Riverbend Wetland Preserve
Secaucus, Hudson County, NJ
58 acres
directly adjacent to the Malanka landfill to the south and east

Located by a bend in the Hackensack River, just south of the Amtrak railway tracks, which is just southwest of Snake Hill (Laurel Hill).

The property is north and south of US 95 and around southern Pennhorn Creek.

History:

1920s and 1930s  --  mosquito ditches were dug.

1996 (December 20)  -- the land is acquired at a cost of $475,000 by the NJ Meadowlands Commission from Hartz Mountain Industries.

Rutgers University uses the site as a reference study site because of the presence of native high marsh salt marsh vegetation.

Habitats:

native high salt marsh vegetation dominated by; open water; dense monocultures of Phragmites australis (giant reed grass)

Attempts are being made to control the Phragmites to prevent these plants from displacing the native high salt marsh community. Open marsh water management (OMWM) techniques are being used to restore the hydrology of grid-ditches that were created for mosquito control. This will result in additional low salt marsh habitats that will experience flushing on the strongest monthly tides.

PLANTS:

Phragmites australis (giant reed grass) --  catches the contaminated water that runs off from the Malanka Landfill
Spartina alterniflora (salt marsh hay cordgrass)
Spartina patens (salt meadow cordgrass)

Source:

http://www.meadowlands.state.nj.us/eip/wl-riverbend.html