Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute Will Monitor City Waterways
Citizen-Empowered CLONet Program Underway At Deal, Sunset & Wesley Lakes
The Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute has partnered with citizens from coastal communities of Monmouth County and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection [NJDEP] to launch the Coastal Lakes Observing Network [CLONet] program to monitor and track the health of 10 Monmouth County Lakes, including Deal Lake, Sunset Lake and Wesley Lake in Asbury Park.
The community-based monitoring program, made possible by a grant from the Jules L. Plangere, Jr. Family Foundation, enlists local residents as citizen-scientists to collect water quality data and upload it to the CLONet site, with the goal of identifying the challenges for each lake, creating an annual report card of Coastal Lake Health, and sending data and recommendations to the NJDEP to address conditions.
“The Coastal Lakes of Monmouth County have been heavily impacted by stormwater runoff for decades,” said Dr. Jason E Adolf, endowed associate professor of Marine Science at Monmouth University. “This pollution has led to the degradation of the aquatic ecosystems, disruption of anadromous fish runs, introduction of non-native species, and an increase in harmful algal blooms. The main point of differentiation of the CLONet program is that we are empowering citizen-scientists to do the sampling themselves – we’re investing in the community that lives around each lake to help take an active part in its health.”
Monmouth University is providing training and guidance for the citizen-scientists along with water quality testing kits. Lake testing for all 10 Monmouth County lakes will run weekly through October and will be cataloged in a database, allowing the CLONet program to compare the individual lakes over time and compare conditions year over year.
“Over the years, we’ve seen growing problems with blue algae and a decrease in fish and wildlife in the area and we’re incredibly thankful for the creation of the CLONet program – the information collected will provide us with a guide on how to better care for our lakes,” said Councilwoman Eileen Chapman, “With careful monitoring by our community, we can help diagnose what’s been happening with our lakes and correct the problems. Our ultimate goal is to manage the health of our lakes while also accommodating recreational activities for residents and visitors.”
For more information on the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute’s CLONet program, visit monmouth.edu/clonet. For more information on the City of Asbury Park, visit cityofasburypark.com.
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