January 26, 2026

Snow Day Science: How Winter Weather Shapes the Health of the Barnegat Bay

by Nina Sassano

Individual standing in the snow looking out to the water

Winter weather is part of life in the Barnegat Bay watershed, and keeping roads and walkways safe during snow and ice events is essential. Road salt plays an important role in public safety, but how we use it matters. With thoughtful choices and growing awareness, winter can also be a season of opportunity to protect local waterways and the Barnegat Bay.

As snow melts, water flows across roads, parking lots, and driveways and into nearby storm drains. In many communities around the bay, these drains lead directly to streams and lagoons. Along the way, dissolved salt moves with the meltwater. Scientists have found that chloride levels in streams often rise during winter melt events, especially in developed watersheds like Barnegat Bay (US Geological Survey, 2018). The good news is that chloride pollution is closely tied to human behavior, which means it can be reduced.

Freshwater streams and wetlands throughout the watershed play a vital role in supporting the Barnegat Bay. These areas provide habitat, filter pollutants, and help regulate water flow. Research shows that when salt levels are kept in check, aquatic communities are more diverse and resilient (Environmental Protection Agency, 2021). Protecting these upstream systems helps maintain the natural balance of fresh and salt water that makes the bay such a productive and valuable estuary.

Communities across New Jersey are already making progress. Many municipalities now use improved spreader calibration, weather based application strategies, and salt brines that melt ice more efficiently using less material. These practices reduce costs, improve road safety, and limit the amount of salt entering local waterways. As these approaches become more widespread, their benefits to the Barnegat Bay continue to grow.

pxl 20260117 200737384

Healthy vegetation also plays a powerful role in protecting water quality. Roadside buffers, forests, and wetlands slow runoff and capture pollutants before they reach streams. Reducing salt stress helps these natural systems stay strong and effective (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2020). Protecting and restoring vegetated areas throughout the watershed is one of the most effective ways to safeguard the bay year round.

Even as winters change, there is reason for optimism. While freeze thaw cycles can increase the need for careful winter maintenance, they also highlight the value of smart, adaptive management. Small actions add up. Shoveling early, using the right amount of deicer, and keeping salt off pavement edges can significantly reduce what washes into storm drains. When residents, businesses, and municipalities work together, the cumulative impact is meaningful.

The Barnegat Bay is shaped by everything that happens on the land around it, in every season. Winter may look quiet, but it is a powerful reminder that stewardship does not take a break. By using salt wisely and supporting practices that protect water quality, we can keep our roads safe and our bay healthy, now and for future generations.

For a full list of ways to remain “Salt Smart” in NJ, check out this flyer by Brick Municipal Utilities Authority.

Interested in learning more about how water resource managers monitor and manage salt entering our waterways? Check out this free webinar hosted by Penn State Extension on February 18, 2026. Register here!

References

Environmental Protection Agency. 2021. Aquatic Life Criteria for Chloride. US EPA Office of Water.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 2020. Impacts of Road Salt on Vegetation and Water Resources in New Jersey.

US Geological Survey. 2018. Chloride in Groundwater and Surface Water in the Northern United States.

National Climate Assessment. 2023. Northeast Chapter: Climate Trends and Impacts.

Explore More Insights from Barnegat Bay

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.

 

Snow Day Science: How Winter Weather Shapes the Health of the Barnegat Bay

Winter weather is part of life in the Barnegat Bay watershed, and keeping roads and walkways safe during snow and ice events is essential. Road salt plays an important role in public safety, but how we use it matters. With thoughtful choices and growing awareness, winter can also be a season of opportunity to protect local waterways and the Barnegat Bay.

As snow melts, water flows across roads, parking lots, and driveways and into nearby storm drains. In many communities around the bay, these drains lead directly to streams and lagoons. Along the way, dissolved salt moves with the meltwater. Scientists have found that chloride levels in streams often rise during winter melt events, especially in developed watersheds like Barnegat Bay (US Geological Survey, 2018). The good news is that chloride pollution is closely tied to human behavior, which means it can be reduced.

Freshwater streams and wetlands throughout the watershed play a vital role in supporting the Barnegat Bay. These areas provide habitat, filter pollutants, and help regulate water flow. Research shows that when salt levels are kept in check, aquatic communities are more diverse and resilient (Environmental Protection Agency, 2021). Protecting these upstream systems helps maintain the natural balance of fresh and salt water that makes the bay such a productive and valuable estuary.

Communities across New Jersey are already making progress. Many municipalities now use improved spreader calibration, weather based application strategies, and salt brines that melt ice more efficiently using less material. These practices reduce costs, improve road safety, and limit the amount of salt entering local waterways. As these approaches become more widespread, their benefits to the Barnegat Bay continue to grow.

pxl 20260117 200737384

Healthy vegetation also plays a powerful role in protecting water quality. Roadside buffers, forests, and wetlands slow runoff and capture pollutants before they reach streams. Reducing salt stress helps these natural systems stay strong and effective (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2020). Protecting and restoring vegetated areas throughout the watershed is one of the most effective ways to safeguard the bay year round.

Even as winters change, there is reason for optimism. While freeze thaw cycles can increase the need for careful winter maintenance, they also highlight the value of smart, adaptive management. Small actions add up. Shoveling early, using the right amount of deicer, and keeping salt off pavement edges can significantly reduce what washes into storm drains. When residents, businesses, and municipalities work together, the cumulative impact is meaningful.

The Barnegat Bay is shaped by everything that happens on the land around it, in every season. Winter may look quiet, but it is a powerful reminder that stewardship does not take a break. By using salt wisely and supporting practices that protect water quality, we can keep our roads safe and our bay healthy, now and for future generations.

For a full list of ways to remain “Salt Smart” in NJ, check out this flyer by Brick Municipal Utilities Authority.

Interested in learning more about how water resource managers monitor and manage salt entering our waterways? Check out this free webinar hosted by Penn State Extension on February 18, 2026. Register here!

References

Environmental Protection Agency. 2021. Aquatic Life Criteria for Chloride. US EPA Office of Water.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 2020. Impacts of Road Salt on Vegetation and Water Resources in New Jersey.

US Geological Survey. 2018. Chloride in Groundwater and Surface Water in the Northern United States.

National Climate Assessment. 2023. Northeast Chapter: Climate Trends and Impacts.

Contact Snow Day Science: How Winter Weather Shapes the Health of the Barnegat BayContact Snow Day Science: How Winter Weather Shapes the Health of the Barnegat Bay
Individual standing in the snow looking out to the water