The map overview highlights the three basins involved in the monitoring project across southern New Jersey. The USGS gages listed are the nearest telemetry stations recording tidal elevation, specific conductance, and water temperature.
Saltwater Intrusion and Sea Level Rise Monitoring in New Jersey
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By New Jersey Water Science Center
December 1, 2022
Frequently, water withdrawals for public supply are made from the freshwater reaches of rivers and streams across new Jersey. Overall, there is a lack of scientific information describing the movement of saltwater upstream into the tributaries discharging into Delaware Bay. This project is beginning to collect water quality data along three selected tributaries in New Jersey to Delaware Bay in an effort to develop methods to relate specific conductance of the tributary waters to the upstream location of saltwater in the tributary. The location of the saltwater and freshwater interface is termed the saltfront. Estimating the location and movement of the saltfront in these tributaries will help the scientific community understand the water quality conditions in these areas. This project is funded by the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS).
Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS)
Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS)
Substantial advances in water science, together with emerging breakthroughs in technical and computational capabilities, have led the USGS to develop a Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS). The USGS NGWOS will provide real-time data on water quantity and quality in more affordable and rapid ways than previously possible, and in more locations.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
In New Jersey, the three chosen tributaries to Delaware Bay are Maurice River, Cohansey River, and Alloway Creek. The USGS operates real-time tide gages at Bivalve, Greenwich, and Hancocks Bridge respectively. This project is leveraging the existing infrastructure where possible and expanding data collection at the tide gages to include water conductivity. An additional telemetry gage was installed further upstream on the Maurice River in Mauricetown to increase resolution of water conductivity data for prediction of salt movement. Water temperature and water conductivity data are collected using a multiparameter sonde at the same 6-minute interval as traditional tide data. In total the project is collecting data at four key locations in New Jersey.
Real-time tide elevation, water temperature, and water conductivity data are available on National Water Information System (NWIS) and Current Condition Streamflow pages:
USGS 01412130 Maurice River at Mauricetown NJ
USGS 01412150 Maurice River at Bivalve NJ
USGS 01413038 Cohansey River at Greenwich NJ
USGS 01483050 Alloway Creek at Hancocks Bridge NJ
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
USGS Current Conditions for New Jersey: Streamflow
Simultaneously, during selected high tides longitudinal data collection profiles are conducted to measure of water conductivity upstream of key data collection locations are being collected to document the location of the saltwater-freshwater interface (saltfront). The preliminary definition of the saltfront is being defined as the location where the vertically averaged specific conductance in the center of flow is 1100 µS/cm at 25°C. The definition of the saltfront and its relation to salinity and chloride concentration are provisional and part of this ongoing study. The location of the saltfront will be estimated by developing a relation between the daily average specific conductance at the monitoring locations and the furthest upstream location of the saltfront in the associated tributary.
This research provides scientific information that describes the potential risk to drink-water intakes from saltwater. Understanding the movement of saltwater in tributaries also provides a tool to help protect freshwater habitats from saltwater intrusion and helps local communities and crop farmers build resiliency against sea level rise and storm surge.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS)
Substantial advances in water science, together with emerging breakthroughs in technical and computational capabilities, have led the USGS to develop a Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS). The USGS NGWOS will provide real-time data on water quantity and quality in more affordable and rapid ways than previously possible, and in more locations.
Study Basin Map
The map overview highlights the three basins involved in the monitoring project across southern New Jersey. The USGS gages listed are the nearest telemetry stations recording tidal elevation, specific conductance, and water temperature.
Maurice River Cross Sections
An example of a Maurice River longitudinal profile survey on 6/30/2022. The average specific conductivity is shown at each cross-section. The transects help demonstrate the relationship between specific conductivity and distance upstream from the mouth of the Maurice River.
An example of a Maurice River longitudinal profile survey on 6/30/2022. The average specific conductivity is shown at each cross-section. The transects help demonstrate the relationship between specific conductivity and distance upstream from the mouth of the Maurice River.
Sonde Sensor
Multiparameter sonde used to measure water temperature and specific conductance at each Telemetry Gage location. The sonde is hard-wired into the gage and provides real-time timeseries data.
Multiparameter sonde used to measure water temperature and specific conductance at each Telemetry Gage location. The sonde is hard-wired into the gage and provides real-time timeseries data.
Greenwich Housing
The multiparameter sonde is housed in a gray PVC pipe and co-located at a Tide Telemetry Gage at USGS 01413038 -Cohansey River at Greenwich NJ. Similarly, the Bivalve, Maureicetown, and Hancocks Telemetry Gages are installed the same way.
The multiparameter sonde is housed in a gray PVC pipe and co-located at a Tide Telemetry Gage at USGS 01413038 -Cohansey River at Greenwich NJ. Similarly, the Bivalve, Maureicetown, and Hancocks Telemetry Gages are installed the same way.
Frequently, water withdrawals for public supply are made from the freshwater reaches of rivers and streams across new Jersey. Overall, there is a lack of scientific information describing the movement of saltwater upstream into the tributaries discharging into Delaware Bay. This project is beginning to collect water quality data along three selected tributaries in New Jersey to Delaware Bay in an effort to develop methods to relate specific conductance of the tributary waters to the upstream location of saltwater in the tributary. The location of the saltwater and freshwater interface is termed the saltfront. Estimating the location and movement of the saltfront in these tributaries will help the scientific community understand the water quality conditions in these areas. This project is funded by the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS).
Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS)
Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS)
Substantial advances in water science, together with emerging breakthroughs in technical and computational capabilities, have led the USGS to develop a Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS). The USGS NGWOS will provide real-time data on water quantity and quality in more affordable and rapid ways than previously possible, and in more locations.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
In New Jersey, the three chosen tributaries to Delaware Bay are Maurice River, Cohansey River, and Alloway Creek. The USGS operates real-time tide gages at Bivalve, Greenwich, and Hancocks Bridge respectively. This project is leveraging the existing infrastructure where possible and expanding data collection at the tide gages to include water conductivity. An additional telemetry gage was installed further upstream on the Maurice River in Mauricetown to increase resolution of water conductivity data for prediction of salt movement. Water temperature and water conductivity data are collected using a multiparameter sonde at the same 6-minute interval as traditional tide data. In total the project is collecting data at four key locations in New Jersey.
Real-time tide elevation, water temperature, and water conductivity data are available on National Water Information System (NWIS) and Current Condition Streamflow pages:
USGS 01412130 Maurice River at Mauricetown NJ
USGS 01412150 Maurice River at Bivalve NJ
USGS 01413038 Cohansey River at Greenwich NJ
USGS 01483050 Alloway Creek at Hancocks Bridge NJ
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
USGS Current Conditions for New Jersey: Streamflow
Simultaneously, during selected high tides longitudinal data collection profiles are conducted to measure of water conductivity upstream of key data collection locations are being collected to document the location of the saltwater-freshwater interface (saltfront). The preliminary definition of the saltfront is being defined as the location where the vertically averaged specific conductance in the center of flow is 1100 µS/cm at 25°C. The definition of the saltfront and its relation to salinity and chloride concentration are provisional and part of this ongoing study. The location of the saltfront will be estimated by developing a relation between the daily average specific conductance at the monitoring locations and the furthest upstream location of the saltfront in the associated tributary.
This research provides scientific information that describes the potential risk to drink-water intakes from saltwater. Understanding the movement of saltwater in tributaries also provides a tool to help protect freshwater habitats from saltwater intrusion and helps local communities and crop farmers build resiliency against sea level rise and storm surge.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS)
Substantial advances in water science, together with emerging breakthroughs in technical and computational capabilities, have led the USGS to develop a Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS). The USGS NGWOS will provide real-time data on water quantity and quality in more affordable and rapid ways than previously possible, and in more locations.
Study Basin Map
The map overview highlights the three basins involved in the monitoring project across southern New Jersey. The USGS gages listed are the nearest telemetry stations recording tidal elevation, specific conductance, and water temperature.
The map overview highlights the three basins involved in the monitoring project across southern New Jersey. The USGS gages listed are the nearest telemetry stations recording tidal elevation, specific conductance, and water temperature.
Maurice River Cross Sections
An example of a Maurice River longitudinal profile survey on 6/30/2022. The average specific conductivity is shown at each cross-section. The transects help demonstrate the relationship between specific conductivity and distance upstream from the mouth of the Maurice River.
An example of a Maurice River longitudinal profile survey on 6/30/2022. The average specific conductivity is shown at each cross-section. The transects help demonstrate the relationship between specific conductivity and distance upstream from the mouth of the Maurice River.
Sonde Sensor
Multiparameter sonde used to measure water temperature and specific conductance at each Telemetry Gage location. The sonde is hard-wired into the gage and provides real-time timeseries data.
Multiparameter sonde used to measure water temperature and specific conductance at each Telemetry Gage location. The sonde is hard-wired into the gage and provides real-time timeseries data.
Greenwich Housing
The multiparameter sonde is housed in a gray PVC pipe and co-located at a Tide Telemetry Gage at USGS 01413038 -Cohansey River at Greenwich NJ. Similarly, the Bivalve, Maureicetown, and Hancocks Telemetry Gages are installed the same way.
The multiparameter sonde is housed in a gray PVC pipe and co-located at a Tide Telemetry Gage at USGS 01413038 -Cohansey River at Greenwich NJ. Similarly, the Bivalve, Maureicetown, and Hancocks Telemetry Gages are installed the same way.