Plant growth 'choking' Valley Stream pond

Valley Stream's Mill Pond looks a little different this summer. Because of an invasive plant growth in the pond, village officials were unable to install the fountain.

Hopefully, Village Clerk Vinny Ang said, a dredging project will begin this fall so the plant growth won’t be a long-term problem. Several years ago, a freshwater plant called Parrotfeather was discovered in the pond. Over the years, Ang said, the plant has gotten bigger and bigger, and is at the point where it needs to be removed. “It literally chokes out everything in the pond,” he said.

The fountain cannot be installed because the water in the pond is no longer deep enough because of the plant growth, Ang explained. It is one of four fountains normally installed at Valley Stream parks — the other three are in the lake at Hendrickson.

Mill Pond Park is located east of Central Avenue, between Sunrise Highway and Roosevelt Avenue. Ang said the Parrotfeather is worse at the Roosevelt Avenue end of the lake, which is where the fountain normally goes.

The fountains were installed about a decade ago, Ang said, and traditionally run from April until October or November. During the day, the fountains run from the early morning through the late evening, with sporadic 20 minute breaks. Ang said the fountains prevent the water from getting stagnant, which is especially important when there is a lack of rain.

The Parrotfeather, Ang said, should not be confused with the water lily plants visible along the Central Avenue side of the pond.

The village has received a $2 million federal grant, secured by Nassau County, to address the waterways in Valley Stream. Mill Pond will be dredged so the plant growth can be removed. Ang said the village will work with the Department of Environmental Conservation to relocate wildlife, such as fish and turtles, during the project.

A private company will do the work, and Ang hopes to have the project completed by the end of the year. “When they finish, the lake will be clean,” he said. “It will be deeper. It will hold more water which will be a benefit for flood times.”