Estuaries are coastal areas where fresh water mixes with salt water. Long Island's South Shore estuary was formed during the last 5,000 years by the interaction of rising seas with the glacially deposited material that makes up Long Island. The interaction shaped the barrier islands to enclose 173 square miles of bays characterized by tidal marshes, mud and sand flats, beds of underwater vegetation and extensive shallows ranging from 1 to 7 meters deep. The shallows support microscopic plants and animals which, in turn, support the finfish, shellfish, waterfowl and other wildlife that typify the South Shore estuary. This barrier/bays system continues to respond to wave action, the tides, coastal storms and a rising sea level. It is also affected by human actions.

The South Shore Estuary Reserve is home to about 1.5 million people. The anchor of the region's tourism, seafood and recreation industries, the Reserve stretches from the western boundary of the Town of Hempstead to the middle of the Town of Southampton. South to north, the Reserve extends from the mean high tide line on the ocean side of the barrier islands to the inland limits of the mainland watersheds that drain into Hempstead Bay, South Oyster Bay, Great South Bay, Moriches Bay and Shinnecock Bay.

For purposes of planning and description, the South Shore Estuary Reserve is conveniently viewed as three subregions: the western bays, Great South Bay and the eastern bays.

The western bays subregion extends from the western boundary of the Town of Hempstead to the Nassau-Suffolk County line, and includes Hempstead Bay and South Oyster Bay and all the lands that drain into them. These embayments are an extensive area of shallow water and salt marsh islands connected by channels and tidal creeks. Its watershed is the most densely populated in the Reserve, with stormwater runoff from its developed landscape the most significant source of pollution reaching the subregion's tributaries and bays. Coliform bacteria, responsible for the closure of 14,155 acres of shellfish beds in the western bays and the periodic bathing closures of Zachs Bay and Biltmore Beach, is the principal pollutant carried by the runoff, but human waste discharges from vessels, excrement from waterfowl, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plant outfalls in the western bays are also contributing sources. This portion of the Reserve also contains the greatest concentration of salt marsh islands, most of which have been ditched through mosquito control programs.

Great South Bay is the largest shallow estuarine bay in New York State, with extensive back barrier and tidal creek salt marshes, eelgrass beds, and intertidal flats. Most marshes in the subregion are ditched, with many mainland marshes impaired by fill and bulkheads or restrictions to tidal flow. The watershed of Great South Bay can be described as "developing," in contrast to the more fully "developed" western bays region, and development is generally less intense and open areas more extensive. Like the western bays subregion, Great South Bay has extensive impervious surfaces in its watershed. For this reason, nonpoint source pollution from stormwater runoff is the primary issue.

Nutrients, sediment and coliform bacteria are the principal pollutants carried by stormwater runoff into the subregion's tributaries and ultimately Great South Bay. Vessel waste discharges and waterfowl are also contributors to the bacterial load. Elevated levels of coliform are responsible for the closure of 10,711 acres of shellfish beds in Great South Bay and the periodic closure of three of its bathing beaches. Nutrients and sediments in stormwater runoff threaten fishing, fish propagation and fish survival in the subregion's tributaries and coves. Hydromodifications - alterations of water level and stream flow - and lowering of groundwater levels also have significant effects on fishery resources in tributaries.

The shallow eastern bays - Moriches and Shinnecock - are distinguished by the presence of inlets, strong tidal exchanges between the ocean and the bays, and minor inflows of lower salinity water from the Peconics through the Shinnecock Canal. Salt marshes and dredged material islands of the eastern bays support significant nesting colonies of terns, gulls, and wading birds. Shallow water areas are highly productive, especially the salt marshes and intertidal flats that fringe the barrier islands and the estuarine habitats around the tributary mouths.

Although the watershed of Moriches and Shinnecock bays is the least developed in the Reserve, elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria from polluted stormwater runoff have closed 6,075 acres of shellfish beds in the bays. Sediment and excessive nutrients in stormwater runoff have affected fish survival in tributaries, and organic nutrients play a role in the brown tide outbreaks in the subregion. Agriculture occurs in this subregion to some degree, with potential impacts on water quality from sediments, fertilizers and pesticides.

Water quality in the South Shore Estuary Reserve is important to everyone on Long Island. Poor water quality diminishes recreational and economic opportunities.

Nonpoint source pollution is the primary water quality concern in the South Shore Estuary Reserve. Polluted stormwater runoff alone is the principal source of nonpoint pollution in 48 of the 51 waterbody segments in the Reserve with use impairments. Elevated levels of coliform bacteria in stormwater runoff, an indicator of the potential presence of pathogens, are responsible for the closures of shellfish beds and bathing beaches. Sediment and excessive nutrients in stormwater runoff have pronounced negative effects on the Reserve's living resources.

Point sources of pollution - municipal wastewater treatment plants, inactive hazardous waste sites and active and inactive solid waste disposal facilities - are not as widespread and are comparatively less significant sources of pollution than nonpoint sources, but still cause water quality degradation in their immediate areas. Point sources are regulated and monitored through the State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit program.

Improving water quality in the Reserve is dependent on federal, State and local governments, and private sector partners, implementing a strategy that: 1) identifies opportunities and develops schedules to protect lands that provide significant pollutant abatement functions; 2) designs and undertakes projects that retrofit existing storm sewer and other conveyance systems to remove pollutants from storm water; 3) adopts nonpoint source pollution best management practices; and 4) increases education and outreach to modify resident and user behavior.

This chapter identifies recommendations to reduce and control nonpoint source pollution; enhance point source controls; implement the Environmental Protection Agency's Storm Water Phase II Final Rule; and address scientific information needs.

The South Shore estuary is a rich and complex ecosystem. Its beaches, shallow bays, tidal marshes, tributaries and upland areas make the Reserve one of the most ecologically productive regions in the United States. In addition to providing the basic necessities for estuarine life, the estuary, its shoreline and upland areas provide open space, contribute to the scenic beauty of the region and support its tourism, recreation and seafood industries.

Human population growth and burgeoning development in the Reserve, especially since World War II, had and continues to have a dramatic effect on the estuary. Most habitat loss in the Reserve has been the result of the filling of low-lying lands in the western portion of the Reserve for residential and commercial uses. Other development activities, including construction of canals, roads and bridges, have also destroyed or degraded habitats. According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation 1996 Priority Waterbody List, stormwater polluted by elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria, excessive nutrients and sediment has affected the viability of fish populations in the Reserve's tributaries and has closed almost 31,000 acres of hard clam beds in its bays.

Regulations have slowed the loss of tidal and freshwater wetlands in the Reserve, but the remaining wetlands present both challenges and opportunities for management and restoration. The Reserve's open bays have also undergone notable changes, influenced chiefly by inlet dynamics, while its upland forests seem to be experiencing a loss comparable to that of the region's tidal wetlands.

Recommendations are offered to incorporate an ecosystem perspective into the management of the Reserve's living estuarine resources; to increase wetland community values; to recognize, restore and protect tributary-based resource values; to protect and improve habitat conditions for estuarine bird species; to improve the productivity of important living resources; and to address scientific information needs.

The public's ability to use and enjoy the natural resources of the South Shore estuary depends upon access to its tributaries, bays and shoreline. The supply of formal, dedicated shoreline public access sites and recreational facilities is finite, and opportunities to increase the supply will become fewer as private shoreline development continues. The more intensive and widespread such development becomes, the more valuable is the remaining open space. While generally important for retaining variety and visual interest in the pattern of development, open space is critical to the health of the estuary and its coastal habitats and the coastal character of Long Island's South Shore. All levels of government must work together in cooperation with private development interests to preserve open space in the Reserve, buffer sensitive habitats, improve water quality and retain the visual landscape of the estuary.

Commercial fishing, island bay houses, recreational boating, yacht clubs, boat repair shops, ferries and shoreline parks are all part of the region's maritime heritage and define its present-day culture. These traditional estuary-related uses are gradually being displaced by more economically competitive non-traditional uses. Concerted public and private efforts will be needed to perpetuate the region's historical legacy.

Recommendations are offered to improve shoreline public access and estuary-related recreation; to retain open space within the Reserve; and to protect, maintain and enhance the Reserve's maritime heritage.

The relatively calm, protected waters and abundant natural resources of the South Shore estuary provide the basis for the water-related economic activities that have evolved from the harvesting of oysters, hard clams and salt hay, and boat building, to recreational boating, sport fishing, waterborne transportation and tourism. Changes in the nature of these water-dependent businesses reflect the influence of a growing population and market demand, transportation improvements and increased recreational demands. Today, the estuary is home to the largest concentrations of commercial and recreational vessels, marinas and other water-dependent businesses in the State. The estuary supports, in whole or in part, about 3,000 water-dependent and water-enhanced businesses that employ nearly 30,000 people.

The amount of estuary shoreline suitable for establishing new water-dependent uses or expanding existing ones is limited, while, at the same time, some existing water-dependent businesses are gradually being displaced by more economically-competitive non water-dependent uses. This is of particular concern in maritime centers where water-dependent uses are concentrated and embody much of the estuary-related cultural heritage that supports local tourism. Recommendations are offered to support water-dependent businesses and to enhance maritime centers.

Academic institutions can be highly effective conduits of information on the South Shore estuary. Of the 124 public school districts on Long Island responsible for primary and secondary level education, nearly half (60) are located in whole or part within the Reserve and serve a major portion of the approximately 423,000 school age children on Long Island. Teachers have many sources of information at their disposal, and a number of nature centers and museums in the Reserve offer field programs for school groups. Yet elementary, middle and high school teachers face various constraints in trying to raise student consciousness about the environment outside their classrooms.

People in the Reserve learn about their environment from a variety of sources: newspapers, magazines, television and radio, as well as from numerous public and private organizations, many of which are represented on the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council. Many organizations on Long Island are moving beyond education and outreach activities and are striving to motivate individuals to become active stewards of their environment. At the community level, local governments and neighborhood, civic and environmental groups are bringing citizens together in collective efforts to improve the environment.

This chapter identifies recommendations to strengthen the mechanisms for raising awareness and understanding of the South Shore estuary; to nurture awareness and understanding on the part of young people through formal education activities that focus on the South Shore estuary; to increase public awareness and understanding through outreach activities geared to general and specific audiences; and to encourage people of all ages to become stewards of the estuary.

Building on what has already been accomplished since 1995 by the State, local governments and the Reserve's Council, the implementation actions presented in this chapter provide the necessary road map to fulfilling the recommendations offered in the preceding chapters and assuring the long-term health of the Reserve. The actions target effort where the greatest potential exists for halting further degradation of the Reserve's natural resources and realizing improvements to them, and where multiple goals and objectives of the Council can be achieved.

The actions focus attention where problems have been clearly identified and where the existence of motivated partners assures a higher likelihood of success. They are organized and presented according to outcomes they will fulfill.

In order to make significant progress toward achieving these outcomes, funding will be necessary from a variety of governmental and non-governmental sources to meet the estimated $97.8 million five year cost of implementing the actions called for in Chapter 7.