HOWELL – While there are many components to the Monmouth County Park System, the most popular and frequently visited location is the Manasquan Reservoir. According to the website, the park accumulates over one million visitors a year.
But as of recently, the reservoir has been facing record-low levels because of a recent drought. According to the New Jersey Water Supply Authority, the water levels are below the ten year average.
This time of year faces changes in water activities because of the change in season, with boating rentals and activities put to a halt until March. This will defer residents that use the reservoir for boating activities, but will also draw new attention to visitors with other agendas.
“I think people are still coming, even if they’re just looking at the level of the lake being this low. I think if anything, it brings people out because they find it interesting to look at. It is something I think people are coming to see. The water dropping is affecting people coming to the lake, because it is attracting them,” said Chris Lanza, park naturalist.
The park’s five mile trail is a popular spot for walkers and runners, which carries alongside the park’s lakes and rivers. The popularity of the park leaves a positive impact on the township of Howell, attracting more residents and consumers to the area.
Photo by Liz Ciocher
In addition to the impact the low water levels will have on the economic standings of Howell, the water levels are also attracting different species of animals that are not commonly found when the levels are higher.
“For some prospective wildlife in the park, certain wildlife will benefit from having the beach closed. Different birds, especially in those types of environments, [will be] coming to the lake and benefiting from that,” Lanza said. “Obviously, other species might have issues from drying, so it’s kind of a mixed bag. Some animals will benefit from new areas of the lake being exposed, and others might have more problems. But it’s a wildlife pool.”
The reservoir works closely with the New Jersey Water Supply Authority in regards to water supply and conditions. According to them, a general flow of precipitation and rainfall is needed to bring the reservoir back to its normal water levels.
Photo by Liz Ciocher
While there is no way to predict the weather’s impact on the reservoir over the course of the winter, there are a few given properties to allow for more positive thinking regarding the environmental impact as the season progresses.
“Eventually the water will come back, and they’ll eventually refill it. But water usage is kind of a big issue. But it fluctuates anyway during the year, and the people are still coming,” Lanza said.
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