Category: Candidate Restoration/Preservation Site 
Location: Bordered on the north by the Hackensack River and the southeast by Secaucus Tract in Secaucus, Hudson County.
Latitude/Longitude: 40.80420/-74.04718
Current Land Use: Tidal marsh
Size: 43 acres
Current Ownership: Town of Secaucus (NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement).
Site Description: The Secaucus High School site is currently dominated by common reed (Phragmites australis), and contains narrow sinuous channels, several mosquito ditches, and tide gates. A pump station, located on the southwest corner of the site, is fed by stormwater from the parking lot of the adjacent high school, as well as a small portion of the neighboring residential area to the southwest, and discharges stormwater directly onto the property. Additionally, three culverts collect stormwater from a 1000-foot section of Mill Ridge Road and feed directly onto the site from the south side. These culverts contain flap gates which theoretically keep onsite tidal waters from backing up onto the road. The flap gates are in poor condition, and currently are not working. Consequently, during heavy rains or excessively high tides, Mill Ridge Road experiences flooding. The current restoration concept plan includes the use of the site as an emergency flood control detention basin. Design criteria are based on a 100- year storm. Existing storm sewer catch basins feeding directly to the site through the flap gates would be re-routed through new underground storm lines, and directed into the existing pump station, where flow would be discharged to the site from a single, regulated location that would not be subjected to tidal backflow. The installation of automatic Self-Regulating Tidegates would isolate the site from tidal influences during excessively high-tide conditions. This in turn would allow stormwater to be discharged onto the site to be detained until the storm or tides subside. A number of meandering channels and small ponded areas will also be developed.
Existing Site-Specific Data Inventory
A. Survey, Maps, and GIS
HMD regional data exists inclusive of this site.
B. Real Estate/Ownership
Owned by Town of Secaucus. (NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement). Acquisition data available on the NJMC website.
C. Site History & Land Use
No data obtained.
D. Biological Studies – Fauna
Monitoring conducted in 2001.
E. Biological Studies – General Environmental
Monitoring conducted and baseline data collected in 2001, including vegetation features mapping.
F. Geotechnical
Baseline data collected in 2001.
G. Hydraulics and Hydrology
Baseline data collected in 2001, including hydrologic features mapping.
H. Water and Sediments
Baseline data collected in 2001.
I. Historical/Cultural Resources
No data obtained.
J. Restoration/Remediation Design Plans
No data obtained.
Site Reports
Site #27 – Secaucus High School
Category: Candidate Restoration/Preservation Site
Location: Bordered on the north by the Hackensack River and the southeast by Secaucus Tract in Secaucus, Hudson County.
Latitude/Longitude: 40.80420 / -74.04718
Current Land Use: Tidal marsh
Size: 43 acres
Current Ownership: Town of Secaucus (NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement.)
Site Description: The Secaucus High School site is currently dominated by common reed (Phragmites australis), and contains narrow sinuous channels, several mosquito ditches, and tide gates. A pump station, located on the southwest corner of the site, is fed by stormwater from the parking lot of the adjacent high school, as well as a small portion of the neighboring residential area to the southwest, and discharges stormwater directly onto the property. Additionally, three culverts collect stormwater from a 1000-foot section of Mill Ridge Road and feed directly onto the site from the south side. These culverts contain flap gates which theoretically keep onsite tidal waters from backing up onto the road. The flap gates are in poor condition, and currently are not working. Consequently, during heavy rains or excessively high tides, Mill Ridge Road experiences flooding.
The current restoration concept plan includes the use of the site as an emergency flood control detention basin. Design criteria are based on a 100-year storm. Existing storm sewer catch basins feeding directly to the site through the flap gates would be re-routed through new underground storm lines, and directed into the existing pump station, where flow would be discharged to the site from a single, regulated location that would not be subjected to tidal backflow. The installation of automatic Self-Regulating Tidegates would isolate the site from tidal influences during excessively high-tide conditions. This in turn would allow stormwater to be discharged onto the site to be detained until the storm or tides subside. A number of meandering channels and small ponded areas will also be developed.
Existing Site Specific Data Inventory
* – Report repeated under multiple data categories and/or sites.
A. Survey, Maps, and GIS
Relevant survey, mapping, and GIS data for the Meadowlands can be found in the Meadowlands-wide site report under data category A.
B. Real Estate/Ownership
Secaucus High School is owned by the Town of Secaucus, from whom NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement.
C. Site History & Land Use
No data obtained.
D. Biological Studies – Fauna
1. *Donald J. Smith Environmental Consultants. Monthly Report: Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve and Secaucus High School. August 2001. [1a] Monthly observation report summarizing site conditions, management recommendations, and wildlife monitoring data at the Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve, and Secaucus High School sites. Includes photographs documenting environmental conditions.
2. *Donald J. Smith Environmental Consultants. Monthly Report: Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve and Secaucus High School. September 2001. [1a] Monthly observation report summarizing site conditions, management recommendations, and wildlife monitoring data at the Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve, and Secaucus High School sites. Includes photographs documenting environmental conditions.
3. *Donald J. Smith Environmental Consultants. Monthly Report. Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, and Secaucus High School. October 2001. [1a] Monthly observation report summarizing site conditions, management recommendations, and wildlife monitoring data at the Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, and Secaucus High School sites. Includes photographs documenting environmental conditions.
E. Biological Studies – General Environmental
4. *Donald J. Smith Environmental Consultants. Monthly Report: Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve and Secaucus High School. August 2001. [1a] Monthly observation report summarizing site conditions, management recommendations, and wildlife monitoring data at the Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve, and Secaucus High School sites. Includes photographs documenting environmental conditions.
5. *Donald J. Smith Environmental Consultants. Monthly Report: Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve and Secaucus High School. September 2001. [1a] Monthly observation report summarizing site conditions, management recommendations, and wildlife monitoring data at the Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, Oritani Marsh, Riverbend Wetlands Preserve, and Secaucus High School sites. Includes photographs documenting environmental conditions.
6. *Donald J. Smith Environmental Consultants. Monthly Report. Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, and Secaucus High School. October 2001. [1a] Monthly observation report summarizing site conditions, management recommendations, and wildlife monitoring data at the Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek, Skeetkill Creek Marsh, and Secaucus High School sites. Includes photographs documenting environmental conditions.
7. *TAMS Consultants, Inc. Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site: Baseline Studies. March 8, 2001. [2a]Baseline studies were conducted for the Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site, including vegetation cover type mapping; hydrologic features mapping; soil, sediment, and water sampling and analysis; and ecological sampling and analysis. The report details the methods, results, and conclusions for all of the studies conducted.
F. Geotechnical
8. *TAMS Consultants, Inc. Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site: Baseline Studies. March 8, 2001. [2a]Baseline studies were conducted for the Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site, including vegetation cover type mapping; hydrologic features mapping; soil, sediment, and water sampling and analysis; and ecological sampling and analysis. The report details the methods, results, and conclusions for all of the studies conducted.
G. Hydraulics and Hydrology
9. *TAMS Consultants, Inc. Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site: Baseline Studies. March 8, 2001. [2a]Baseline studies were conducted for the Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site, including vegetation cover type mapping; hydrologic features mapping; soil, sediment, and water sampling and analysis; and ecological sampling and analysis. The report details the methods, results, and conclusions for all of the studies conducted.
H. Water and Sediments
10. *TAMS Consultants, Inc. Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site: Baseline Studies. March 8, 2001. [2a]Baseline studies were conducted for the Secaucus High School Wetland Mitigation Site, including vegetation cover type mapping; hydrologic features mapping; soil, sediment, and water sampling and analysis; and ecological sampling and analysis. The report details the methods, results, and conclusions for all of the studies conducted.
I. Historical/Cultural Resources
No data obtained.
J. Restoration/Remediation Design Plans
No data obtained.
K. Bibliographic Updates
Site #27: Secaucus High School
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