The 2025 South Shore Bays Monitoring Program: Science Driving Stewardship
The health of our bays tells the story of our communities. For generations, Long Island’s South Shore estuaries have supported vibrant ecosystems, local fisheries, and a way of life deeply rooted in the water. But decades of development, pollution, and neglect have taken their toll. Now, Save The Great South Bay is proud to announce the launch of a major new initiative that will help us better understand—and restore—the bays we all depend on.
In spring 2025, Save The Great South Bay officially launched the South Shore Bays Monitoring Program, a collaborative effort to evaluate water quality across the South Shore, stretching from Hempstead Bay in the west to Shinnecock Bay in the east.
This is more than just a scientific project—it’s the foundation for a comprehensive water quality Report Card that will help residents, advocates, and decision-makers take action.
The initiative brings together some of the most respected environmental and research organizations in the region. Together, we are creating a unified monitoring system focused on bay and tributary health, powered by cutting-edge science and a commitment to our coastal future.
Who’s Involved?
Our team includes:
- Friends of Bellport Bay – monitoring Carman’s River
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County – focusing on the Connetquot River
- Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) – collecting data from the Forge River and Shinnecock Bay
- Operation SPLASH – covering Freeport Creek
Each partner is responsible for regular, seasonal water sampling, collecting data on crucial indicators such as:
- Nitrogen and nutrient levels
- Dissolved oxygen
- Water clarity (turbidity)
- Salinity and temperature
Other key metrics of ecological health
Together, this data will help paint a full picture of how our bays are functioning—and where we need to focus our restoration efforts.
The South Shore Bays Report Card
This monitoring effort will directly inform the creation of a South Shore Bays Report Card.
The Report Card is modeled after the Long Island Sound Report Card developed by our colleagues at Save the Sound. Like that successful effort, it will turn complex scientific data into clear, accessible letter grades (A–F) for each major bay and tributary. These grades will help the public and policymakers understand:
- Where water quality is improving
- Where conditions are declining
What kinds of interventions are making a difference - Which areas should be prioritized for action
The 2025 report will use decades of historical water quality data from Suffolk County Department of Health Services and the Town of Hempstead as a baseline. That legacy data, paired with new real-time fieldwork from our partners, allows us to compare past and present, measure progress, and identify trends. This is a collaborative effort and will be guided by a technical advisory committee led by Jamie Vaudrey and Jason Krumholz of UConn, with input from many stakeholders including Stony Brook School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Hofstra University, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Suffolk County Dept of Health, Nassau & Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Cornell Cooperative, the Nature Conservancy, Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, the South Shore Estuary Reserve, Long Island Regional Planning Council, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, U.S, Geological Survey, and the Towns of Hempstead, Islip, Brookhaven, Babylon, and Southampton.
Why It Matters
Water quality monitoring isn’t just academic—it’s critical to shaping real-world solutions. This initiative will:
- Guide investments in clean water infrastructure (like sewer systems and stormwater controls)
- Support habitat restoration, including eelgrass and shellfish beds
- Drive advocacy and community engagement through credible, transparent data
- Establish accountability by providing consistent metrics that anyone can understand
As Robyn Silvestri, Executive Director of Save The Great South Bay, explains:
“We’re building a unified, data-driven approach to restoring the South Shore’s estuaries. Thanks to the legacy work of our county and town agencies, and the real-time efforts of our partners today, we’re turning science into action.”
Get Involved
Restoring Long Island’s estuaries requires all of us. Whether you’re a student, scientist, community member, or elected official, your voice and actions matter.
You can help by:
- Volunteering with one of our partner organizations
- Joining a creek cleanup or oyster gardening event
- Advocating for infrastructure upgrades and restoration funding
- Spreading the word about this important effort
Visit www.savethegreatsouthbay.org to learn more, sign up for updates, and find out how you can contribute.
Let’s make 2025 the year we turn the tide for our bays 🌊