Innovative Unified Water Study

Save The Great South Bay, a local 501(c)3 environmental non-profit, is launching the South Shore Bays Unified Water Study, a pilot program using an innovative water quality monitoring protocol. This initiative allows groups across the South Shore to gather comparable data on the environmental health of the bays. 

With various groups utilizing different methods for monitoring, it’s challenging to make accurate comparisons of water quality across the South Shore Estuary Reserve, with bays stretching from Hempstead to Shinnecock, including the Great South Bay. By implementing a standardized protocol, this study will provide more dependable data, enhancing our understanding of the environmental changes taking place.

Save The Great South Bay is collaborating with several partners on this groundbreaking pilot project including the Town of Hempstead Water Quality Division, Seatuck Environmental, Gobler Laboratory at Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Suffolk County Department of Health, Cornell Cooperative and United States Geological Services, amongst others.

The data collected will be then used to create the first ever South Shore Bays Report Card, illustrating the ecological health of the bays in an easy to understand format using simple letter grades.

“Understanding the significance of the scientific data actually is key to guiding efforts to restore and protect water quality,” said Robyn Silvestri, executive director of the local nonprofit.

Additionally, the bi-annual Report Card will set a benchmark for water quality and help assess the overall effectiveness of ongoing and future restoration efforts over time.

With water quality on Long Island being at an all-time low, according to recent reports by Dr. Christopher Gobbler of Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, there is no time to lose.

For more information on this project, please email info@savethegreatsouthbay.org.