Salt marshes develop on depositional coasts, bays, and estuaries where tidal action is relatively gentle and erosion no more than intermittent and light enough to allow vegetation to take hold. A salt marsh is a type of marsh that is a transitional intertidal between land and salty or brackish water such as estuaries.
Alloway Creek salt marsh encompasses about 3,600 acres of wetland. This is typical of New Jersey’s 245,000 acres of salt marsh.
This site owned by PSEG and is part of their estuary enhancement program. This marsh had been dominated by Phragmites, an invasive plant that was chocking out the more beneficial marsh plants, and restricting tidal flows. The marsh is now restored with native grasses that promote increased production and biodiversity of the estuary/s aquatic resources. The tidal flow is allowing fish, shellfish and other aquatic life to use the site.. Salt marshes are one of the most biologically productive habitats on the planet. The marshes are also stopping places for migrating waterfowl.
In 1643, Johann Printz, Govenor of New Sweden estabilished a fort at this location. The arrival of John Fenwich in 1675 brought this area under English contol. Early in the 17th century, portions of the site were diked and farmed. Marsh landowners and farmers formed meadow bank companies to provide oversight and assistance with dike maintenance. In the twentieth century, hunting and trapping were the dominant use of the marsh and supported the formation of formal hunting clubs.
Start your visit at the parking facilities are located at 39 D 31.360 and 75 D 30.455 near the end of Money Island Road. There is a crushed shell elevated roadway that takes you about 0.5 miles out into the salt march, where there once was facilities for a hunting club. There are many signs along the way explaining the salt marsh and its inhabitants. There is a short loop trail there that includes a bird viewing blind and observation platform, and signs explaining how human occupation modified the marsh. The area also has a very large muskrat population and you can see many of their dens.
LOCATION 1 Go to the bird observation blind at 39 D 31.493 and 75 D 30.777. Continue around the loop trail.
LOCATION 2 At the observation platform (Cache coordinates) you are requested to take a picture of yourself with your GPS. (Now optional based on lates guidlines) This is also a good place to learn about the history of the marsh and how it was diked to be used for farming and grazing. As you look out over the marsh you will see a few locations that are only about 5 feet higher in elevation that do not get tidal flow. Notice how different they look.
LOCATION 3 Now continue further out the old roadway now becoming more like a trail and go past an old pile of crushed shells. Soon you will leave the firm ground and enter the marsh by “walking the planks” which will take you to 39 D 31.385 75 D 31.097. Here is one of the tidal channels that will show the dramatic tidal flows in and out of the march with every tidal cycle of approximately every 6 hours. During this cycle the marsh can change from being underwater to being a few feet or more above the water level. Tidal change in the Delaware River at this location is about 5 to 6 feet, so water level in the marsh changes rapidly.
To claim this cache, you must:
1. (Now optional per GC.com guidelines) Take your picture at the Observation Platform or at end of planks with your GPS showing the marsh area.
2. Describe how a small elevation change in the marsh alters the plant life. Figure it out--answere is NOT on a sign.
3. Tell why smooth Cordgrass (Spartina) is so important to the health of the salt marsh. (Its on one of early signs)