Kathleen P. Hale

Principal Watershed Protection Specialist

Email: khale@raritanbasin.org
Telephone:908-730-0270 ext. 228

Kathy Hale has a B.A. from Bucknell University and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs. At the New Jersey Water Supply Authority, Kathy is responsible for managing watershed protection and restoration projects, including in-stream and riparian buffer restoration projects, stormwater management projects and River-Friendly programs. Kathy is also president of the NJ Section of the American Water Resources Association and co-chair of the 2010 AWRA National Conference. She has fifteen years of experience in watershed management in New Jersey, including work in the private and public sectors.

Kathy is responsible for activities supporting implementation of the Raritan Basin Watershed Management Plan, including:

Delaware & Raritan Canal Non-point Source Management Project
This plan identified the streams and stormwater outfalls that contribute the greatest pollutant loadings in the last 11 miles of the Canal, and recommended remedial projects for the top 15 drainage areas in the project area from the Manville Causeway to Landing Lane Bridge. NJWSA is currently implementing the top 15 projects.

River-Friendly Programs
NJWSA implements a suite of River-Friendly programs, including those for Golf Courses, Businesses and Residents. Through these programs, NJWSA works with landowners to improve water quality by implementing actions in 4 categories:

Water Quality Management & Nonpoint Source Pollution Management,
Water Conservation
Native Habitat & Wildlife Enhancement, and
Education & Outreach

Stream Assessment and Restoration
NJWSA utilizes the USDA-NRCS Stream Visual Assessment Protocol to perform overall assessments of stream health. SVAPs have been performed in several watersheds as part of the EPA Targeted Watershed Grant Project and watershed restoration planning efforts. Based on the SVAPs, NJWSA selects sites for riparian or stream restoration projects.

Addressing Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution in Priority Watersheds of the Raritan Basin
The goal of this project is to increase the amount of agricultural conservation practice implementation in four priority watersheds of the Raritan Basin: Spruce Run, Mulhockaway Creek, Neshanic River, and South Branch/Long Valley. The priority watersheds were selected due to their importance to water supply in the Raritan Basin, the existence of watershed restoration plan recommendations, the known impairments and the presence of a significant amount of agriculture in each watershed.

Manalapan Brook Watershed Restoration & Protection Plan
In 2004, the New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA) began developing a plan to restore water quality in Manalapan Lake. NJWSA recently expanded that project to the entire Manalapan Brook Watershed. A Watershed Restoration Plan that identifies specific recommendations to improve and protect the water resources of Manalapan Brook is under development.

Other Watershed Planning & Restoration Projects:

Neshanic River Watershed Restoration & Protection Plan (NJIT lead)
- This Section 319 grant project will develop a watershed restoration plan in the Neshanic River watershed in southern Hunterdon County. Visit NJIT's Neshanic website for more information
Sidney Brook Watershed Protection Plan (Union Township lead)
- This project will result in a watershed plan for Sidney Brook, a Category 1 tributary of the South Branch Raritan River in Union and Franklin Townships (Hunterdon County)
Rockaway Creek Protection of Critical Source Areas for Achieving Long-term Sustainability of Water Resources
- This project will determine the land areas within the Rockaway Creek watershed of northern Hunterdon County that are most likely to contribute pollutant loadings to the stream, through use of the Variable Source Area modeling concept
Raritan Basin Watershed Alliance
Riparian Restoration Plan for Agricultural Lands in the Raritan Basin (North Jersey RC&D lead)
Identification of agricultural lands in the Raritan River Basin where the creation and maintenance of stream buffers would significantly reduce pollutant loadings, improve stream stability and enhance ecological integrity