From rivers to bays, local groups unite to protect Long Island’s waters
To naturally improve water quality, Friends of the Bay plans to introduce clams and oysters into the bay, which help filter pollutants from the water.
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Volunteers stood waist‑deep in the Carlls River Wednesday, pulling trash from the water before it can flow into the Great South Bay.
The cleanup is part of a broader effort by local environmental groups working to improve water quality across Long Island. One of those organizations, Save the Great South Bay, focuses on reducing pollutants that fuel harmful conditions in waterways.
“Eliminate any of the nitrogen pollutants and other things that create fish kills, algae blooms,” said Lauren Gaffary, of Save the Great South Bay.
Save the Great South Bay is just one of many nonprofits dedicated to testing water quality and keeping Long Island’s rivers, ponds and bays as clean as possible.
Another organization, Peconic Baykeeper, monitors water from Moriches Bay to Montauk Point. Executive director Pete Topping said testing often reveals elevated contamination levels in certain areas.
“We do periodically get high levels of fecal coliform right off here in Red Creek Pond,” Topping said.
This summer, Peconic Baykeeper plans to increase monitoring efforts with weekly water testing at 80 sites across the East End, a time when more people are swimming, boating and recreating on the water.
“When we get those results, we can say, ‘Hey, this is an area where we might have higher levels of bacteria. Maybe stay out of the water today and wait for things to clear out a little bit,’” Topping said.
Funding for some of these water quality efforts comes from the New York Community Trust.
“It’s important so that we all have a healthy environment and we can use the water safely,” said Melissa Greenberger from the trust’s Long Island office.
On the North Shore, Friends of the Bay continues its own work in Oyster Bay. While the water there is generally clean, the group warns conditions can change after heavy rainfall.
“Mostly it has to do with the bacteria that is in the water from storm water runoff,” said Christine Suter, of Friends of the Bay. “There’s just runoff from leaching septic systems.”
To naturally improve water quality, Friends of the Bay plans to introduce clams and oysters into the bay, which help filter pollutants from the water.
