Protecting & Restoring Long Island's Peconic Bays
Removing direct stormwater discharges to the Peconic Bays by eliminating outfalls.
Goose Creek, located in Southold, is struggling with the effects of stormwater runoff due to infrastructure developed without stormwater pollution in mind.
During any precipitation event, water flows over impervious surfaces and into bodies of water. The stormwater runoff picks up pollution along its path like trash, chemicals, oils, and sediment that can harm out water bodies. The introduction of harmful pollutants from stormwater runoff and sewer discharge is damaging water quality and ecosystem function, leading to the loss of habitat and aquatic diversity.
PEP is allocating $98,000 for the Town of Southold Stormwater Outfall Elimination Project and Discharge Removal Plan in the sub-catchment boundary of Goose Creek, Southold.
Outdated stormwater infrastructure leads to increased flooding and coastal erosion. NYSDEC Identifies Goose Creek as an impaired waterbody, in compliance with The Clean Water Act. The Goose Creek Sub watershed is approximately 569 acres, 15% of which are impermeable.
The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) is the guiding framework for protecting and restoring the Peconic Estuary and its watershed.
Action 21
Expand non-point source sub-watershed management plans to all pathogen impaired waterbodies and continue to use existing plans.
There are seven outfalls in the Sub-catchment of Goose Creek, four minor and three major. The Town of Southold will be eliminating the four minor outfalls with an existing funding source. We at the Peconic Estuary Partnership are funding the elimination of the remaining four “major” outfalls by utilizing IIJA funds.
Eliminating the identified outfalls will remove direct discharges into Goose Creek, decreasing pollution entering the Peconic Estuary.
The existing outfalls often discharge stormwater directly into the creek. Eliminating these outfalls will remove direct stormwater discharge into the Goose Creek sub-catchment.
Implementing these stormwater management practices will reduce non-point source pollution entering the Peconic Estuary.
To accompany these efforts, increased education on stormwater related pollution is being implemented.
