Why Are Jersey Shore Waters Looking So Good This Season?

Summer is almost officially here and school is getting out which means it's time for "beach days". Time to take advantage of our fantastic beaches here at the Jersey Shore it's always an added bonus when our ocean water quality is doing good and right now things are looking really good here along the Jersey Shore.

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So what is making the Jersey Shore waters look so good? According to a recent article from NJ.COM, "It’s simple — less particles like sediment or small plankton, called phytoplankton, according to Josh Kohut, professor of marine and coastal sciences at Rutgers University. Phytoplankton are single-celled plants that float in the ocean and provide about 40-50% of the atmospheric oxygen we breathe. “Just like plants on land, the plants in the ocean need sunlight and they need nutrients in order to grow,” said Kohut."

In addition in the NJ.COM article "Everyone is fertilizing their lawns, all the treatment plants are dumping some nutrients into the water,” said Kohut. 

Another reason for "prettier" looking water along the beaches is fewer things like sediment, which includes sand, silt, mud, and clay. More of these in the waters means a murkier-looking ocean.

So it appears it's not that our ocean waters are different, just whats in them and affecting their colors that make for a more "tropical" looking Atlantic Ocean. Whatever the case enjoy our beaches and don't pollute or upset the natural filtering that's giving us a "pretty" ocean, enjoy :)