Piney Water

[pineywoman]

Okay, so I have been doing a bunch of research on the Pine Barrens. They say that a lot of wildlife like birds, plants, etc. can't really live off the water due to it's high PH level and mineral content. However, the wildlife that exists, thrives.

Question.. If it affects the local wildlife....Do you think it has some affect on the people? Just a random thought.

It's interesting that the aquifer produces most of our water in the state. Now, is this also connected to the mineral content in Philly and NY that gives us that special "magic" when applied to yeast and dough? People actually ship our water to other parts of the country because it is so special.. Yes, I know I'm strange, but want to know everyone's thoughts in the matter.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Most NYC water comes from the Croton Reservoir and the Catskills. Not sure where Philly gets its water, but it's not from Jersey.

As far as I know the aquifer in the Pine Barrens isn't really tapped for consumption besides the individual wells that are dug. Does anybody know if the municipalities that are on "city water" tap into the Cohansey aquafier?

 

[Boyd]

Question.. If it affects the local wildlife....Do you think it has some affect on the people?

The wildlife in the forest drinks from the streams. I drink water from a well that is over 100 feet deep. I'm no biologist, but I suspect there's a difference. NJ passed a law 10 years ago requiring very detailed (and expensive) analysis of drinking water whenever a house is sold. When I bought my current home I remember thinking that I knew more about what was in the water than I ever did in previous homes: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/pwta/

 

[pineywoman]

According to this study they do...http://www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt/DOCS/pdfs/SEWSexecsum.pdf. Into the Cohansey aquifer and also a sand aquifer (which is kind of odd) Hamilton Twp, Galloway, and Egg Harbor Township. Also, isn't there a portion that flows into the Mullica from groundwater and comes to the surface? I could have sworn I've heard this before.

 

[Boyd]

Does anybody know if the municipalities that are on "city water" tap into the Cohansey aquafier?

You can find water source and quality info for NJ here: http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/sdw_form_v2.create_page?state_abbr=NJ

For example, this is Burlington County:

http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/sdw_qu...name=&page=1&query_results=&total_rows_found=

 

[pineywoman]

This aquifer is quite interesting. Wharton wanted to tap into it and sell it to PA. It contains glacial water. However, this watershed feeds into almost all the lakes and rivers in the Pine Barrens. Wondering if this is where the higher levels of PH occur from? 17 trillion gallons is a lot of water and could sufficiently impact the ecosystem. Especially in regards to pollutants in the soil. Hmmmm.

Piney Water=True Piney Power?

 

[Boyd]

Thinking about this a bit more, I now recall a conversation I had with a "well guy" when I was getting ready to purchase a home in Medford. I asked if the well tapped the Cohansey aquifer and he said no, most homes in the area had wells around 300 feet deep and were tapping an aquafer below the Cohansey.

Hopefully Mark will come along soon with the real scientific answer.

 

[dogg57]

 

[pineywoman]

What I am trying to say is this could be the new "gold mine" in a sense. Piney water could be like Fiji water, lol. People sell high PH water on the shelves. They believe it allows your body to "detoxifiy" all the acid in your body because a high PH means acid cannot thrive (which acid is in most chemical components of diseases.) The theory could play true. (However, I am skeptical it can cure cancer or any of that nonsense, but people pay some bucks for this water.) They study this on a daily basis. These "shelf alkaline" waters are usually developed in "the lab" and minerals are added. However, this occurs naturally in the pines which may prove to absorb better in the body because of this.

Hahaha. Time to buy a nice piece of property on the aquifer and if permitted sell it....maybe Wharton was REALLY onto something! Hahahahaha

Just kidding, but water is one of the most major life forces including the sun. Plus, the water of the Pine Barrens is the essential ecology and shapes the environment. I'm sure one of the many "ingredients" that make it so special.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Well, the laws that didn't allow Wharton to export water from NJ are still on the books. You're better off buying a place in the pines and enjoying your own water.

I think it's really only the surface water that has the acidity and mineral content. See: http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/edu/curriculum/pinecur/pbsw.htm


Sorry to be a buzzkill!

 

[pineywoman]

Not a buzzkill. However, we talk a lot about Cedar Water and how it feels good on our skin on this forum. We never talk about the water itself. So many varieties of plants and animals live here and are unique to the world. I'm sure the dear piney water is a huge component in it all. The aquifer could be a "main component" or essential ingredient. Since it does feed into the majority of the Pine Barrens water supply. Hey this is a forum and cool to discuss this stuff, right? Intellectual perspective is good in all areas even if not agreed on.

 

[scubabruce]

What I am trying to say is this could be the new "gold mine" in a sense. Piney water could be like Fiji water, lol. People sell high PH water on the shelves. They believe it allows your body to "detoxifiy" all the acid in your body because a high PH means acid cannot thrive (which acid is in most chemical components of diseases.) The theory could play true. (However, I am skeptical it can cure cancer or any of that nonsense, but people pay some bucks for this water.) They study this on a daily basis. These "shelf alkaline" waters are usually developed in "the lab" and minerals are added. However, this occurs naturally in the pines which may prove to absorb better in the body because of this.

Hahaha. Time to buy a nice piece of property on the aquifer and if permitted sell it....maybe Wharton was REALLY onto something! Hahahahaha

Just kidding, but water is one of the most major life forces including the sun. Plus, the water of the Pine Barrens is the essential ecology and shapes the environment. I'm sure one of the many "ingredients" that make it so special.

Um......the surface waters of the pine barrens are acidic with a LOW pH generally around 4.4
http://library.fws.gov/pubs5/web_link/text/nj_pine.htm

 

[Ben Ruset]

Intellectual perspective is good in all areas even if not agreed on.

Of course.

 

[pineywoman]

ScubaBruce Master...well here's the thing. They say it is because of highly acidic rain hitting the Barrens. Here's the question. Is it chemically altered with the rain and iron and mineral deposits from the glacial period mixed with the soil? Or is this Low PH a probability from the aquifer?

You'd be correct on the majority of PH levels. "Surface water" could be the acid rain hitting the water? However, some areas are higher than others. Also, you have to take into context what the PH is in the aquifer and not the water itself. Mix these two together with the environment and maybe Piney magic occurs?

 

[Ben Ruset]

I thought it was partially the vegetation and partly the iron content of the soil.

 

[pineywoman]

We need an expert in geology or scientist in this matter because whatever has occurred or is going on with the water is a huge influential aspect to the ecology of our beautiful Barrens. It is just very different from the rest of the state.

Dogg's diagram is actually pretty interesting on the inter-layers of the aquifers.

Just my curiosity in the matter. Also, how is pollution playing a role in the forest diversity and affecting the land? This I'm sure affects the PH/Acid levels and in term, the environment.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Well hopefully Mark will show up and set the record straight.

 

[Ben Ruset]

The important question to answer is "water" or "wooder?"

 

[Don Catts]

Um......the surface waters of the pine barrens are acidic with a LOW pH generally around 4.4
http://library.fws.gov/pubs5/web_link/text/nj_pine.htm[/quote]


Checked the PH of Wesickaman creek at Quaker Bridge Road (Atsion) in the spring, it was 4.4 Mullica below Atsion Lake dam was 4.6.

 

[scubabruce]

I thought it was partially the vegetation and partly the iron content of the soil.

Yeah! Humic acids from the bacterial degradation of vegetation. These acids contain a lot of iron and other minerals. When I first moved into my house in Waterford Twp, our well was only about 30 feet deep. The pH of the water was 5.5 and the iron concentration was off the scale. I had to put in some serious water treatment. I had iron scaling on everything and the acid was eating away the solder joints on my copper pipes. I later had a well dug to 100 feet. The pH improved to near 7 and the iron problem ceased to exist.