Surface Water Contamination

Contained in this map, within the boundaries of Madison Borough, are total maximum daily loads (TMDL) for streamsheds in New Jersey. Included within the NJ streamshed data are known contaminated sites and surface water quality classifications, necessary for the preservation of NJ surface water. This map will show that equity within the Madison boundary will not be achieved until all surface water in the county is accessible for consumption and recreation.

Contamination sites have been recorded on this map, and waterways Spring Garden Brook and Black Brook have been assessed for their ecological significance based on N.J.A.C. 7:9B. 100 percent of the streams recorded by Surface Water Quality Standards have been deemed non-trout bearing freshwater subjected to man-made waste water. TMDL streamshed monetarization is required in the state of New Jersey which follow guidelines of section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water act. Monitoring TMDL data is essential to finding unusable (tainted with fecal coliform and total phosphorus, for more information regarding e-coli and phosphorus levels click here) waterways and addressing the pollutants, making NJ waterways safe.

In the Madison Borough, 100 percent of the streamshed, marked in green, have  phosphorus impairments at an unknown level which can be linked to septic sepages, fertilizers, roads/vehicles, hydrocarbons, and road salt. The main locations within the streamshed are Black Brook (Great Swamp NWR), Black Brook (Hanover), Passaic R Upr, and Loantaka Brook. Although there are specific areas of contamination, there is no definite causal effect between the phosphorus impairments and the 20 contamination sites. Though the pinpointed sites are  definite areas of contamination that contribute to the total NJ streamshed, there is no information currently available on which known contaminants are being flagged. Therefore, the streams marked in blue within the boundaries of phosphorus impairments  are being contaminated by 3 known sources, this includes the phosphorus impairments, waste water discharges, and possible pollutants from the known contaminated sites.

Madison Borough is considered a streamshed, which means that any contamination within the area will influence streams directly located within the boundaries of Madison and waterways outside Madison. The data shows 20 contamination sites, so the waterways have almost certainly seen the effects of this contamination whether that be phosphorus impairments or other pollutants. 

About the Data Sources:

TMDL  streamsheds data for Madison Borough was developed in 2008 by the  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to record polluted water. Surface water quality classifications were set by the NJDEP and the data seen in this map was recorded in 2018 and updated in 2021. The known contaminated site list for NJ was recorded by the NJDEP and the data that is seen was recorded on the ArcGIS online platform in 2016 and updated in 2023.

To download a one-page slide for this summary on Contaminates within Madison Streamsheds click here

For more pages containing information regarding Known Contaminates in Madison click here