Workers drilling in Baldwin Park to monitor saltwater intrusion

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Workers are drilling a test well to monitor saltwater intrusion into the aquifer at Baldwin Harbor Town Park, officials said.

The United States Geological Survey, a federal agency, is conducting the drilling as part of a study.

The Town of Hempstead, which owns the park, granted access to the USGS for their study on March 31.

The agency reached out to the Town of Hempstead to drill and install a salt water monitoring well at Baldwin Park to take salt water readings, Town Supervisor Don Clavin and Town Parks Commissioner Frank Zangla said in a statement.

All of the work is coordinated and funded by the USGS, they added. The agency also installed these wells throughout various locations in Nassau County, including some county parks.

Drilling is expected to take about six weeks, Clavin and Zangla said. All of the work is being performed in a remote section of the park, so it would not impact recreation and so it is not visible to neighbors of the park.

Those with knowledge of the park’s operations said the well reaches about 1,500 feet into the ground.

The USGS plans to take readings at this well two to three times a year, officials explained. Each time, workers will be sharing the collected data with the Town of Hempstead.