Story and photos by Joseph Sapia
OCEANPORT – On a late September day, wearing knee-high rubber boots and wading into Oceanport Creek at Old Wharf Park, Kari Martin flipped a thermometer into the water and waited until the temperature registered.
“I have 79,” she said.
“That’s good,” said William “Doc” Kaloss, who recorded the temperature.
Thomas Cox had already used a 10-foot extension pole with a cup attached to grab a water sample. The creek’s dissolved oxygen level was 7.1 milligrams per liter, also considered good.
Then, the three were quickly off to the next site, Turtle Mews Creek at Oceanport Avenue.
This is the work of members of the volunteer Oceanport Water Watch Committee – Martin, who is 40 years-old, doing her first field work with the group, along with veterans Cox, 74, and Kaloss, 91.
For three decades, Water Watch members, now totaling about a half-dozen and working under borough government, have been doing water samples on a monthly basis on the Shrewsbury River or its tributaries.
“I’m more than inspired with their dedication,” said Joe Stark, a Water Watch member, who moved from Holmdel to Oceanport last year.
Kari Martin, a member of the Oceanport Water Watch Committee, waits for a thermometer to register the temperature of Oceanport Creek.
They come prepared. It was nine years ago when Cox went out on his first field test with Water Watch. The wintry day was so severe that he thought may cancel the testing. “It was wickedly cold, ice in the river,” said Cox, a retired electrical engineer, who is now chairman of the Committee. “I met up with Doc. He had an ax and hatchet in his car (to break the ice).”
About 10 sites, within the borough or nearby, are selected
for various reasons – perhaps a known site for gathering Canada geese whose droppings could pollute the water; proximity to Monmouth Park horse track, where there was a manure pollution problem a few years ago; or because of the route of the water.
At West Long Branch’s Franklin Lake, created by the damming of a stream, Cox noted, “It’s one of three contributing streams to Turtle Mews Creek.”
Spots could be as mighty as the Shrewsbury River or as unnoticed as a drainage ditch near Old Orchard Country Club. Testing locations may be altered, as needed.
Edward Miller, a high school biology teacher who lived in the borough, founded the group at a time when Monmouth Park was polluting the watershed, Kaloss said. Miller now lives in the Carolinas.
“Partially, because of this effort, Monmouth Park was induced to clean up its act,” Cox said. “And they’ve done that.” Beside taking readings for temperature and dissolved oxygen, Water Watch members also look at turbidity and fecal bacteria counts. Fecal bacteria could be caused by such sources as domestic pets, wildlife or a faulty human waste system, according to Water Watch members. “Our goal is to take these readings at dead low (tide),”
“Because it’s like inhaling and exhaling,” said Kaloss, a retired pediatric allergist who is Water Watch secretary. “You inhale good stuff, you exhale bad stuff. Low tide is like exhalation. All the impurities are in low tide.”
After about two hours of sampling, the samples were turned over to a courier for a Pennsylvania laboratory. This day’s results would not be released until reviewed by the Committee, Kaloss said.
Over the years, Water Watch has shared its information with such agencies as the state Department of Environ- mental Protection and the Monmouth County Health Department. It has effected change, such as being a valuable aide in a DEP agreement with Monmouth Park improving its storm-drain system.
Water Watch is “non-judgmental, they just really want to take care” of the problem, said Borough Councilwoman Ellyn Kahle, the Council liaison to Water Watch for the last decade. Kahle said Water Watch is a “dedicated group of volunteers,” initiating “a lot of change for the better.”
Zachary J. Lees, ocean and coastal policy lawyer for the Clean Ocean Action (COA) environmental group, praised Water Watch.
“Part of the reason that the Shrewsbury (River) has seen improved water quality is the continued engagement of local citizens and efforts like the Oceanport Water Watch,” Lees said. “COA has pointed to Oceanport Water Watch as a model for citizens in the Navesink River Watershed to pursue, as currently there is no citizen monitoring pro- gram in the Navesink.”
Over the years, Water Watch has documented shoreline development, school lesson plans, pro- duced reports, done cleanups along water ways and of fered suggestions for a better watershed, said Vice Chairman Richard Gruskos, who has been on the committee for about 30 years.
“I grew up in the area, love the river,” Gruskos said. “I’m an active boater, fisherman. Those things matter to me.”
“You don’t have to have any kind of (special) background,” said Kahle, a nurse. “Only an interest.”
“I moved to be closer to the water,” Stark said. “What’s in the water? That’s why I joined Oceanport Water Watch.”
As for Martin’s first testing afield with the group, she said, “I was very interested in the work. I thought it was fun. I can’t wait to do it again.
“I’m a science nerd, I guess,” said Mar tin, who has degrees in environmental studies and environmental policy and is a COA trustee.
