Project Purpose:  The goal of the project is to restore approximately 5 miles of the Cedar Creek to migratory fish spawning in Lacey and Berkeley Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.  

Brief Description:  The dam is owned by the U.S. Geological Survey and was recently undermined due to flood events associated with Hurricane Irene.  The concrete dam was likely constructed in early 1900s and is 69 feet wide.  Breaching the Cedar Creek Dam would involve removal of approximately 69 feet of total structure and stabilizing and restoring approximately 500 feet of Cedar Creek upstream of the dam.  The Cedar Creek  dam is the lowest obstruction on Cedar Creek and flows directly into Barnegat Bay, a priority restoration site. 



Resource values / Project Outputs: The proposed project would involve breaching the dam to restore approximately 5 miles of migratory fish spawning habitat and restore 500 feet of stream habitat in Cedar Creek.  The primary target fish include alewife, blueback herring, American eel, and striped bass.  In addition, restoring stream connections within Cedar Creek will improve habitat for a variety of wetland dependent wildlife including a variety of  warblers, wood duck, woodcock, and flycatchers. 



Cost/Budget: $100,000.00 total budget

Schedule: Construction would start following securing all funding. 

Permit Status: On-going

List of Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NJDEP.

Approved CWRP funding: $5,000 to contribute to the restoration effort.