Research

MRRI provides science-based knowledge to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing Meadowlands estuary. Its research mission is to provide the scientific community, policy makers, and the public with the knowledge and predictive understanding necessary to conserve, protect, and manage the Meadowlands District’s ecosystems..

Our offices and laboratories are immediately adjacent to the district's wetlands, serving as a natural laboratory for long-term research. Here, scientists explore the pressing issues that affect the Meadowlands, such as water quality, climate change, invasive species, and restoration solutions.

Water Quality

For the past 20 years, MRRI has been providing seasonal chemical analysis of water samples from 14 monitoring locations in the Lower Hackensack River. MRRI also provides continuous water quality monitoring from two locations in the main stem of the Hackensack River, in Carlstadt and Kearny. These locations are instrumented with a YSI EXO 3 multiparameter sonde that measures depth, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, conductivity, and turbidity.

Water Elevation

MRRI provides real-time water level measurements at eight critical tide gates for landside and riverside measurements. In addition to water elevations at the tide gates, MRRI measures water elevations using sondes at various marsh and river locations throughout the year, developing tidal datum for the different reaches throughout the Meadowlands.

Water flow

MRRI uses the Sontek Argonaut ADV Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) to record single-point 3D water velocity measurement. MRRI deploys the sensor at several tidal creeks to measure incoming and ebbing tides. The asymmetries of the resulting hydrographs show the hydrodynamic patterns as the tide moves in, overflows the creek banks, inundates the marsh platform, and recedes. The Argonaut, deployed with a turbidity sensor, is also used to estimate marsh organic matter export and retention.

marsh elevations

Since 2004, MRRI has measured surface elevation changes in 11 tidal salt marshes in the Meadowlands using the rod surface elevation table (RSET) method, developed by Cahoon et al. (2002). These measurements estimate surface elevation change, vertical accretion, and potential carbon burial rates.

land cover types

The remaining 5000 acres of wildlife habitat in the Meadowlands is impacted by invasive species, erosion, and natural disturbances such as wrack cover from senescing Phragmites plants. MRRI uses multispectral drones and LiDAR sensors acquired from fixed-wing airplanes to estimate land cover types and percentages. We use ENVI® and Geographical Information Systems, as well as advanced post-processing procedures, to monitor and track changes in land cover District-wide.