New Mission To Save Fish At Stony Brook Mill Pond: 'It's A War Zone'

(A photo below may be disturbing to some readers)

STONY BROOK, NY — In a race against time, broken-hearted residents are banding together and joining an ongoing effort to save whatever fish can be rescued from the Stony Brook Mill Pond, where Harbor Road collapsed, leaving homes and roadways devastated — and the duck pond at the Avalon Nature Preserve completely emptied and wildlife in peril, officials said.

Eric Jason DeBono said what happened was "a tragedy for all of us in Three Village and our surrounding area."

DeBono, a charter member of the Stony Brook Mill Pond fishing club, said he is galvanizing a team, gathering trucks, waders, and coolers, and, with permission from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Brookhaven Town, will be working to relocate the fish.

Speaking with Patch, DeBono, who was at the emptied pond Wednesday morning assessing the situation, said there was no water at all; he said he'd taken a physical count of fish and would be trying to relocate them to safety.

"I'm just trying to save what I can with these fish," he said. "It's like a war zone."

He added: "It's very sad. I came out here in the early 80s. This isn't the Stony Brook we're used to."

DeBono said he can see springs pouring water back into the pond, but it will take years and years, he said, to replace the staggering number of gallons lost. "This is seven acres and no water," he said.

When the road gave out, the wall that held the pond collapsed, leaving a huge gap — and now, although streams are running, a wall is needed temporarily until permanent repairs can be made, to keep the water enclosed inside the pond.

"There has been unconscionable damage," DeBono said. "What's going on down here is a disaster in every way, shape or form."

For generations, the pond has been a place where fathers and sons, grandfathers and grandchildren, head to fish — throwing back their catch, just savoring the experience of being out on the water with their loved ones.

"This brought us to tears," DeBono, who has been fishing on the pond since 1983, said. "There's a lot of heart here."

He added: "It's tragic, but we just have to find a way to fix it. I'm just trying to save the little bit that's left. These fish — their lives are just as important as mine. We're going to fix this somehow."

"We will work together to restore that view and the historic Mill Pond, aka the Stony Brook Duck Pond, for the people of Stony Brook and beyond," Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico wrote on social media Tuesday. "It will take time, but our highway superintendent has already procured the services of a leading engineering firm, and we will continue to make our case to the state and federal government for funding."

Mother Nature's wrath descended upon Long Island Sunday night with torrential rain, leaving motorists needing rescue and basements swamped with water, and sparking major flooding and road closures.

And Harbor Road bore the brunt of the damage.

"Catastrophic damage on Harbor Road in Stony Brook due to significant rainfall early this morning," Panico posted on social media. He said there was flooding across the North Shore, and "extensive damage to roadways and homes."

Panico was at the scene with emergency Suffolk County fire personnel, county officials and Brookhaven town officials.

"The entire Mill Pond at the Avalon Nature Preserve emptied across the now-collapsed roadway," he said.

The Avalon Nature Preserve issued a statement online Monday: "An important message to Preserve visitors. Avalon Nature Preserve will be closed until further notice. We appreciate your understanding during this time as our maintenance crew removes debris and repairs trails throughout the preserve."

According to the National Weather Service, Stony Brook was one of the hardest-hit areas on Long Island, with 9.55 inches of rain reported.

Another animal advocate first rushed to the scene to help the wildlife displaced when the pond emptied into Stony Brook Harbor.

"Strong Island Animal Rescue was on scene and is on call, with boots on the ground rescues for any animals that are in distress from this incident," said Frankie Floridia, president of the organization.

On Wednesday, Floridia said his group has been able to save turtles, raccoons and a deer that were stuck. "And a family of ducks that got separated — we were able to help them get reunited," he said.

But the situation remains dire for wildlife, Floridia said. "The danger is that habitat, which is home to thousands of animals, is gone. There's nowhere for them to find food or nest. Turtles and fish that were in fresh water are now in salt water — and most will die."

"All the wildlife, such as the fish and turtles, washed out during the collapse of the roadway," Panico said. "Mill Pond is now empty."