Category: Candidate Restoration/Preservation Site
Location: East of the Meadowlands Corporate Center and southwest of Oritani Marsh and the New Jersey Transit – Bergen Line in Rutherford, Bergen County
Latitude/Longitude: 40.80145/-74.08913
Current Land Use: Tidal marsh
Size: 85 acres
Current Ownership: NJMC
Site Description: Berry’s Creek Marsh is an undeveloped area most of which (70.4 acres) is landlocked between the NJ Transit Bergen railroad line and the old Rutherford landfill haul road. This marsh is dominated by common reed (Phragmites australis). Fish Creek meanders through the marsh. Approximately 40 acres within this site is occupied by the WOR radio tower array. Two parcels, totaling approximately 14.6 acres, lie between Berry’s Creek and the old Rutherford landfill haul road. The southernmost of these two parcels abuts the EnCap wetland mitigation site.
Existing Site-Specific Data Inventory
A. Survey, Maps, and GIS
HMD regional data exists inclusive of this site. Topographic information collected for a portion of the site in 2001.
B. Real Estate/Ownership
Owned by NJMC. Acquisition data available on the NJMC website.
C. Site History & Land Use
No data obtained.
D. Biological Studies – Fauna
General baseline data collected in 1988, site-specific data collected in 1985, 1992 and 2001.
E. Biological Studies – General Environmental
Baseline data and wetland quality assessments conducted in 1988 and 1992, and in 2001 for a portion of the site.
F. Geotechnical
General baseline data collected in 1988, site-specific data collected in 1985, 1992 and 2001.
G. Hydraulics and Hydrology
Baseline data collected in 1988, site-specific data collected in 1985, 1992 and 2001.
H. Water and Sediments
Site-specific water and sediment contamination data collected in 1980 and 1985.
I. Historical/Cultural Resources
Site-specific baseline data collected in 2001.
J. Restoration/Remediation Design Plans
Final wetland mitigation plan developed in 2001.
Site Reports
Site #12 – Berry’s Creek Marsh
Category: Candidate Restoration/Preservation Site
Location: East of the Meadowlands Corporate Center and southwest of Oritani Marsh and the New Jersey Transit – Bergen Line in Rutherford, Bergen County
Latitude/Longitude: 40.80145 / -74.08913
Current Land Use: Tidal marsh
Size: 85 acres
Current Ownership: NJMC
Site Description: Berry’s Creek Marsh is an undeveloped area most of which (70.4 acres) is landlocked between the NJ Transit Bergen railroad line and the old Rutherford landfill haul road. This marsh is dominated by common reed (Phragmites australis). Fish Creek meanders through the marsh. Approximately 40 acres within this site is occupied by the WOR radio tower array. Two parcels, totaling approximately 14.6 acres, lie between Berry’s Creek and the old Rutherford landfill haul road. The southernmost of these two parcels abuts the EnCap wetland mitigation site.
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.
1. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
B. Real Estate/Ownership
Berry’s Creek Marsh is owned by NJMC.
2. NJMC. Berry’s Creek Marsh Acquisition Information. September 2003.
Date of Acquisition: November 22, 1999
Cost of Acquisition: $1,181,996.84
Acquired from: Rutherford Land Company
C. Site History & Land Use
No data obtained.
D. Biological Studies – Fauna
3. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
4. *U.S. Coast Guard & USACE. Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 404 (b)(1) Evaluation – New Jersey Turnpike Widening Project: Interchange 11 to U.S. Route 46. New Jersey Turnpike Authority. 1988. [1a]States project purpose and need, alternatives, affected environment, and environmental consequences.
E. Biological Studies – General Environmental
5. Environmental Concern, Inc. A Quantitative Comparison of the Proposed Wetland Mitigation Site and Impacted Site (C & F Realty, Ltd./ Berry Creek Distribution Center). April 1992. [4] The purpose of this report is to evaluate the wetland functions lost through impacts at the Berry Creek Distribution Center Development Site in Carlstadt, NJ and to compare them to the functions that will be gained through the proposed mitigation project located in Lyndhurst, NJ. The three approaches used were: 1) the Habitat Evaluation Procedure; 2) the Wetland Replacement Evaluation Procedure; and 3) literature validation.
6. *ERM-Southeast, Inc., Task I: Berrys Creek Study Volume I Nature of the Problem. October 1985.[1] This report includes site specific literature search and background investigation, site description, and describes the nature of the problem. Summarized in Volume I are all analytical data specific to the Berrys Creek area and the Wood-Ridge site. This report details, chemical contamination, of the site, surface water, mercury in the air and groundwater.
7. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
8. *U.S. Coast Guard & USACE. Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 404 (b)(1) Evaluation – New Jersey Turnpike Widening Project: Interchange 11 to U.S. Route 46. New Jersey Turnpike Authority. 1988. [1a]States project purpose and need, alternatives, affected environment, and environmental consequences.
F. Geotechnical
9. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
10. *U.S. Coast Guard & USACE. Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 404 (b)(1) Evaluation – New Jersey Turnpike Widening Project: Interchange 11 to U.S. Route 46. New Jersey Turnpike Authority. 1988. [1a]States project purpose and need, alternatives, affected environment, and environmental consequences.
G. Hydraulics and Hydrology
11. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
12. *U.S. Coast Guard & USACE. Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 404 (b)(1) Evaluation – New Jersey Turnpike Widening Project: Interchange 11 to U.S. Route 46. New Jersey Turnpike Authority. 1988. [1a]States project purpose and need, alternatives, affected environment, and environmental consequences.
H. Water and Sediments
13. *ERM-Southeast, Inc., Task I: Berrys Creek Study Volume I Nature of the Problem. October 1985.[1] This report includes site specific literature search and background investigation, site description, and describes the nature of the problem. Summarized in Volume I are all analytical data specific to the Berrys Creek area and the Wood-Ridge site. This report details, chemical contamination, of the site, surface water, mercury in the air and groundwater.
14. Galluzzi, Paul. Guidelines for Environmental Assessments of Channel and Marsh Sediment Disturbances in the Berrys Creek Drainage. April 1980. [1] Based on data from the 1977-1978 Mercury Study which indicates the highest mercury contamination exists in these upper Berrys Creek Marshes; the mercury dump site is less than 2000 feet north of the subject inquiries. Also there is a lot of evidence that mercury is only one of several heavy metals present in high concentrations in marsh sediments.
15. *U.S. Coast Guard & USACE. Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Section 404 (b)(1) Evaluation – New Jersey Turnpike Widening Project: Interchange 11 to U.S. Route 46. New Jersey Turnpike Authority. 1988. [1a]States project purpose and need, alternatives, affected environment, and environmental consequences.
I. Historical/Cultural Resources
16. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
J. Restoration/Remediation Design Plans
17. *Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, LLC. Final Wetlands Mitigation Plan for EnCap Golf Holdings, LLC and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission: Brownfield Redevelopment Project. June 2001 (Revised May 2002). [1] Outlines the final wetland mitigation plan for Lyndhurst, Avon, and Rutherford Landfills. The mitigation area is located in Berry’s Creek Marsh. The report provides a description of wetlands to be impacted at the three landfills, as well as a description of existing conditions of the mitigation site including topography, soils and surficial geology, hydrology, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and historic resources. The report also contains IVA assessments for both the existing wetlands and the proposed mitigation wetlands, a detailed wetlands mitigation plan, and maintenance and monitoring plan.
K. Bibliographic Updates
Site #12: Berry’s Creek Marsh