Where did this last week go?

For me it was pretty busy with several meetings the second half of the week mainly focusing on putting together some photos and a story about Allamuchy Township’s Open Space Program and Outreach.  Friday, February 11^th was the deadline to get everything into the NJLM (New Jersey League of Municipalities) magazine. NJ Municipalities was looking for info for their article “Show Off Your City”.  WELL, was there when Allamuchy started to purchase properties with Green Acres ca 1998-2002 and got more involved when the position of Director Open Space was created in 2002 after the purchases.  Long story short, this is about a 20-plus years ongoing story of Open Space and Open Space Outreach with lots of PHOTOS of our beautiful Open Spaces and all the Recreational, Educational, Historical and Cultural activities within same!

This was actually a fun story to research, bringing back lots of great memories and all the while letting me peruse through all my photos putting a picture to a memory! I thought this is also a great way to get the word out, ***2023 is Allamuchy Township’s 150^th Anniversary!!***  Lots of exciting activities throughout the year; it certainly would be a nice early start with an article and photos in the NJ Municipalities Magazine! Keeping my fingers crossed! 

MODUS OPERANDI

While searching my files for the above article I was reminded of another project very similar in the sense that it also involved lots of going back through files and old digital photo albums to create a new Flickr album, “Wildlife of the Paulinskill”.  This is my first such album and there will be more as I want to also do the MUSCONETCONG RIVER (3 sections Nationally recognized as Wild & Scenic) along with the entire length from Lake Hopatcong to the Delaware River being recognized as the Musconetcong River National Water Trail ( only national water trail in the State).

PEQUEST RIVER (headwaters begin at Lake Aeroflex (deepest Glacial Lake in NJ) located within Kittatinny Valley State Park and then the Pequest begins its journey, at first through fairly rock free areas of good farmland and forest, then the Pequest, entering Allamuchy, begins it journey through the deep black mucklands (black soil created by the Wisconsin Ice Sheet which had its terminus along Rt 46 through Warren County. The ice sheet pushed rock and debris called (Moraine) in front of it. When the ice sheet began melting about 21,000 years ago that moraine formed a dam and a huge lake was created in the Great Meadows – Allamuchy area, the black soil was the bottom of the lake with its sediment. 

After Rt. 46 the Pequest definitely quickens its pace going through a rocky area and steeper slopes until it empties into the Delaware at Belvidere, adjacent to the Belvidere Bridge. NOTE: Federal Govt. did a major canal program over sixty years ago to drain the mucklands so they could be used as farmland – (see following link.)

BIG FLATBROOK – This beautiful River empties into the Delaware River at Flatbrookville located a few miles north of Millbrook Village.  It is almost entirely within the boundaries of DWGNRA (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area)  This river dumps into the Delaware within an area known as the S Curves.  Two interesting points about the S Curve area. (for this example you are traveling south on the river) First on the west side of the S curve, the Delaware rounds a bend and is heading north, when the Big Flatbrook is entering the Delaware it is heading south!!  You get some interesting waters and turmoil depending on the river’s flow! The second interesting point about the S Curves (again traveling south on the river) is this –  on the western most part of the S curve, rhe shoreline/left side of the Delaware River is New Jersey! At the base of the curve, across from River’s Curve Campground is Pennsylvania then once again when the river bends south New Jersey is on the left and PA is back on the right! So a good trivia question – Is NJ west of PA? If you are in the S Curves of the Delaware it is!

DELAWARE RIVER – Longest dam free river east of the Mississippi and much much more!!  Nationally recognized as Wild & Scenic River in the Upper – Middle – Lower sections of the River.

It is my hope these albums will add to the knowledge about and the celebrations of all these important Rivers.  (For more info follow the Great Waters link below).

Enjoy the above photos of Wildlife along the Paulinskill and for more go to the link below

Photos of the Wildlife of the Paulinskill – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72177720305778868 

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space

Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman   

Allamuchy Historical Society – President