April 16, 2019

Paddle for the Edge 2019

by S-FX.com

paddle for the edge p4e kayak

Do you have a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard?  We’re looking for paddling enthusiasts to help collect important data about the condition of shorelines along the Barnegat Bay. With many miles of shoreline, our scientists can’t do it alone – we need the help of volunteers like you!

First launched by the Barnegat Bay Partnership in 2015, “Paddle for the Edge” has become an annual event.  So far, volunteers have collected more than 3,600 data points with their smartphones, while enjoying a great time out on the water. The data provide valuable information about the state of the bay’s marshes and help guide future research and restoration projects.

This summer’s “Paddle for the Edge” event will take place from June 29 through July 21.  Volunteer paddlers can spend just a few hours on the water anytime during these dates to record some basic information using a smartphone app.

Interested?  The first step is to attend one of the following training sessions to learn how to collect the data:

June 8 (10:00 a.m. to noon) at the Toms River Library;

June 10 (6:00-8:00 p.m.) at the Lacey Library;

June 11 (6:00-8:00 p.m.) at the Toms River Library; and

June 15 (10:00 a.m. to noon) at the Tuckerton Seaport.

Visit our Paddle for the Edge webpage for more information and to register for a 2019 training session.

Questions?  Email Paddle4TheEdge@gmail.com.

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Dive deeper into the ongoing efforts to protect and restore our environment with more updates and initiatives that you can take part in. Check out our latest blog posts for valuable tips and insights.

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UNKNOWN

There is limited data available to quantify Wetland and Riparian Buffer Preservation, or updated data to quantify Wetland Acreage. The BBP has obtained funding and will begin assessment efforts for both targets, in the next few years.

 

 Hard Clam abundance has not been updated since 2012. Recovery of the stock will be guided by the Fishery Management Plan for Hard Clams, which is under development with the NJDEP, BBP, and other organizations. Reclam the Bay and other partners have continued to plant clams for restoration purposes. Continued plantings in strategic locations which maximize survival and reproduction is one strategy to pursue in the coming years. This work can use a model developed by Rutgers with BBP funding which identified areas where planted clams could have the greatest dispersal of their larvae and thus potentially maximally contribute to the recovery of the stock.

 Water Withdrawals were over the target in the 2021 report; USGS has not yet completed its latest update, so a definitive determination of status is not available. However, additional NJDEP data show that it is likely that we continue to not meet the target. Per capita water use has gone down, demonstrating the effectiveness of water-saving appliances and practices, but that decrease has been offset by population gains. 


IN PROGRESS

New maps quantifying Submerged Aquatic Vegetation extent were developed, but poor image clarity resulted in a high degree of uncertainty in the total acreage. NJDEP and Rutgers are working to resolve the uncertainty of these maps, and improve the total acreage estimate. Funding has also been obtained for further research and restoration activities. Several groups are developing potential restoration actions.

The USGS has completed the first phase of its study to identify minimum ecological flows in select Barnegat Bay tributaries. USGS scientists compared streamflow statistics between historical and current time periods to better understand trends in watershed flow conditions. This work provides a foundation for developing ecological flow targets in the Barnegat Bay watershed.  Similar to SAV extent, funding (approximately $450K) has been obtained by the BBP to complete the remaining phases necessary for threshold determination.

 

TARGETS ACHIEVED

No targets can be considered “Achieved” at this time.

 

NOT ACHIEVING

Several Public Swimming Beaches exceeded their safe swimming standards more frequently than during their baseline time period (2016-2018).

While most beaches are routinely safe for swimming, several problematic areas such as Beachwood, Hancock, Windward, and several lake beaches need track-down studies and restoration to pinpoint and address sources of bacteria.

Acres of Approved Shellfish Waters decreased from the last report. While this decrease was small, it represents a loss of previously approved waters. Similar to public beaches, track-down studies and restoration work are needed to pinpoint and address sources of bacteria.

 

Paddle for the Edge 2019

Do you have a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard?  We’re looking for paddling enthusiasts to help collect important data about the condition of shorelines along the Barnegat Bay. With many miles of shoreline, our scientists can’t do it alone – we need the help of volunteers like you!

First launched by the Barnegat Bay Partnership in 2015, “Paddle for the Edge” has become an annual event.  So far, volunteers have collected more than 3,600 data points with their smartphones, while enjoying a great time out on the water. The data provide valuable information about the state of the bay’s marshes and help guide future research and restoration projects.

This summer’s “Paddle for the Edge” event will take place from June 29 through July 21.  Volunteer paddlers can spend just a few hours on the water anytime during these dates to record some basic information using a smartphone app.

Interested?  The first step is to attend one of the following training sessions to learn how to collect the data:

June 8 (10:00 a.m. to noon) at the Toms River Library;

June 10 (6:00-8:00 p.m.) at the Lacey Library;

June 11 (6:00-8:00 p.m.) at the Toms River Library; and

June 15 (10:00 a.m. to noon) at the Tuckerton Seaport.

Visit our Paddle for the Edge webpage for more information and to register for a 2019 training session.

Questions?  Email Paddle4TheEdge@gmail.com.

Contact Paddle for the Edge 2019Contact Paddle for the Edge 2019
paddle for the edge p4e kayak