By Peter Sloniewsky

Port Jefferson Civic Association met Monday, Aug. 12, to discuss the flooding issue in the area, specifically regarding ongoing projects undertaken by the United States Geological Survey, and, also, by Campani and Schwarting Architects.

First, Kristina Masterson, supervisory hydrologist for the Water Resources Integrated Modeling and Analysis Section in the New York Water Science Center, presented an ongoing study run by the USGS that will help to accurately model floods in the Port Jefferson area.

The study, titled “Assessment of compound flood risk from the combined effects of sea level rise on storm surge, tidal and groundwater flooding, and stormwater,” specifically examines compound floods. Locally, there are a variety of flood drivers such as the harbor, stormwater runoff from the underlying 2-square-mile watershed and the area’s high groundwater table.

The project will be in two phases. Phase one, set to be completed in this fall, is described as a “spatial analysis of vulnerability to flooding associated with individual and co-occurring flood drivers.” The conclusion of this phase will be an online interactive map which will allow users to check which relevant factors are most pertinent to flooding in any subsection of the mapped area.

In the second phase, planned for a completion date in winter 2025, USGS will create a “compound flood modeling framework” that will help researchers to better simulate the effects of flooding not only in Port Jefferson, but also in other areas which have been mapped in a similar way. With a more generalized compound flooding model, Masterson expressed hope that scientists and policymakers could better plan infrastructure around simulated flood patterns.

This USGS study is a part of the Long Island Sound Study, which was established in 1985 by Congress to focus on water quality. Since then, it has transformed largely into a focused effort toward resiliency. The current study is funded through the Sustainable and Resilient Communities Work Group, representing a state/federal partnership. USGS is nonregulatory, and the data gathered throughout this project will be publicly accessible after its publication.

The second project, presented by Michael Schwarting and Frances Campani, involved modeling the “steep streets” of Port Jefferson which converge on the harbor to better map out the placement of future damage-mitigation infrastructure projects.

The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer segment. One major theme was concerns about the pragmatism of both projects, asking why money was not spent on infrastructure directly.

Masterson explained, “Our study was funded by the Long Island Sound Study and the EPA. We have to follow through with the purview of the study. Second, we’re not design engineers. We’re trying to introduce foundational work, so that folks will be able to take a look at, and better understand, what the flood risks are, in their respective locations.”

Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow clarified at the meeting that the village has grants from both FEMA and the county, and is already in contact with engineering firms to work toward more directly pragmatic endeavors.

The civic association’s next meeting will be held Sept. 9 at the Port Jefferson Free Library.