In 1998, HHPC launched a pollution-control plan for New York's Hempstead Harbor. 13 years later, its northern segment reopened to shellfishing after being closed for more than 40 years

Restoring polluted waterways often requires more than a single cleanup measure. It can involve government agencies, local communities, environmental groups, businesses, and municipalities working together over many years. The restoration of northern Hempstead Harbor in Nassau County, New York, provides an example of how coordinated pollution-control efforts and continued monitoring can improve water quality and support the return of important uses.

Pollution Problems in Hempstead Harbor

Hempstead Harbor is an estuarine embayment off the Long Island Sound in Nassau County, New York. A shellfish harvest restriction was placed on the harbor in 1966 because of water quality concerns. By the mid-1990s, collected data showed elevated pathogen levels that prevented the harbor from meeting standards for shellfishing, primary contact recreation, and fish consumption.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) subsequently added the northern segment of Hempstead Harbor, covering 2,520 acres, to the state’s 1998 impaired waters list. Elevated fecal coliform (FC) bacteria levels from runoff and other sources were discovered as a major challenge. Nonpoint pollution sources suspected of contributing to the problem are stormwater runoff, boater waste, waterfowl, and failing on-site disposal systems. Wastewater discharges also contributed.

The 1998 Water Quality Improvement Plan

The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (HHPC), a partnership that involved state and federal agencies, Nassau County, local municipalities, and citizen groups, played a central role in the restoration effort. The HHPC led development of the Water Quality Improvement Plan in 1998 and later prepared the Harbor Management Plan in 2004.

Since 1995, the HHPC had coordinated attempts to address nonpoint sources of pollution, that included stormwater and boater waste. These efforts started before municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) entities in the surrounding watershed were permitted.

Stormwater management activities included education and outreach, implementation of municipal stormwater management program plans, and measures to control waterfowl. Other actions included installing sewers in previously unsewered regions where on-site disposal systems were a concern and securing the designation of the harbor as a Vessel Waste No Discharge Zone.

The 2007 Fecal Coliform TMDL

In 2007, DEC developed an FC total maximum daily load (TMDL) for Hempstead Harbor. The plan called for a 95 percent reduction in the load from nonpoint pollution sources.

The TMDL established a goal of an FC geometric mean that did not exceed 14 colonies (col) per 100 milliliters (mL), with no more than 10 percent of all samples exceeding 49 col/100 mL.

The restoration effort required coordination because many jurisdictions surrounded northern Hempstead Harbor. The multifaceted approach brought together attempts to control both nonpoint and point sources of pollution.

Coordinated Restoration Efforts

The HHPC supported a broad range of activities linked with the harbor’s restoration. These are planning studies, capital improvement projects, educational outreach, water quality monitoring, information and technology sharing, development of model ordinances, and coordination of enforcement.

The committee also functioned with governmental agencies as well as environmental, educational, community, and business groups. The DEC Bureau of Marine Resources cooperated with Hempstead Harbor communities to collect and analyze additional water samples.

Funding was another significant part of the restoration effort. The New York Water Quality Improvement Project program was the principal source of funding and contributed around $8 million in total. The funding supported sanitary sewer installation, stormwater runoff management, and other projects addressing nonpoint pollution sources around the harbor. Nassau County and municipal funds also contributed to the work.

Shellfishing Reopened After More Than 40 Years

The combined pollution-control measures produced improvements in the water quality of northern Hempstead Harbor. Over the five years preceding the reopening, water sampling featured that FC levels in the northern segment met the stringent standards required for a certified open shellfishing area.

Testing of hard clam samples also examined the presence of various metals, chemicals, including PCBs, dioxins, furans, pesticide residues, and radionuclides. The outcomes supported lifting the shellfishing restriction.

In June 2011, DEC reopened shellfish harvesting areas in the northern segment of Hempstead Harbor. This followed over 40 years of closure. The reopening represented a major milestone in the restoration effort.

Continued Monitoring and Future Plans

The restoration did not end with the reopening of the shellfish harvesting regions. Continuing monitoring activities included sanitary surveys, water quality monitoring, and shellfish tissue testing. DEC stated that it would continue monitoring the water quality of the reclassified places through its participation in the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.

Water quality monitoring conducted by the New York State Department of Health and DEC concluded that the northern segment fully supported shellfish harvesting for human consumption. Based on those findings, DEC proposed removing the segment from the state’s impaired waters list in 2012.

A Collaborative Model for Water Quality Improvement

The Hempstead Harbor restoration effort brought together federal and interstate partnerships, including the Long Island Sound Study, as well as inter-municipal, interagency, and community partnerships. The HHPC offered a framework for coordinating projects, monitoring, education, infrastructure improvements, and cooperation among various groups.

The restoration illustrated how sustained efforts to address multiple pollution sources can contribute to improved water quality. The reopening of northern Hempstead Harbor to shellfishing in June 2011, after over four decades of restriction, marked a significant outcome of the coordinated work by DEC, Nassau County, municipalities, communities, and other participating organizations.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

FAQs:

Q1. What is water pollution?

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances enter waterways and affect their quality. Pollution can come from many different sources.

Q2. Why is clean water important?

Clean water supports people, wildlife, recreation, and other beneficial uses. Maintaining water quality can also protect aquatic resources.