Smith Point County Park Tidal Wetland Restoration Underway

SHIRLEY, NY — A tidal wetland restoration is underway at Smith Point County Park to improve protection against flooding and storm damage at the nearby marina.

As part of the restoration, workers will remove materials from existing manufactured berms, use berm material to fill historical grid ditches, and create new channels to convey water runoff and improve mosquito control, Suffolk Legis. James Mazzarella's office said.

New micro pools, which are located in areas identified and known to breed mosquito larva, will be established for fish habitat and mosquito control, according to his office.

The marsh restoration will fill about 9,090 feet of mosquito ditches using material from adjacent berms and coir logs, which degrade slowly and are replaced by sediment and returned to natural marshland, Mazzarella's office said, adding that when that is completed, about "2,790 linear feet of narrow, shallow channels, and 12 micro pools will create fish habitat in the marsh."

Once complete, the project will restore 77 acres of tidal marsh and stimulate growth through natural vegetation, as well as improve natural conditions.

In 2012, a massive tidal surge during Superstorm Sandy caused an estimated 5.7 feet of storm tide, inundating the surrounding neighborhood with nearly four feet of flooding that compromised on-site wastewater systems, including septic systems, rendering them inoperable and impacted public health and safety.

Suffolk later identified the marina as the best location for the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant-funded project.

"We can never forget the lessons we learned from Superstorm Sandy, and there is still much work to be done to protect our communities," Mazzarella said. "This project will play a large role in accomplishing that goal."

Mazzarella credited community engagement and involvement for playing "a critical role in the project planning, including residents from the Mastic Beach/Smith Point of Shirley Planning Committee for their efforts in developing the Mastic Beach and Smith Point of Shirley New York Rising Community Reconstruction Plan.

The group conducted a risk assessment and determined the community to be at extreme risk of frequent floodwater inundation and vulnerable to erosion over the next 40 years, according to Mazzarella.

"The community came together after Superstorm Sandy and said we need to take steps now and plan for the worst to make future weather events less impactful on the community," Mazzarella said. "Today, we are seeing the results of those planning steps as we physically have boots on the ground implementing a plan to improve the resiliency of our area."

Mazzarella, who recently visited the restoration site, said it was truly amazing to get a first-hand look at the work in progress.

"By restoring this area to its natural habitat, we promote coastal resiliency, prevent future storm surges, hardening the shoreline while also working to decrease the mosquito population. This project is a tremendous victory for our community," he added.