Michael Van Clef
5 Third Avenue
Monroe Township, NJ 08831
(732) 723 - 2704
mvanclef@rci.rutgers.edu

August 18, 2000

George Hawkins
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association
31 Titus Mill Road
Pennington, NJ 08534

Subject: Millstone bypass

Dear George,

I would like to express my concern about the potential ecological impacts of the proposed Millstone bypass. I am a trained ecologist (Ph.D. candidate, Rutgers University) studying invasive plants in natural areas. This summer I had the pleasure of taking several canoe trips on the Millstone River as a volunteer for your organization. The river is an area of natural beauty that is an excellent example of a healthy wetland ecosystem. The diversity of our native flora and fauna on the banks of the river and adjacent wooded wetlands is impressive. The aggressive weedy species that degrade so many natural areas in New Jersey exist only as isolated individuals. They are kept in check because the system is healthy and does not allow expansive areas to be dominated by weed monocultures.

Unfortunately, the proposed bypass could have significant impact that would jeopardize this fragile system. Wetland systems are regulated by the timing, duration, and depth of flooding. Increases in impermeable surfaces resulting from road construction will lead to excessive runoff that will alter the natural hydrological regime. Sedimentation caused by high levels of runoff will also have a negative impact on the river ecosystem. Weedy species that currently exist in small numbers will thrive under such disturbances. The diverse native shrub community dominating the banks of the river may be subjected to invasion by weeds such as purple loosestrife or Phragmites. Forested wetlands could be reduced to a tangle of thorny multifloral rose plants and vines. These transformations have less aesthetic beauty for people and less ecological value than the current habitat. Rare plants and animals would be lost in such an altered ecosystem.

The Department of Transportation should consider alternatives that will be more benign to the fragile Millstone River ecosystem.

Three tables have been attached to this letter. The first table lists rare and endangered plants that may exist at the site. These species are listed as potentially being found in Mercer County by the New Jersey Natural Heritage Program and have habitat requirements that could be satisfied in the immediate areas impacted by the bypass. The second table is a preliminary list of species identified at the site. It is certainly incomplete because of the limited number of visits to the site, but gives a small example of the plant diversity in the area (157 species identified thus far). The third table shows the percent cover of various species along the riverbank. Measurements were taken from three areas at various distances from the Rt. 1 bridge near Harrison Street. The table shows the impact on vegetation caused by the disturbances related to major roadways. The table shows an increase in the cover of invasive non-native species and potentially weedy native species closer to the roadway.

 

Sincerely,
Michael Van Clef

cc:
Robert Tucker
Christine Altomari

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