WEST CAPE MAY — All 21 counties in New Jersey are under drought warning due to below-average rainfall.
Deputy Mayor Susan Hoffman encouraged West Cape May residents May 13 to follow water conservation guidelines to prevent further damage.
“New Jersey is one of only nine states in the entire country with the entire state under a drought warning,” Hoffman said. “If we get to the drought emergency, that’s when the governor starts issuing mandates.”
This is not new for the state, as New Jersey has experienced below-average rainfall for 20 out of 24 months since 2024.
There are four levels to the Department of Environmental Protection’s drought meter: normal, watch, warning and emergency.
The U.S. Drought Monitor has five categories depending on intensity and impact: D0 (Abnormally Dry), D1 (Moderate Dry), D2 (Severe Drought), D3 (Extreme Drought) and D4 (Exceptional Drought).
Cape May County and other southern New Jersey counties are under D2, Severe Drought, while northern counties are still under D1, Moderate Drought.
Rainfall totals were less-than-average in southern counties, with a precipitation between 0.45 and 1.35 inches.
The DEP offers a Spring Water Conservation Guidance that suggests adjustments residents can make to limit their water usage.
The list includes suggestions such as lessening lawn watering, planting drought-tolerant plants, postponing gardening and using a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks.
Visit the NJ DEP website for the complete list.
Hoffman encouraged residents to follow these guidelines and other water-conservation practices to prevent the situation from intensifying.
She sits on the Environmental Commission and shared another piece of news from its latest meeting.
“New Jersey has put 31 plants on the invasive species list that are being banned,” Hoffman said. “Nurseries are given four years to clear out their stock.”
While the plants are still for sale until 2029, Hoffman explained that if a plant from the list is planted and invades a neighbor’s lawn, the original planter is responsible for removal and any damage.
To prevent this from becoming a problem, the Environmental Commission is printing out posters to ID these invasive plants.
Construction updates
Permitting for the West Cape May and Cape May pedestrian bridge was completed and submitted April 27.
The proposed bridge will be 50 feet long and 10 feet across, connecting Cape May’s First Avenue to West Cape May’s Grant Street.
The town is awaiting permit approval before bidding for construction can commence.
Design and construction funding is coming from two grants applied for by West Cape May.
Related to the bridge, the First Avenue project has proceeded.
“This First Avenue project is the lead into the bridge, and we want to make sure we have the right markings on the road so that it’s safe for bicycles and pedestrians on the road,” Mayor George Dick said.
This will be the main bike lane leading toward the bridge.
Dick spoke about the Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area Restoration Project. The project is through the DEP, but Dick explained that many residents have been following the process.
The project aims to restore natural tide flows and function in the Pond Creek marsh. The project will also restore upland areas damaged by the former Harbison Walker magnesite facility and enhance public access to ensure safe and non-harmful tourism.
Construction began in 2024. Different stages were completed over the past two years, with the most recent construction along the northern part of Pond Creek mash being completed in early 2026.
The project is predicted to be finished in December 2026, followed by a planting project in early 2027 before spring bird migration.
In other news, West Cape May is test-driving new jitney drop-off locations this summer.
“We are still talking to Cape May about extending the jitney up Broadway with a stop here at Borough Hall and one at Fourth Avenue and Eldridge,” Dick said. “Right now, we have a memorandum of understanding that will be a low-cost trial for this year, and if we continue, we’ll sign a shared service agreement with them in the future.”
Dick said it’s an opportunity to test the new locations before committing to signing a partnership with Cape May.
By JULIA DIGERONIMO/For the Star and Wave
