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Here is the Grand Canal as it appeared in 1907.  Over 100 years later it is so clogged and polluted, that it fails to meet clean water standards mainly due to sewage effluent from local homes and the Dowling sewage treatment plant.

In 2010, The remainder of sewage capacity at Bergin Point was given to Wyndanch, and the Oakdale Sewerage Corp. has sold all of the land which was to be the site of an Oakdale-Sayville sewage plant, to the DEC.   Sewers are now further from reality than they ever were before.

The wetlands that the Grand Canal supports are declining and are now becoming forest as predicted by the Peconic Baykeeper. Mosquitoes are flourishing, requiring aerial pesticide applications adding to the pollution.  Saltwater tidal flushing is at an all-time minimum.  This is due to shoaling and the creation of the Shore Drive bridge, which changed the course of the waterway.  Here in Idle Hour, we also have a very small tidal change because we're midway between the Robert Moses and the Moriches inlets.

Back in the 1960s, when the Pickman-Remmer wetlands were scheduled for development, Central Blvd was extended in dirt along the eastern shoreline of the Grand Canal.  A large berm was built as a base for it and it still remains, even though the State now owns the land and there are no plans to develop it.  Because this berm has a higher elevation than the residential properties and streets on the opposite shore, storm surges of water into the canal have nowhere to go but into streets and homes west of the Pickman-Remmer wetlands, while the wetlands for the most part, remain unaffected.

Dredging the Grand Canal and opening up the berm surrounding the Pickman-Remmer wetlands is the best and easiest way to clean the water, reduce mosquitoes, reduce flooding of local homes during storms and help marine life flourish.  This will increase the amount of flushing saltwater from the bay and it will increase the velocity of the water movement in and out of the canal during tidal cycles because of the larger fill-empty volume moving in and out of the wetlands via the canal.

At the present time, meetings have brought us to the point where Suffolk County is preparing the permit application for submission to the NYSDEC.  Additionally, US Fish & Wildlife has endorsed the project as beneficial.  The NYSDEC has represented that it will APPROVE dredging of the Grand Canal.  They will also APPROVE removal of the berm along the east side of the Grand Canal in several (approx 4-5) locations with footbridges across them.  That will aid flushing of the Pickman-Remmer wetlands, keeping the forested areas at bay and encouraging wetland and spartina growth for native species.  The tidal flushing will make it very difficult for mosquitoes to flourish and should reduce the need for pesticide applications.  Additionally, and of importance to all residents in Idle Hour is the fact that flooding will be reduced as the wetlands once again are opened to tidal surges, thus acting as a buffer for floodwater and diverting it away from homes.

As visiting jet-skiiers, tender operators and other powerboat operators travel through the canal throwing wakes, the non-bulkheaded shoreline areas of the canal continue to wash down, making the canal wider but shallower.  PLEASE KEEP YOUR WAKE TO A MINIMUM when traveling the Grand Canal.  If you are a resident, and you see boaters generating significant wakes, please do not hesitate to tell them to slow down.  THIS IS YOUR CANAL and while dredging is our goal, nothing is guaranteed when dealing with the politics of municipalities.


To assist in this project, or for more information please contact the Idle Hour Civic Association
(631) 589-2282 or email to IHCA @ OakdaleNY.com

 [ Press Releases | Resources | Pictures | Report Pollution Anonymously ]

Pollution is increasing in the canal!!! View it for yourself.  Click here.

 Project Status:

October 8, 2018 -

Following a public meeting with New York State office of Stormwater Recovery at the West Sayville Firehouse, residents are of the opinion that a 4th alternative is necessary which will ensure the protection of homes to the east of Pickman-Remmer wetland BE-03, while concurrently developing all of the benefits associated with a restoration project.  More to follow...

 

September 22, 2016 -
Meeting scheduled at Idle Hour Elementary School to discuss latest report findings.

Latest Report (Click each link to read - all are in PDF format):

 Original RFP (Specifications of things that Cashin & Associates must complete)

A - Cover, Title Page & Table of Contents
B - Abstract
C - Executive Summary
D - Section 1 - Introduction and Overview
E - Section 2 - Review of Existing Data (Task 2)
F - Section 3 - Data Collection and Analysis (Task 3)
G - Section 4 - Public Health Problem Evaluation and Report (Task 4)
H - Section 5 - Ecological Evaluation and Draft Report (Task 5)
I - Section 6 - Assessment of Actions (Task 6)
J - Section 7 - Conclusions and Recommendations
K - References

Appendix A - 2005 Grand Canal Environmental Assessment Report
Appendix B - Aerial Photographs
Appendix C - Grand Canal Public Health Evaluation Report
Appendix D - Essential Fish Habitat Assessment and Supplemental Fish Sampling Report
Appendix E - Sediment Sampling Plan
Appendix F - Water Quality Monitoring Plan
Appendix G - Water Quality and Sediment Analysis Laboratory Results
Appendix H - Wetland Habitat Condition and Health Assessment Report
Appendix I - Grand Canal Ecological Health Assessment Report
Appendix J - Grand Canal Photography Log
 

December 14, 2015 -
Newsday
Suffolk County Hails The Village of the Branch by granting nearly $1,000,000.00 to DREDGE the Nissequogue For BASEMENTS

December 8, 2015 -
Meeting with County Executive Bellone.  In attendance, IHCA, Oakdale Civic, County DPW

December 3, 2015 -
IHCA - "Halt the Stall" as seen in Suffolk County News

October 1, 2015 -
Supervisor Carpenter Letter to County Executive Bellone

March 18, 2015 -
Order on Consent against Dowling for Leaking Sewage Plant (complete turnaround)

August 18, 2014 -
Response From NYSDEC Regarding Dowling STP SPDES Renewal (2 years later)

October 10, 2013 -
Suffolk County Spends 5.1 Million Dredging Six Narrow Bay Tributaries and Creeks - Many for the First Time

October 11, 2012 -
Comments From IHCA Regarding Dowling STP SPDES Pending Renewal

June 19, 2012 -
The Suffolk County Legislature approved a bond vote for $750,000 for the construction phase of the project. Click here for a copy of the publication.

June 18, 2012 -
US Fish & Wildlife endorses the Grand Canal dredging and berm removal project.

March 2 2012 -
US Fish & Wildlife tour the Grand Canal, Pickman-Remmer wetlands and take photographs.

October 2011 -
Town Supervisor Nolan endorses the use of Geotubes on Central Blvd to accept spoils from the Grand Canal.  The Town will truck the spoils to its compost facility where it will be processed and sold by the cubic yard.

September 3, 2011 -
The Suffolk County Legislature approved a bond vote for $200,000.00 to fund the permit application and associated studies required by the NYSDEC to dredge the Grand Canal.  Click here for a copy of the publication.

June 3, 2011 -
In this latest meeting at the NYSDEC Region 1 headquarters were the Region 1 Commissioner and staff, Legislator Lindsay, Suffolk County DPW staff, and the IHCA.  The DEC clearly indicated that they would approve the dredging of the Grand Canal, and that they would approve removal of select areas of the berm along the eastern shore of the canal.  Suffolk County indicated the cost of dredge spoil sampling that would be required and the DEC staff indicated that some of the sampling had already been done and therefore, a complete resample was not necessary.  The DEC and County are going to meet onsite to walk the berm and determine the locations where it should be removed.  They declined to allow the IHCA to be present at that meeting.  Legislator Lindsay is going through the procedure to secure the funding to pay for the permit application.

April 7, 2011  -
Legislator Lindsay, in an attempt to break the logjam, scheduled a meeting which took place in the office of State Assemblyman Bob Sweeney.  In attendance were Assemblyman Sweeney, the IHCA, Legislator Lindsay and staff, NYSDEC Region 1 Commissioner and staff.  The IHCA made a presentation to Assemblyman Sweeney who readily understood the declining state of the Grand Canal and surrounding wetlands.  Following this meeting, another meeting was to take place at the Region 1 headquarters of the DEC.

March 18, 2011  -
The IHCA met at Legislator Lindsay's office with the NYSDEC Region 1 Commissioner, and the Commissioner of Suffolk County DPW with staff.  The discussion focused around the DEC taking a fresh look at the project.  Mention was made by the DEC that Suffolk County DPW had still not submitted a permit application for review.  The DEC was to provide Suffolk County DPW with advance information as to whether they would approve a permit application because Suffolk County DPW said the application will cost around $250,000 to prepare.  The meeting concluded with the DEC indicating that they would tell the County DPW what they will need to approve the project.

November 19, 2010  -
The IHCA has initiated inquiries to Legislator Lindsay's office regarding the status of the DEC's requirements for the County's proposed work on the Grand Canal & the Pickman Remmer wetlands.

September 29, 2010  -
Legislator Lindsay hosted a meeting between the IHCA, NYSDEC Region 1 Commissioner,  and the Suffolk County DPW regarding the Grand Canal project.  The DEC reports that they will have preliminary feedback on the project within 4-6 weeks.  Suffolk County DPW states that it will take them as much as 18 months to have the permit applications ready, citing the need to involve many County departments.  Legislator Lindsay made it clear that he wanted this project to move forward.  Residents are urged to contact the IHCA at (631) 589-2282 to discuss this.

August 12, 2010  -
Legislator Lindsay is scheduling a meeting with the NYSDEC and Suffolk County DPW to break the log jam and move the project along.

February 16, 2009 -
 County DPW requests pre-application meetings with NYSDEC and US Army Corps of Engineers.  Click here to read the letters...

September 17, 2008 - 
In attendance at the meeting were representatives from the NYSDEC, Suffolk County DPW, Vector Control, Legislator Bill Lindsay, and the IHCA.  A complete presentation of all the facts regarding Pickman-Remmer, the declining conditions, lack of tidal flushing, lack of wildlife, mosquito population, sewage plumes and more were discussed.  The DEC is going to review all of the documentation, and will determine if they are going to allow and participate in the projects.  Legislator Lindsay once again made it a point that these projects can be broken into phases, whereby the canal can be dredged and then the wetlands can be brought back using marsh management techniques over time. The IHCA clarified that these projects are win-win for everyone.  One important note is that Vector Control was in attendance.  It is clear from the meeting that the DEC does not want the wetlands to be sprayed with pesticides.  They allow it in the interest of public health, however, by using marsh management techniques, Vector Control feels that they can alleviate the need to spray Pickman-Remmer.  Given this information, it would not make sense for the DEC to prefer that the area continue to be treated with pesticide, when presented with a non-toxic, all-natural alternative.  We anticipate a joint, win-win project for the benefit of the residents, DEC, Suffolk County, the wetlands, marine life and wildlife.  The only group who won't win are the mosquitoes.

September 8, 2008 -
Islip Bulletin
Six Canals In Islip To Be Dredged Using County Grant Money

September 6, 2008 -
In attendance at the meeting were representatives from Suffolk County DPW, Legislator Bill Lindsay, and the IHCA.  Due to hurricane preparedness, the DEC representative could not make the meeting.  It will be rescheduled to take place in 2 weeks.

 August 26, 2008 -
A meeting with Suffolk County DPW, NYSDEC, and the IHCA is scheduled for September 5th.

June 15, 2008 -
 At the request of the IHCA and with the assistance of Legislator Lindsay's office, a meeting took place at the offices of the County Executive with County Executive Levy, County DPW, IHCA and Legislator Lindsay. 

Among the first topic of discussion was the release forms.  Be advised that a small number of residents did not sign their releases for various reasons (selling houses, never home to sign forms, living out of state, etc.).  Only one resident was actually concerned about his bulkhead.  Perhaps of more important note is that the Snapper Inn and Oakdale Yacht did not sign, so consider that when you think of patronizing these establishments.  They both take and take from our estuary to add to their profits, and fail to return something as simple as the release form to help this project move forward.

Regardless of the few missing signatures, the IHCA has been assured that these are not going to stop the project from moving forward, however, there is another hurdle in the way...

Currently, there is Town and County approval.  A sister project to the dredging is restoration of the Pickman-Remmer wetlands that the canal feeds.  Simply put, the hands-off approach to managing these wetlands has not worked, and frankly, the wetlands are dying.  This has been confirmed by sources at the County who recently flew over them.  The death is being signaled by the increase of woody growths around mosquito ditches (as predicted by the Peconic Baykeepeer) and the rapid disappearance of spartina grass, which is found in tidal salt marsh wetlands.

These grasses are being replaced (actually overrrun) by phragmites, which are the cat-tail-like weeds that are non-native and invasive to the wetlands.  They are an indicator of poor drainage (read "standing") of fresh water.

The County wants to use Marsh Management Techniques to restore the saltwater flow to the wetlands, which will reduce the number of invasive plant species and concurrently (and hopefully) alleviate the need to spray pesticides over the wetlands, while restoring the flows necessary to sustain spartina.  This is the same type of project which was performed as a test at the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, and by other vector/mosquito-control departments in other states.  Most notable is one in Delaware, which is almost identical to that propsed.  Further, the Federal Government US Fish & Wildlife department will grant $19,000,000. for projects of this type in 2008.

Initially, the NYSDEC rejected the County's plan to implement these new techniques.  Because the marsh management plan was then turned down by the NYSDEC, the County DPW did not move forward with the dredging project.  DPW sat on that for quite some time. 

While the County DPW indicates that the two projects are "married", the IHCA feels and voiced the opinion that the projects should be done in two phases.  That way, the canal can be dredged and then the marsh restoration can take as long as necessary.

In the recent meeting, County Executive Levy, a proponent of the plan since his Assemblyman days, determined that a meeting with the NYSDEC was the next step, and he was going to schedule that meeting.  Legislator Lindsay's office is currently following up.  As of this update, there has been no notification of a meeting, but that is the next step.

As you may have read in the current news, the County has sued the NYSDEC for the right to spray methoprene over these wetlands.  We are 100% against that, however, it clearly indicates that if the County has a method for controlling mosquitoes without the use of pesticides, the Federal Government grants money for projects that do exactly that, and the NYSDEC is against that, then something here simply doesn't make sense.  Why would the NYSDEC be against a project that would bring the wetlands back to life and alleviate the need for pesticides???

Perhaps if the NYSDEC let the County implement the marsh management technique that appears to work, then there won't be any need for methoprene or any other pesticide.

Residents should voice their opinions in the newspapers, online, and by writing to their elected officials.

As soon as there is an update on the NYSDEC meeting, it will be posted here.

For more information in the meantime, contact the IHCA at (631) 589-2282.

September 5, 2007 - Release forms are being handed over to Suffolk County.

February 9, 2007 - If for some reason you have NOT received your dredging release form, please call the IHCA immediately.  (631) 589-2282.  If you have NOT returned your form, please do so immediately.  Thank you.

January 12, 2007 - Forms are being distributed now by block captains.  Please be sure to complete your form and return it to the block captain as soon as possible.

December 15, 2006 - Block captains will be hand-delivering dredging release forms for Suffolk County shortly.  Please be sure to have them notarized and returned to the IHCA as soon as possible.

July 8, 2006 - The IHCA has the final version of the release form required by the County.  If you are a waterfront homeowner on the Grand Canal, please contact the IHCA (631) 589-2282.  Note that the DEC has determined that Suffolk County (at this time) may not modify the Pickman-Remmer wetlands for marsh management, however, that was a sister project to the dredging.  This project will move forward.  In the interim, PLEASE be sure to provide us with pictures you take of pollution on/in the canal.  It is important that we document this.

As of May 17, 2006 - The Suffolk County attorney's office has not responded to the IHCA as of this date.  Residents should be concerned, and the IHCA is looking into the lack of communication.

As of February 19, 2006 - The IHCA and Suffolk County are working on the legal agreement at this time.  The County is in talks with the NYS DEC regarding the dredging.  This activity will be integrated with the County's new mosquito control marsh management program.  A test of this program was performed at the Wertheim nature preserve.  The result was excellent (no pesticide required), so Vector Control wants to implement this program in Oakdale.  We are at the top of the list.  Please contact Cathline Cohen, IHCA at (631) 589-2282 for more information and to register your name and contact info if you are a waterfront homeowner.


Press Releases:

Resources:

Pictures - All Taken On The Grand Canal (you may have to enable your browser to view these slideshows):