Local beaches see mixed scores in report

The environmental group Save the Sound released their annual Long Island Sound Beach Report, and unfortunately the results for the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary were mixed at best. The result of water quality sampling done by county agencies covering roughly 200 beaches on both sides of the Sound, the Sound Beach Report grades beaches and harbors based on levels of bacterial contamination.

While some beaches in Oyster Bay scored well, including A’s and A+’s for Centre Island’s Sound and Bay Beaches, Laurel Hollow and Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park Beaches both received C’s. Meanwhile Beekman Beach in Mill Neck received a C+.

“Water quality at beaches around Long Island Sound has come so far – but we may be at a tipping point,” warned David Ansel, vice president of water protection for Save the Sound, in the Beach Report. “Increasing rainfall brought on by climate change threatens to undo decades of progress unless we act now.”

The scores represent how badly impacted the beaches have been through the rise of bacteria and algae levels,  which not only poison the water and kill wildlife, but can also pose risks to people who try to swim while during that time. The rise in bacteria can be attributed to many factors, particularly higher rates of nitrogen in the water due to runoff from fertilizer and other common chemicals. 

The Friends of the Bay, a local environmental organization which focuses on preserving and restoring the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary, released a statement explaining in part why bacteria levels may have been so high this year. 

“Part of the reason has to do with their location, where there is little to only moderate tidal flushing, which means water is not moving around as much and being replaced. In addition, stormwater runoff picks up fecal bacteria (from pet waste, waterfowl, and other animals) and other pathogens along its path that enter directly or indirectly into the bay,” wrote Heather Johnson, executive director of Friends of the Bay. “Because of this, beaches in Nassau County are routinely closed as a precaution after a quarter inch of rain in 24 hours.”

Friends of the Bay and Save the Sound both work closely with local governments such as the Town of Oyster Bay to protect the water quality and marine wildlife in the region, and have called on local governments to prioritize the reduction of waste materials ending up in the North Shore’s waterways.

According to Friends of the Bay, the town has applied for a grant to install floating wetlands in Mill Pond, to “help mitigate the contaminants from the pond” which make their way to the harbor. Save the Sound has also called on elected officials to focus on improving and repairing the area’s sewer and water-drainage systems, as many are outdated and can cause spillover into harbors, further increasing nitrogen and bacteria levels.

Joseph Saladino, the town’s supervisor, wrote in a statement that the town is doing everything it can to protect the local environment. Saladino referenced several programs the town was supporting, including planting an oyster and clam hatchery last year, as these shellfish naturally process and break down nitrogen at a rate of 80 gallons per day.

“In the Town of Oyster Bay, we are doing more than ever to help protect our beautiful harbor, which has long been considered one of the crown jewels of Oyster Bay,” Saladino stated. “As an avid lifelong environmentalist, I am especially glad to hear that water quality data is being studied so closely and that new measures are being taken to gather information and explore how we can get even better.”