Musconetcong River receives
“wild and scenic” designation
BYRAM (10/21/08) – It’s
been a long time coming, but due to the efforts of
Representatives Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11th
Dist) and Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist) the
Musconetcong River has been federally designated as a
“wild and scenic” river.
The designation of the 42 mile
waterway, the longest New Jersey tributary of the
Delaware River, now permits officials in more than a
dozen towns through which the river flows to apply for
federal funds to promote recreational and safety
activities on the river
The river was designated a
National Scenic and Recreational River in 2006. That
designation allowed advocates to promote and encourage
public appreciation of its recreational and scenic
qualities.
Local officials of at a meeting
in Waterloo Village signed off on the agreement to
manage the river cooperatively in accordance with a
management plan to environmentally safeguard the
waterway.
“In effect, the towns and
counties are saying it’s a great river now come and
enjoy it,” said Bill Leavens, president of the
Musconetcong Watershed Association.
Leavens said by signing the
Memorandum of Understanding it will allow the Watershed
Association to apply for federal funds to promote
activities on the river.
He also said the Watershed
Association and the river’s management is committed and
will be asked to adopt model ordinances that could be
voluntarily be adopted by river towns in the future to
protect the waterway.
