Silver Bay Subwatershed
(includes Goose Creek)
The Silver Bay subwatershed is located entirely within Toms River Township.
Watershed Facts
The Silver Bay subwatershed drains a relatively small portion of the Barnegat Bay watershed in northeastern Toms River Township. This area includes development adjacent to and surrounding Fischer Boulevard. The land in this subwatershed is characterized mostly by residential housing and commercial land use. It is a highly developed watershed overall. Where development has not progressed due to land preservation, habitats include tidal wetlands, marshland, and backwater bays and lagoons. This area also contains some smaller areas of freshwater wetland and upland forest.
Ecological Features
Most of the undeveloped lands remaining in the Silver Bay subwatershed have been protected or preserved by the County of Ocean. Cattus Island County Park is located in this subwatershed and boasts 500 acres bordering the Silver Bay section of Barnegat Bay. The park is comprised mostly of tidal saltmarsh and is another haven for migrating shorebirds and waterfowl. Roseate and least terns, piping plovers, black skimmers, great, little blue, and green herons, great and snowy egrets, and other species, all can be seen airborne and earthed throughout these areas. Birds of prey like the osprey and the marsh hawk frequent this area. The other two major ecosystems of the park are upland forest of oak and pine, and freshwater wetland forests of Sourgum and Red Maple. The usual mammals such as whitetail deer, raccoon, muskrat, and opossum, are all common to this area. Cattus Island’s natural areas also provide habitat for reptiles and amphibians.
Other lands preserved in the Silver Bay subwatershed include those protected through the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Program — most significantly a 92-acre parcel near the intersection of Fischer Boulevard and Hooper Avenue.
Points of Interest
- Cooper Environmental Center at Cattus Island County Park, Toms River Township
- Ocean County College, Toms River Township
- Barnegat Bay Partnership office, Toms River Township
Related Links
Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation (Parks #10 – 13)
Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Program
Township of Toms River
