Editing Millstone Township, New Jersey (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township had a total area of 37.18 square miles (96.30&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 36.61 square miles (94.81&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.58 square miles (1.49&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (1.55%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

There are two [[Local government in New Jersey#Unincorporated communities|unincorporated communities]] within the township served by the [[United States Postal Service]] as [[post office]]s. [[Clarksburg, New Jersey|Clarksburg]] is served by [[post office]] [[ZIP Code]] 08510 and [[Perrineville, New Jersey|Perrineville]] is served as ZIP code 08535.<ref>[http://www.millstone.nj.us/history.html History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401090909/http://www.millstone.nj.us/history.html |date=2013-04-01 }}, Township of Millstone. Accessed October 18, 2013. "The Township, in its infancy, was comprised of several historic villages. They were known as Cars Tavern, Holmeson, Smithburg, Sweetman, Bergen Mills, Bairdsville, Stone Tavern, Clarksburg, and Perrineville. The last two remain today as a witness to our past heritage."</ref> Other unincorporated communities and place names located entirely or partially within the township include Baird, [[Bairdsville, New Jersey|Bairdsville]], Bergen Mills, Burksville, Carrs Corner, [[Carrs Tavern, New Jersey|Carrs Tavern]], [[Charleston Springs, New Jersey|Charleston Springs]], Disbrow Hill, [[Ely, New Jersey|Ely]], Elys Corner, [[Fair Play, New Jersey|Fair Play]], Hillhurt, [[Holmeson, New Jersey|Holmeson]], Pine Hill, [[Smithburg, New Jersey|Smithburg]], [[Stone Tavern, New Jersey|Stone Tavern]] and Sweetman.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/infobank/localnames.txt Locality Search], State of [[New Jersey]]. Accessed November 22, 2014.</ref>

The township borders [[Freehold Township, New Jersey|Freehold Township]], [[Manalapan Township, New Jersey|Manalapan Township]], [[Roosevelt, New Jersey|Roosevelt]] and [[Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey|Upper Freehold Township]] in Monmouth County; [[East Windsor, New Jersey|East Windsor]] and [[Robbinsville Township, New Jersey|Robbinsville Township]] in [[Mercer County, New Jersey|Mercer County]]; [[Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey|Monroe Township]] in [[Middlesex County, New Jersey|Middlesex County]]; and [[Jackson Township, New Jersey|Jackson Township]] in [[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean County]].<ref>[https://global.mapit.mysociety.org/area/883293/touches.html Areas touching Millstone Township], MapIt. Accessed February 27, 2020.</ref><ref>[http://co.monmouth.nj.us/documents/24/Figure%201.1__.png Regional Location Map], [[Monmouth County, New Jersey]]. Accessed February 27, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/gis/maps/polnoroads.pdf New Jersey Municipal Boundaries], [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

===Major bodies of water===
[[File:Millstone River Rocky Hill.jpg|thumb|left|The namesake [[Millstone River]] flows through the township.]]
Due to the township's unique location in the center of New Jersey, it is the home of numerous [[headwaters]] for various important rivers, brooks, and streams that flow throughout the state. The township is located on a [[ridge]] within the geographic [[Central New Jersey|heartland of New Jersey]].<ref>[https://www.njmap2.com/development/stormwater/?override=1&zoom=15&lat=40.183044790016396&lng=-74.39858090132476&sc=142&basemap=Google%20Satellite&layers=1467,1389,1386,1400&ois=&oms=&po= NJ Map: An Interactive Atlas Of New Jersey From Rowan University; Stormwater Management Map], Rowan University: School of Earth & Environment. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/life/2015/01/02/manalapan-brook-headwaters/21203733/ "Where are the headwaters of Manalapan Brook?"], ''My Central Jersey'', January 2, 2015. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/NJLandTypes_1954.jpg New Jersey Land Types 1954], Rutgers Cartography. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/HISTORICALMAPS/NJ_Geology_1940.jpg New Jersey Geology 1940], Rutgers Cartography. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/pricelst/tmemo/tm17-1.pdf#page=32 New Jersey Geological And Water Survey], p. 32, [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]]. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref> The township falls within the hillier terrain and fertile soil found in the [[Geography of New Jersey#Geology|Inner coastal plain]], while a small sliver of the eastern border of the township (which borders [[Jackson Township, New Jersey|Jackson Township]]) is located within the flat terrain and sandier soil found in the [[Geography of New Jersey#Geology|Outer coastal plain]].

Much of the township is centrally located within the much larger [[Raritan River|Raritan Valley region]]'s [[Drainage basin|watershed]] (as many of its brooks and streams flow into the river). The township is the headwaters for the [[Millstone River]], one of the most important [[tributary|tributaries]] of the aforementioned river.<ref name=RaritanInitiatives/> Part of the township also belongs to the [[Delaware River|Delaware Valley region]]'s watershed, with the [[Assunpink Creek]] and the Doctors Creek flowing through the southern and western sections of the township bordering [[Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey|Upper Freehold Township]]. Part of the Assunpink Wildlife Preservation Area is located in the township, as well as in portions of Upper Freehold Township, [[Roosevelt, New Jersey|Roosevelt]] and [[Robbinsville Township, New Jersey|Robbinsville Township]]. The reservation offers wetlands and lakes for viewing migratory birds, in addition to mountain biking trails, bridle paths and hiking trails, operated under the supervision of the [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]] Division of Fish and Wildlife.<ref>[http://www.uftnj.com/ov.htm About Our Community] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029203147/http://www.uftnj.com/ov.htm |date=2013-10-29 }}, Upper Freehold Township. Accessed October 28, 2013.</ref><ref>Collins, Helen Lippman; Reardon, Patricia. [https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/01/nyregion/for-equestrians-every-day-is-a-day-for-riding-or-practicing.html "For Equestrians, Every Day is a Day for Riding or Practicing"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', November 1, 1987. Accessed October 28, 2013. "Horse Park, in Upper Freehold Township, is a project of the state's Equine Advisory Board. When completed, it will be a first-class facility for competitive horsemanship, complete with outdoor show rings, seats for a large group of spectators, a polo field and jumping and steeplechase courses."</ref><ref name="nynjtc.org">[http://www.nynjtc.org/park/assunpink-wildlife-management-area Assunpink Wildlife Management Area], [[New York-New Jersey Trail Conference]]. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref><ref name="Assunpink Wildlife Management Area">[http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/wmamaps/assunpink.pdf Assunpink Wildlife Management Area], [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]] Division of Fish and Wildlife. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref> [[Turkey Swamp Park]] is another nature reservation which features wetlands, hiking trails, and even campgrounds, located in neighboring [[Freehold Township, New Jersey|Freehold Township]]. The township is also one of only two municipalities in Monmouth County that are part of the [[Toms River]] [[drainage basin|watershed]], most of which is located in [[Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean County]], as it rises from the Millstone and Jackson area, flowing southward through the [[New Jersey Pine Barrens]] to the [[Barnegat Bay]].<ref>[https://www.barnegatbaypartnership.org/learn/watershed-map/toms-river-watershed/ Toms River Watershed], Barnegat Bay Partnership. Accessed July 3, 2022.</ref>

Other notable bodies of water within the township include:

====Lakes====
*Assunpink Lake<ref>[https://www.lake-link.com/new-jersey-lakes/monmouth-county/assunpink-lake/140226/ Assunpink Lake], Lake-Link New Jersey. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref> (located at Assunpink Wildlife Preservation Area)
*Bulk's Lake<ref>[https://fishbrain.com/fishing-waters/4lOTRoVU/bulks-lake Bulk's Lake], Fishbrain. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref> (located at Charleston Springs Golf Course)
*Perrineville Lake<ref>[https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2550 Perrineville Lake Park], Monmouth County Parks. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref>
*Rising Sun Lake<ref>[https://www.lake-link.com/new-jersey-lakes/monmouth-county/rising-sun-lake/140227/ Rising Sun Lake], Lake-Link New Jersey. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref>

====Rivers====
*[[Barnegat Bay|Barnegat Bay Watershed]]
**[[Metedeconk River]]<ref>[https://www.barnegatbaypartnership.org/learn/watershed-map/metedeconk-river-watershed/ Metedeconk River Subwatershed], Barnegat Bay Partnership. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref>
***North Branch Metedeconk River
**[[Toms River]]<ref>[https://www.barnegatbaypartnership.org/learn/watershed-map/toms-river-watershed/ Toms River Subwatershed], Barnegat Bay Partnership. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref>
*[[Delaware River|Delaware River Watershed]]
**[[Assunpink Creek]]<ref name="nynjtc.org"/>
**[[Crosswicks Creek]]<ref>[https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2568 Crosswicks Creek Park], Monmouth County Park System. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref>
***Doctors Creek
*[[Raritan River|Raritan Basin Watershed]]
**[[Millstone River]]<ref name=RaritanInitiatives/>
***[[Rocky Brook]]
***[[Cranbury Brook]]
**[[South River (Raritan River tributary)|South River]]<ref>[http://raritan.rutgers.edu/the-lower-raritan-wma09/ Lower Raritan WMA09] Rutgers University Raritan River Initiatives. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref>
***[[Manalapan Brook]]

===Ecology===
According to the [[A. W. Kuchler]] U.S. [[potential natural vegetation]] types, Millstone Township would have an Appalachian [[Oak]] (''104'') vegetation type with an Eastern [[Hardwood]] Forest (''25'') vegetation form.<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">[https://databasin.org/datasets/1c7a301c8e6843f2b4fe63fdb3a9fe39 U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)], Data Basin. Accessed October 13, 2020.</ref>