Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute Executive Director Francisco Artigas reports:
Attached are photos from Thursday at low tide showing the new establishment of Spartina alterniflora on the Saw Mill Creek WMA mudflat.
This mudflat has been without vegetation since I have known it (1997). It seems that Sandy changed the elevation, which is allowing a healthy establishment of Spartina.
We hope to measure past and current LiDAR to determine exactly the magnitude of the elevation change in this area. (Thanks, Francisco!)
Hello, I was looking at the saw mill creek photo, I have a question, What happened to the Marsh grass islands that where on both sides of Saw Mill creek and what cause the islands fading away? Does anyone know how deep the water is of Saw Mill creek? When I was in my late teens back in the mid 1970’s there was always flock of Rudy Ducks in the Creek all year round. What ever happened to them when I and or others pass by on turnpike would look down the creek and see nothing, Always wondered what happened to the Rudy ducks?
There are still plenty of islands in Saw Mill Creek Marsh… The area in the photo has been mud flat for as long as Ine been at the commission and most likely much longer. Ruddy Ducks can be seen in the winter on Mehrhof Pond in Little Ferry and we get quite a few at DeKorte (in the spring as well.)
Jim W.