Vol. 15—1961 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

470.
INTERIMREPORTONAQUATICWEEDCONTROL
OF RECREATIONALWATERSABOVEPOTABLEWATER
Dean C. Noll 1 and Robert Budrick 2
The Passaic River above Little Falls, N. J. drains an
a~ea of 750 square miles. On this drainage area are located
the water supplies of much of metropolitan New Jersey_ These
include the Passaic Valley Water Commission, City of Newark,
Jersey City and North Jersey District Water Supply Commission
which can supply a combined total of 340 m.g.d. The treatment
of these waters is limited to simple chlorination, with the
exception of Passaic Valley Water Commission which has facilities
for sedimentation and filtration.
Also located on this watershed are the recreational lakes
. of metropolitan New Jersey. This drainage area has been generously
endowed with lakes, ponds and streams. Some of these
lakes are deep natural bodies of water while others were created
by damming up streams and flooding swamps and meadows.
'Dha 120 square mile RockaWAyRiver watershed, supplying Jersey
City, has a difference in elevation from headwaters to overflow
at the reservoir, of 1100 feet. This gives a rapid runoff
and any change in the quall ty of water is noted in a very
short time. The 94 square mile Wanaque River drainage area
has nearly 40 recreational lakes which overflow into the 291
billion gallon reservoir operated by the North Jersey District
Water Supply Commission.
Thirty years ago this area was sparsely inhabited but
with the advent of the automobile and better highways the land
became a real estate agent t s dream. In the decade follOWing
the 1950 census there has been a 100% increase in population
on this watershed, with the vast majority dwelling there the
year around.
Today it seems that everyone wants lakefront property
and this has spurred developers to create new lakes, and for
the most part shallow lakes, lakes over former swamps and
bogs. These shallow ponds With warm water temperatures and
fertile bottoms are ideal breeding places for aquatic weeds
much to the disgust of the lakefront dweller. He cantt swim
in the lake that looked 80 inviting last winter when he boughf
1. Assistant Engineer in charge of sanitation, North
Jersey District Water Supply Commission, Wanaque.
2. Principal Sanitary Engineer, Jersey City Water Dept.,
Boonton.