What we did to this wonderful flowering seep.

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
This is a seep harboring at least two orchid species and likely curly grass and other things. It has been ruined by flow of water seeping from a dump. Disgusting.
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Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
I would think that is the same location we were at on the PBX hike?
 

amf

Explorer
May 20, 2006
152
45
Swedesboro
Not saying that is the case here, but that type of oil sheen and the ochre sludge can often be naturally occurring.
 

NJChileHead

Explorer
Dec 22, 2011
831
628
Bob should you report it to the DEP? I would think that a dump site built in the last 80 years should be lined or drained properly to prevent that sort of contamination no? Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that should be happening...
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
Bob should you report it to the DEP? I would think that a dump site built in the last 80 years should be lined or drained properly to prevent that sort of contamination no? Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that should be happening...

This is a well known location. Manahawkin west of the parkway. AMF mentioned ochre sludge, which made me think; maybe the sludge is the material used to cap it; clay mixed with other foreign material (foreign to the pines). Still, even that is not natural and not good in a pristine place. I may ask someone in DEP if they realize how bad it is. One thing is clear, it's still a stream of sorts. A stream of sludge.
 
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oji

Piney
Jan 25, 2008
2,096
462
63
Browns Mills
Aaah, this looks like the site that was supposed to be a park in perpetuity (until money could be made with a solar farm). In order to build a solar farm on an abandoned dumpsite it must be properly capped first. I think that monitoring well should be checked out!
 

Wick

Explorer
Mar 6, 2016
408
296
Forked River
Are all the town homes they are building on the landfill or adjacent too it? I have noticed when you drive up to the back of the dump from Lucilles/Warren Grove the land drops pretty sharply down off to the left side of the road in some spots. I have never gotten out to explore but it looked like it had some decent elevation.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
Are all the town homes they are building on the landfill or adjacent too it? I have noticed when you drive up to the back of the dump from Lucilles/Warren Grove the land drops pretty sharply down off to the left side of the road in some spots. I have never gotten out to explore but it looked like it had some decent elevation.

It does have very sharp elevation drops to Mill Creek, yes. As to the homes, I was shocked to see last week the progress they've made in putting them up. They've started building quickly on the SE side. Here's a cell phone photo I took into the sun. These, I believe, back up to the woods.
 

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NJChileHead

Explorer
Dec 22, 2011
831
628
Bob (or anyone else), do you know if there are residential wells in the area, or if the water is piped in from a treatment facility? If it's the former, I'd be even more concerned...
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
Bob (or anyone else), do you know if there are residential wells in the area, or if the water is piped in from a treatment facility? If it's the former, I'd be even more concerned...

I don't know, but there is an apparatus along route 72 that contains piping etc. It's within 50 feet or so of the bridge where the creek goes under 72.
 

Wick

Explorer
Mar 6, 2016
408
296
Forked River
I wonder if the people who are buying these homes know "what lies beneath" Does anything need to be disclosed upon purchase?
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
By the way, that day I was also behind the dump by Haywood Road. I was bent over looking at some plants, and I hear a group of boys from the new development approaching. They were on the surface of the dump. I'd guess they were 11 years old, maybe 5 of them. I hid behind a tree and started grunting loudly. They froze for a couple minutes and were looking in my direction, speaking in hushed tones. I continued and they went about 20 yards further to a bushy area and skirted that and started back the way they had come. I snuck up to the fence and I popped my head up and called out to them. They waved in amazement. I yelled out "keep exploring boys, it's the only way to live!". They were very relieved and said Thanks!
 
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