NYSG-facilitated information outreach is empowering shoreline communities to address erosion management

Contact:

Roy Widrig, NYSG Great Lakes Coastal Processes & Hazards Specialist, P: 315-312-3042, E: rlw294@cornell.edu

Oswego, NY, March 4, 2019 - Ongoing sand transport on Lake Ontario has resulted in an extensive sand shoal deposited just beyond the inlet of North Sandy Pond, Oswego County, New York. The shoal has impeded boat traffic into and out of the pond, with negative effects on water quality within the pond.

Extensive erosion of the dune ecosystem along the north and south barrier bars of the pond has resulted in the loss of habitat for dune-dwelling plants, animals, and birds, including piping plover.

New York Sea Grant (NYSG) and partners formed an exploratory committee to research environmental issues regarding the deposition of the shoal and erosion of the barrier bars/spits and to develop a long-term inlet management plan utilizing beneficial use of dredge materials to restore habitat on the lakeside dunes and to improve access to Sandy Pond and the lake that will, in turn, revitalize local businesses.

In August 2018, the committee hosted a public information session for a crowd of approximately 70 residents and local business owners to detail the proposed management options and provide an opportunity for the public to voice concerns or support of the project.

Management plans were presented by committee members; Archor QEA, a national science and engineering services firm; and The Nature Conservancy, followed by questions, concerns and responses from the residents of Sandy Pond.

Through this effort to address ongoing erosion and deposition issues at North Sandy Pond and the barrier-dune complex, as well as lakeshore erosion of dunes, NYSG and partners are enabling the beneficial use of dredge material for the area. New York State has recently awarded the Town of Sandy Creek with a $320,000 grant to begin the new dredge management planning and implementation in 2019.


Scouting an area where dredge material could be placed. Credit: NYSG.

Partners:

• Anchor QEA
• Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Coalition
• The Nature Conservancy
• Town of Sandy Creek
• Skidmore College

More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Oswego and the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University in Long Island, Brooklyn College and Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly. Our program also produces an occasional e-newsletter,"NOAA Sea Grant's Social Media Review," via its blog, www.nyseagrant.org/blog.