IDLE HOUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION (631) 589-2282
Many years ago, when then County Legislator Steve Levy was campaigning for State Assembly, he happened to view the declining condition of the W.K. Vanderbilt Grand Canal firsthand while visiting an Oakdale resident’s waterfront home. He certainly wasn’t prepared for what he saw. His words then were “Something has to be done!” Evidently, he hasn’t forgotten.
In 1992, nearly 100 years after the Grand Canal was created, a local resident contacted the NYSDEC to have a decaying junked automotive carcass removed from its waters. For over a decade since then, the Idle Hour Civic Association, its members, and other environmentally-minded citizens have continued to further this effort by providing volunteer cleanup efforts while promoting the attention and involvement of various officials for their help in restoring this troubled and declining sensitive estuarine environment.
By 1998, the IHCA and its members were approaching local government officials to do something about the condition of the Grand Canal in Oakdale. We were observing increased shoaling, reduced tidal flow, a reduction in fish and other aquatic life. The water was becoming cloudier and strange oily slicks filled with debris and brown colored film were appearing. We were also experiencing significant increases in the tidal flooding of local properties and the surrounding neighborhood, due to the corresponding increase in shoaling and the associated premature cresting of tidal surges out of the canal and up through street drains.
At that time, a local resident made a presentation to the County Legislature with a call for Water Management, which has since become a commonly used term. Following that presentation, involvement by then County Legislator Rizzo and his aide Warren Greene helped to involve Legislator Brian Foley of the County’s Dredge Projects Screening Committee and the County DPW, but for them to help at that time, it would require that the Town of Islip first initiate the call for action.
The IHCA then circulated a petition to dredge the canal to improve tidal flushing. It was made available to the public for a short trial period, during which over 600 resident signatures were obtained. The petition was presented to Islip Town, which resulted in a unanimous vote by the Town Board in 1999 to submit the Grand Canal to Suffolk County as a candidate for dredging.
In 2002, the County Dredge Projects Screening Committee voted to approve Interface Dredging of the Grand Canal (dredging where the Canal meets the Connetquot River), but a decision to completely dredge was tabled pending further research of our claims related to environmental and health risks. This research was never done because the Town of Islip did not place the Grand Canal on a priority list with the County.
Now in 2005, the County Executive’s office has taken the lead and provided the IHCA and the public with the results of a comprehensive study of the Grand Canal performed last summer at the direction of County Executive Levy. This report entitled “Grand Canal, Oakdale, New York: Environmental Assessment”, represents a major step forward in the recognition and resolution of problems associated with the Grand Canal and its estuarine ecosystem. It details an estuary that has been ignored and abused to the point where it fails to meet the minimum criteria for clean water. It quantifies what residents have seen and reported for years; the Canal is suffering to the point where it can no longer properly support estuarine life.
The report further addresses our concerns, observations, and ultimately concurs with our belief that the Grand Canal and its ecosystem is best served by restoring the tidal flow and flushing action to benefit the ecological balance of the canal and to enhance the non-toxic component of the mosquito control efforts of Suffolk County Vector Control. Similar global recommendations were made in the South Shore Estuary Report.
From a scientific standpoint, findings in the report describe the Grand Canal and “its ‘inner’ finger canals” as being shallow overall and very turbid. “Over 65% of the bottom DO [dissolved oxygen] measurements (29 of 44) were less than the 5.0 mg/L benchmark and 41% (18) were less than the 2.3mg/L species survival criteria.” “Coliform levels found in the Grand Canal were consistently elevated…From a regulatory standpoint, these waters would be unsuitable for both shellfishing and bathing.”
The report also finds that high levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) depress the oxygen levels in the water, reduce water transparency and produce foul odors. “Measurements in the Grand Canal ranged from 0.09 to 0.67mg/L, compared to levels in the Great South Bay that have averaged less than 0.05mg/L.”
The report states that the low tidal flushing action of the Grand Canal, combined with berms that cut off the tidal circulation of the marshes, have hampered the mosquito control efforts of the County. “Where tidal flow is limited, it is particularly difficult to provide adequate habitat for predatory fish…As a result, the application of mosquito larvicides (and potentially adulticides) has been necessary for mosquito control.” The report continues to state that “Dredging of Grand Canal, together with marsh restoration efforts and water management, would be expected to have a beneficial impact on reducing mosquito breeding in the area.”
“The water quality monitoring conducted for this assessment clearly indicates that Grand Canal is significantly impacted by nutrient enrichment and potentially, by pathogen contamination…whatever the source however, the effect is exacerbated by the canal’s low tidal prism and lack of flushing. A dredging project designed to increase flow in the canal will undoubtedly have a positive effect on its ecology.” “Dredging of Grand Canal could result in improvements in water quality, reduction in the use of pesticides, and enhancement of recreational uses.”
While Executive Levy and his administration have clearly inherited this issue from prior administrations, the IHCA applauds him because he is the first proven municipal leader who is clearly dedicated and focused on improving the failing condition of this sensitive Suffolk County estuary. Funding for this project can come from the Water Quality Protection and Restoration Fund and other grant sources. This will surely please County taxpayers while making everyone happy from the Long Island Paddlers to the local wildlife. The only unhappy group may be the mosquitoes.
The IHCA asks every Suffolk County resident to read this report. It is available from Suffolk County, the IHCA, or at:
www.OakdaleNY.com/information/canal/GC.htm
We also ask that all County residents continue to assist us by contacting their local Suffolk County Legislators, and Islip Town Councilpeople to ensure that they continue to support and assist this effort in the best interest of all County residents and those interested in restoring the Grand Canal ecosystem to a healthy state for this generation and future generations to come.
For further information, please contact the Idle Hour Civic Association at:
IHCA @ OakdaleNY.com or call (631) 589-2282