The Morris County Park Commission is seeking grant funding from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Green Acres Program for the second phase of a planned 7.7-mile trail on the scenic 1,200-acre Boonton Reservoir property in Morris County, New Jersey. A total funding of $1.75 million is requested for the project. Matching funding will come from the Park Commission and private donations.
The proposed project will loop the expansive watershed property that includes the Boonton Reservoir as the centerpiece, a pristine 794-acre water source for the residents of Jersey City. The reservoir and surrounding property are owned by Jersey City and straddles the town of Boonton and Parsippany –Troy-Hills in Morris County. The project will provide first time, public access to the scenic reservoir property, under the terms of a 40-year lease with an option to renew for an additional 40 years negotiated between the Park Commission and Jersey City.
Phase one of the project will be located solely within the Parsippany section of the property, offering roughly 2.5 miles of trail pathway. Phase 1 will feature a natural surface on parts of the trail but will mostly be a stone trailway, improving the existing roadway located south and east of the water body. Phase 2, which is the subject of this Green Acres application, will feature a number of additional improvements, such as boardwalk sections in wet areas, multiple pedestrian bridges where creeks and stormwater runoff transect the trail pathway and benches for rest in select locations. It will also include the construction of a parking area that will provide eastern access along Greenbank Road.
The project area features a mix of plant communities including approximately 500 acres of forest, primarily deciduous, along with evergreen areas and wetlands. The topography is generally flat within the wetland areas and slopes downward from the surrounding upland forest which cover the project site’s perimeter areas. The reservoir is impounded by a 3,600-feet long, 105-feet high cyclopean masonry dam with earthen wings. It is designed to store a maximum of 7.6 billion gallons of water under its present conditions.
The following survey has been developed to assess public support and collect feedback as it relates to this Green Acres grant submission. Please provide your input by completing the survey. Printed copies are available at the Morris County Park Commission Cultural Center.
Boonton Reservoir Trail Public Engagement Survey
Information Courtesy of the Morris County Park Commission.
