leaching into the ocean via an outflow pipe. This bacterial pollution became so toxic that in recent years, Monmouth County implemented plans to close the adjacent beaches after as little as a quarter inch of rainfall. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) were preparing for a restoration study before Sandy hit, but funds were not appropriated. Sandy became a blessing in disguise for Wreck Pond: the study was pushed forward via a $2.5 million award from the Disaster Relief Appropriation Act, i.e., the "Sandy Bill." "The storm is actually accelerating this process," said Lawrence Hajna, spokesman for the NJDEP. During the storm, Wreck Pond's dunes were breached, opening up its natural inlet. Although this breach has since closed up again, there was much interest in keeping this inlet open as the flow "temporarily allowed a greater tidal exchange," improving water quality, said Jason Shea, Chief, Watershed Section, USACE. Sandy's effect on Wreck Pond "provided (the Corps) with an interesting 'demonstration project' by opening the inlet," Shea stated. According to the NJDEP's Wreck Pond Watershed Restoration Plan, potential action items to help restore the lake include rebuilding dunes and modifying the existing inlet with a gate to be opened during flood conditions. "The gate will block incoming tides prior to storms that have the potential for flooding," Hajna said. A berm using native plants will create a "living shoreline" to increase the pond's capacity and provide a more natural setting. According to Hajna, this will potentially "restore the ecosystem and prevent flooding in the long term." At this point in time, the area's other coastal lakes are not part of the existing coastal storm damage protection project. Tiedemann stated, "The challenge is to seize the opportunity (from Sandy) to develop and implement a Regional Comprehensive Coastal Lakes Restoration and Management Plan that facilitates coordination among all parties." In the meantime, local groups and municipalities are taking matters into their own hands and attempting to return them to a more natural state. Lake advocates are proposing maritime forests and gardens at Sylvan Lake in Avon and Fletcher Lake in Bradley Beach. Fletcher Lake's plans had been in place for years, but had not been implemented until after Sandy drew attention to the plight of the lakes. "The good news is that Sandy helped push this project forward," Weber said. Groundbreaking for the Fletcher Lake project occurs this fall when native trees and plants, such as goldenrod, holly, and dune grass, will replace the hardpack surround. This will potentially improve water quality, reduce flooding, and create a habitat for wildlife. When finished, the forest will "mimic a little Sandy Hook," Weber remarked. Continuing the tradition, I toured Wreck Pond recently with my own children. Even close to the outflow area, the water was cloudy and chocolate brown. While surveying the muted scene, we were surprised by a flash of color as a little blue heron alighted on the shore. A sign of hope. —Laura Webber Kerwin Construction at Wreck Pond in December 2012. courtesy of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection j e r s e y s h o r e • F a l l / H o l i d a y 2 0 1 3 BEACHCOMBER continued from page 33

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