New Jersey Invests $11M to Save Drowning Salt Marshes from Sea Level Rise

Issue #564

January 02, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather

🐟New Jersey Invests $11M to Save Drowning Salt Marshes from Sea Level Rise

☄️Quadrantids Meteor Shower to Peak Jan. 3–4 With Up to 120 Meteors an Hour

🌉 Townsends Inlet Bridge to Close Overnight for Marine Safety Upgrades

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Daisy Lane Boutique

👇 Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇  

 January 2

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New Jersey Invests $11M to Save Drowning Salt Marshes from Sea Level Rise 

New Jersey is allocating nearly $11 million to restore coastal salt marshes, including $2.7 million to rehabilitate the wetlands of Scotch Bonnet Island in Cape May County. Scotch Bonnet Island, located near Stone Harbor, has seen more than 30% of its salt marsh area lost since the 1950s. In recent years, the salt marsh trail there has experienced flooding almost 70 times annually, underscoring the urgency of intervention. These efforts aim to address rapid sea level rise that is degrading tidal marshes and increasing flood risks. The Wetlands Institute will lead the restoration by raising marsh elevation, replanting native vegetation, and improving wildlife habitats. Other funded projects include tree planting and wetland restoration in Ocean County. The investments are part of New Jersey’s Natural Climate Solutions program, which focuses on using nature-based methods to mitigate climate change and protect communities.

Quadrantids Meteor Shower to Peak Jan. 3–4 With Up to 120 Meteors an Hour

Known for its intensity and short-lived peak, the Quadrantids offer skywatchers just a narrow window to catch a dramatic burst of meteors. Unlike other meteor showers that span multiple nights, the Quadrantids reach their peak for just a few hours—making timing especially critical. NASA ranks the Quadrantids among the most powerful annual meteor showers, with the potential to produce up to 120 meteors per hour under perfect dark-sky conditions. Realistically, most observers can expect to see around 40 meteors per hour, depending on sky clarity and light pollution. The best viewing window begins after midnight, with the shower’s radiant—located in the constellation Boötes, near the handle of the Big Dipper—rising highest in the sky around 3 a.m. and continuing until dawn. A unique feature of the Quadrantids is their frequent bright fireballs—colorful, long-lasting streaks of light caused by larger particles of space debris burning up in Earth's atmosphere. These fireballs add a vivid, memorable quality to the display. Unlike most meteor showers, which originate from comets, the Quadrantids are linked to asteroid 2003 EH1, believed to be the remnants of an extinct comet. The meteors were named after the now-defunct constellation Quadrans Muralis, which is no longer found on modern star charts. With a little luck and clear skies, early risers and night owls alike can enjoy one of nature’s most stunning sky shows—and a brilliant way to begin 2026

 

 Townsends Inlet Bridge to Close Overnight for Marine Safety Upgrades

The historic Townsends Inlet Bridge, which links Sea Isle City and Avalon, will undergo overnight closures in January as crews begin installing a new marine safety system aimed at protecting the aging structure from boat collisions. The Cape May County Bridge Commission announced that the bridge will close to traffic from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Thursday, between January 12 and January 26, 2026. The construction was initially set to begin on January 5, but due to weather concerns, the start date was pushed back by one week. In June 2023, a 52-foot yacht crashed into the bridge fenders at night. Though the vessel nearly sank, the fenders absorbed the impact and prevented significant damage to the main structure. A year earlier, in July 2022, the Starfish charter boat carrying 22 passengers was swept into the bridge by strong currents, puncturing the bow and forcing an emergency evacuation. All passengers were safely rescued, but the incident reinforced the need for stronger safety infrastructure. Built during the Great Depression as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Townsends Inlet Bridge remains a vital transportation link along Ocean Drive. It is one of five toll bridges maintained by the county along the Cape May coastline.

Answer to the January 1st Trivia Question

What is the purpose of the Cape May Canal, completed during World War II?

A) To create a commercial shipping route
B) To protect naval vessels from German U-boats
C) To provide a waterway for tourism
D) To aid in the construction of a military base

Answer: B) To protect naval vessels from German U-boats

The Cape May Canal was constructed during World War II as a defense measure to protect naval and commercial vessels from potential attacks by German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean.

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