Photo courtesy of Michael Hogan
Watershed Facts - 59 total stream miles visit the GEHWA Web Site Contact Information |
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Overview
The Great Egg Harbor River flows for 59 miles draining 304 square miles of land (its watershed) in the heart of New Jersey's Pineland Reserve. Its headwaters are located in suburban towns and among the farmlands of Monroe and Franklin townships in Gloucester County and Winslow Township in Camden County. Included in its watershed are the land areas that drain into the Tuckahoe River and Patcong Creek. These two waterways and the Great Egg Harbor River itself all empty into the Great Egg Harbor Bay of the Atlantic Ocean. A coastal drainage system running from Ocean City to Atlantic City also empties into the bay.
History
The Great Egg Harbor River was occupied in its early history by Lenni Lenape Indians who hunted and fished in its waters and surrounding forests. The name of the river comes from Dutch explorers who found hundreds of shorebird eggs along the marshes of the Great Egg Harbor bay.
Europeans began to settle the area in the early 1700s. Forests provided wood for shipbuilding and the hidden coves within the mouth of the river were a source of shelter for early privateers. Over 600 sailing ships were built at sites along the stretch of the river between Mays Landing and Somers Point. The region also housed many blast furnaces, sawmills, glass factories and brick and tile works prior to the Industrial Revolution. Bog iron deposits in the area were an important source for the manufacture of cannon balls during the Revolutionary War.
Following the industrial revolution, the area lost population. Farmlands were not the most fertile in New Jersey and the loss of small industry caused an economic decline.
Cranberries and blueberries continue to be a major agricultural product from the region. Old and unused bogs are now recreational lakes in parts of the watershed. Summer cottages around these lakes and along the river became numerous in the 20th century. Most have become permanent residences as the recreation industry along the Atlantic coast and in Atlantic City has flourished in the latter half of the century.
Threats to the River
Not all parts of the Great Egg Harbor River are encompassed by the Wild and Scenic designation. Headwater areas, particularly, are threatened by increasing suburbanization and the polluted runoff (the "non-point source pollution") engendered by road and building construction, increased urban surfaces, road maintenance, septic system problems, cropland runoff, and the expansion of housing as these areas become more developed.
Within the wild and scenic river region, increased recreational use is a potential threat to the very qualities of the river and watershed that the designation seeks to protect. The growth of development within reach of Atlantic City also poses a threat to the area as its impacts affect smaller tributaries and marsh areas both along the coast and farther inland.
Federal Protection
In 1992, the Great Egg Harbor River was designated as a national wild and scenic river. This federal designation is a vehicle designed to stimulate, enhance, and coordinate local river protection efforts. A mix of local, state and federal government agencies has the authority to regulate the river through local zoning and planning laws and through the state's Pinelands and Coastal Areas Facilities Review Act regulations. To coordinate all these river protection efforts, each of the 13 communities along the 129 miles that have been designated as wild and scenic is developing its own Local River Management Plan with the help of the National Park Service. These plans will be standardized wherever possible. Together the 13 plans will form a Comprehensive River Management Plan for the entire river.
Watershed Association
The Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association is a citizens group that exists to protect the watershed and educate about its special features. This group is active in the lower portions of the watershed but needs to expand to upper, headwater areas, particularly in Gloucester County.
The Association meets at the Warren Fox Nature Center, Atlantic County Park, NJ Rt. 50, Estell Manor, NJ.