Ecological Benchmarking in an Urbanized Estuarine River System

Abstract

The Lower Passaic River (LPR), from the Dundee Dam to its confluence 17 miles (26 km) downstream with Newark Bay, has suffered severe degradation as a result of extensive urbanization and industrialization. A variety of restoration opportunities for the LPR have been posited by private and government entities; however, a comprehensive understanding of the LPR’s ecological system is a necessary prerequisite to effective restoration planning. Key to restoration of an urban system are an understanding of the constraints imposed by the urban environment and a commitment to integrate this knowledge into restoration planning. The goal of our work was to characterize and quantify the physical and ecological attributes, referred to as “benchmarks,” of various wetland and aquatic habitats that exist in the LPR. Ecological benchmarking allows restoration planners to comprehensively assess the environmental conditions of the system, analyze the physical and ecological factors influencing habitat development within the system, and learn from habitats that have succeeded despite prevailing constraints and conditions. Benchmarking provides an effective method for evaluating the potential scope for restoration within the system and for developing achievable criteria for success, taking into account both the ecological qualities of the watershed and the limitations of the urban setting. By including historical conditions as well as information from other ecosystems in the region, benchmarking can also be expanded to capture a larger universe of potential restoration objectives. Our work included a combination of literature reviews and field reconnaissance conducted in October 2005. From these activities, a preliminary conceptual framework and habitat matrix were developed to provide a foundation for evaluating potential restoration projects proposed for the LPR.