By Sabrina Artusa
After the Aug. 19 storm, the lower level of the Smithtown Library’s main branch at 1 North Country Road had to be cleaned and gutted. The stairwell has been repainted and all electriclal equipment has been removed. Now, the floor is a blank slate. Smithtown Library Director Robert Lusak views this as an opportunity to re-situate the floor to make it a better, nicer area.
–Photos by Robert Lusak
By Kurt Johnsen
On August 19, 2024, a “thousand-year” rain event breached Harbor Road and drained the Stony Brook Mill Pond. TBR News Media published my memoir of my personal relationship with the pond and my deep sorrow of its loss on Aug. 29.
I live in Asheville, North Carolina and on September 28, I awoke to a Natural Disaster that was beyond my comprehension. Tropical storm Helene had scourged our beloved Western North Carolina. I’ll first note that my wife and I were fine, and our home only suffered minor damage. I stepped outside and began to witness what was soon to be apparent destruction of “biblical” proportion.
Overnight, 40 to 100 miles-per-hour winds had ravaged our region. Asheville received 14 inches of rain, much of Western North Carolina received two feet of rain and even up to 30 inches, all in the previous two days. Trees were downed everywhere and with them thousands of power lines cutting off electricity and making even simple travel down the road impossible. Soon, the magnitude of the destruction started to become evident.
Close to 900,000 acres of forest were downed or damaged, thousands of homes were destroyed and 150,000 people were displaced. If you haven’t yet, you can go on YouTube and watch the hundreds of videos showing events that, before this, we only witnessed from afar often in third world countries. Two miles from our house Biltmore Village was flooded and EVERY business was gutted or ripped down. Eighty percent of our beloved River Arts District was destroyed. The torrents caused massive mudslides. Across the region, houses were torn apart and floated like balsa wood along powerful rivers that, two days prior, were small streams and brooks.
There are 104 verified storm-related deaths. It is Incredulous this number isn’t higher. Vehicles, homes, businesses were piled like matchsticks. People’s lives were upended and, for many, will never be the same. Even now, as you drive out to smaller towns that were virtually destroyed, you proceed through a “tunnel” of the hulks of demolished cars, trucks, houses and other flotsam.
The main Pipeline from the reservoir that supplies most of Asheville with water was shattered and under 28 feet of thick muck! Water immediately ceased flowing out of the tap for, in most cases, months and even longer to become potable. Asheville’s unemployment rate jumped from three to 9 percent overnight. The lack of affordable housing, already a crisis for service industry employees in our tourist-based economy, was extraordinarily exacerbated overnight.
Stop reading for a minute and imagine the all-too-real picture I have painted above. Now, let me put this in perspective. The Mill Pond is approximately 11 acres in size. That is 0.001 percent of the area that was impacted in WNC from Helene. And now, much of Los Angeles looks like Dresden after the firebombing. I will not go far out on a limb to say we have reached the “tipping point”; climate change is now ravaging our planet. James Taylor sang “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.” He had no idea how prophetic his prose would become.
Author Kurt Johnsen, who grew up in idyllic Stony Brook, now resides in Asheville, North Carolina.
On Aug. 18, an intense rainfall event — dropping approximately 10 inches overnight — resulted in catastrophic flooding, severely damaging local landmarks including the Stony Brook Mill Pond, the Stony Brook Grist Mill (1751), and Avalon Nature Preserve.
We are calling on all levels of government — federal, New York State, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the NYS Department of Transportation, Suffolk County and the towns of Brookhaven, Smithtown and Village of Head of the Harbor — to collaborate in the restoration efforts. It is imperative that every elected official work together to restore the Stony Brook Mill Pond, Stony Brook Grist Mill and Avalon Park’s primary access route.
These cherished heritage and nature destinations are integral to our communities, encouraging visitors to explore both the rich history and the natural beauty of the area. Both the Stony Brook Mill Pond and the Stony Brook Grist Mill are listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
The Stony Brook Mill Pond has been of ecological and economic importance for centuries. Before the storm, it provided sustenance and shelter for a variety of wildlife species and played a critical role in stormwater management. The Mill Pond has been a vital component of the Grist Mill’s operations, powering the waterwheel of this iconic Long Island landmark since 1751.
Avalon Nature Preserve, a protected area spanning 216 acres —140 of which are accessible to the public — boasts diverse flora and fauna. It features walking trails, a wildflower meadow and woodlands. Access to the Avalon Nature Preserve has been severely impacted by the destruction of Harbor Road.
The Three Village Chamber of Commerce respectfully asks for your support in these restoration efforts. Representing the Three Village business network, this work is vital to helping the business community in Stony Brook thrive once again.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Three Village Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors
President Carmine Inserra
Michael Ardolino
Heather Banoub
Robert Brown
Perry Cassidy
Leah S. Dunaief
Colette Frey-Bitzas
Susie Kaiserman
Kenneth P. Kroncke
Ronald J. LaVita
Edwin Miller
Andy Polan
David Prestia
Gloria Rocchio
Nicole Sarno
Martha Stansbury
John C. Tsunis
President Emeritus Charles Lefkowitz
By Toni-Elena Gallo
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, construction began on Mill Creek Rd. in Stony Brook Village, following August’s catastrophic flooding. The storm not only collapsed the road, but emptied Stony Brook’s Mill Pond, caused destruction to surrounding homes and displaced the area’s wildlife.
According to Gloria Rocchio, president of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, it is a bit of poetic justice that construction began on Wednesday, as it was “exactly 90 days” since the flood hit. However, the rebuilding of Stony Brook is far from complete.
“The Town of Brookhaven will be doing the road and they’re in the design stage at this point. As for tomorrow, they’ll probably start taking down trees,” said Rocchio. “They’re going to start clearing what’s in the creek, because right now, there’s pieces of cesspool down by the grist mill. There’s also a white film on some of the muck, which I heard is detergent, meaning every time the tide goes in and out, the water is taking it to different places,” she continued. The Grist Mill, a Stony Brook staple since 1751, may have up to eight feet of “sand and muck” impacting its turning capabilities, Rocchio said.
Rocchio described the aftermath of August’s storm as “all-consuming” but said she is focused on rectifying the situation and restoring the Stony Brook Mill Pond to its former state.
The WMHO president also stressed the importance of avoiding the collapsed area on Harbor and Main streets as well as the drained Mill Pond itself. She explained that curious passersby have been found standing in the creek, Mill Pond and mud near Harbor Rd. “When we did a cleanup with volunteers, someone got very badly stuck in there. It is like quicksand,” Rocchio said.
In light of the federal government’s response to Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday that Suffolk County’s flood damage is “not of the severity and magnitude to warrant the designation of Individual Assistance,” Rocchio said many homeowners, including Ron Borgese—a man who lost a portion of his home on the corner of Main St. and Harbor Rd.—have been left reeling.
“Apparently, the area is not devastated enough, but I don’t know how much more devastated you need to be,” Borgese said in a phone interview.
“The house is condemned and the property is shot. So far, I got nothing from anybody.”
Borgese is currently staying with family while awaiting word on assistance. He does not have flood insurance.
Rocchio said the community’s support during this time has deeply touched her, noting that people have donated amounts ranging from $50 to “thousands.”
In the coming weeks, WMHO will host a Christmas auction to raise money for storm damage relief.
For more information on FEMA’s decision, visit www.tbrnewsmedia.com.
8-month process to redesign Stump Pond spillway and dam underway
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine today announced that the Suffolk County Department of Public Works (DPW) has sent out a request for proposal (RFP) for the redesign of the Stump Pond dam and spillway that were destroyed by record rainfalls caused by a historic August storm that caused up to 11-inches of rain to fall in some areas.
“After the destruction of historic Stump Pond, our engineering team began working on a pathway forward for this area,” said Romaine. “It was decided immediately to rebuild this culturally and environmentally important pond for the residents of this county.”
The new proposal is for a reinforced earthen dam that will contain a culver and spillway in the same location as that was lost during the storm. Given the circumstances, it is anticipated that the dam’s classification will be upgraded by the State to Class B from Class A – Class B requiring more frequent inspections and higher standards of durability.
In addition to an increase in safety standards, vendors are also asked to design an alternative with a fish ladder.
Proposals from consultants must conform to a myriad of local, state and federal guidelines regarding the safety, hydrology and ecology of the project.
The deadline for proposals is Monday, November 25.
A tentative schedule of the design phase is as follows:
By Lynn Hallarman
At 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18, Christian Neubert, second assistant chief for the Port Jefferson Fire Department, responded to what seemed like a routine call. The skies over Port Jefferson village were clear. But shortly after that, the village was caught unaware by an unrelenting downpour that would last nearly six hours.
“Once the rain started, we had very few moments of it letting up,” Neubert said in a phone interview with TBR News Media. The storm’s intensity caught everyone off guard.
Then, the firehouse started to flood. The station’s dispatchers could see through surveillance cameras that water was collecting in the back parking lot and the storm drains were slowing as water began to flow in reverse.
Dangerous conditions
Neubert recalled that at 11:20 p.m., Chief Anthony Barton notified all department members to respond to the firehouse to assist with worsening flood conditions. The fire trucks were moved out of the station, but rapidly rising waters filled with sewage and contaminants prevented members from moving gear and other equipment.
Soon, the calls for help started to come in. From 11 p.m. until 3 a.m., firefighters responded to 11 urgent water rescues as vehicles became trapped in rising floodwaters. Rescuers worked in pairs tethered by a rope, with one firefighter in the water, the other on solid ground. This strategy ensured that no one was swept away or sucked into an open manhole.
“The most dangerous aspect of flood rescues is to our team. As the drainage system in the village backs up, the manhole covers will literally blow off. That night, there were open manhole covers throughout the village,” Neubert said.
No firefighters or rescued members of the public were hurt that night, but people needed to be transported to the Village Grocery’s parking lot, where they could eventually be picked up by someone. The fire station, now flooded with 3 feet of water, could not be used to stage the station’s emergency response or serve as a temporary shelter for flood victims.
Complicating matters, firefighters were dispatched to respond to several fire alarms, which were triggered, it turns out, by floodwaters.
With the fire station out of commission, rescuers were forced to rely on radio communication while sitting in their trucks in torrential rain. The constant pelting on the vehicles made conversations hard to hear over the radio. And it was dark.
For hours, the fire department battled two emergencies at once: the flooding of their station and responding to calls for help from community members.
Storm surge vs. flash rain
Neubert recounted the difference in conditions during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 compared to this rain event. He explained that Sandy’s flooding resulted from surging tides in a slow rise.
“We had time to prepare,” he said. “We took the fire trucks out of the building and staged them throughout various village locations. All the firefighting gear was moved to very high ground, well ahead of time.”
This time, however, was different — a sudden and unexpected deluge is harder to prepare for. The worst flooding of the fire station in recent years has resulted from heavy rainfall over a short period, as in 2018, 2021 and now 2024.
This most recent storm was the most damaging. “Our biggest loss was the machine we use to fill our air bottles, with the replacement cost nearing $100,000,” Neubert said. “Our contaminated gear needed professional cleaning.” The entire ground floor of the building required an extensive cleanup, and repairs are still being made to the walls and floors.
The fire department has federal flood insurance to absorb most of the cost of the cleanup. However, what cannot be accounted for are the person-hours devoted to resolving a multitude of logistical complications in the flood’s aftermath.
“It’s the ripple effect on operations that are most challenging,” Neubert said. While he emphasized that the response to community emergencies is not impacted, they temporarily need to rely on neighboring fire departments to fill their air bottles and host training events.
“And the community may forget our firefighters, about 100, who are all volunteers, live in the village and work full-time jobs,” he said.
The fire station sits in a floodplain
This reporter went on a three-hour tour of the downtown flood basin with former village mayor and longtime firefighter Mike Lee. Many years ago, the salt marsh was slowly filled in to accommodate new construction, disrupting the natural water management between the harbor and the higher ground. Now, much of the runoff flows into an overwhelmed culvert system, worsening flooding and putting additional stress on critical infrastructure such as the firehouse.
“The town, when first developed, was situated above the salt marsh, not on top of it,” Lee said. “The original Main Street was what is now East Main Street,” he said as we walked downhill toward the Gap parking lot.
The flooding problem is compounded by frequent heavy rainstorms related to climate change. The fire station sits atop a high-water table, once the salt marsh.
Moving the station?
“I do know for certainty, there is not another fire department in Suffolk County that floods,” Neubert said.
But he chuckled when asked about moving the fire station. “We would if it was realistic,” he said. It is not from want of trying, he pointed out.
“Find me an affordable 2 1/2-acre available piece of flat property within the boundaries of our 3-mile fire district that is not too near residential housing and is close enough so the response time to an emergency is not increased,” he said.
And this wish doesn’t include the cost of a new building.
According to Neubert, to preserve an ideal response time, a new firehouse would need to be situated in the fire district’s central geographic location, somewhere in the vicinity of Belle Terre Road and Myrtle Avenue.
For now, the fire department is doing everything it can to mitigate flood damage. “We are using FEMA money to install flood doors,” he said. “All the radio-server equipment has been moved to the second floor.”
The goal, he reflected, is to make sure the department is not fighting too many battles at once.
The Port Jefferson Civic Association is actively working to raise community awareness and build local support for the fire department, as the department considers options to address the flooding issue long term.
“Flooding is our greatest challenge,” Ana Hozyainova, president of the civic, said. “Yet, we’re not making strategic decisions as a community to help safeguard a vital asset — the fire department.”
“Their job is to protect our property, livelihoods and lives. The danger is that, eventually, their own crisis could grow so large that they won’t be able to respond to ours,” she added.
By Toni-Elena Gallo
Olivia Ross may live in Port Jefferson now, but Stony Brook will always be where her heart is.
The devastating storm that hit Suffolk County on Aug. 18 and continued into the early morning hours of the next day, left Stony Brook in complete disarray, draining the Mill Pond and destroying businesses and homes. Ross, who grew up in the village, felt she needed to spring to action and help the community that has provided her with such happy memories.
“When I was little, all the way up to me taking my nieces and nephews there. So, when I saw that nothing was there, there was no life, it just broke my heart,” she said in an interview.
“Then I said, ‘Why not have this community come together and do something good? Something to unite all of us together?’ I knew I had to do something to help, because it’s so important to me — there will always be a piece of me [in Stony Brook].”
“I thought of this idea because when I was younger, and the BP oil spill happened, my aunt created these bracelets and sold them to give donations to a company that was helping clean up. So, I thought ‘What a great idea,’” Ross continued.
After meeting Ross down at Stony Brook Harbor Kayak & Paddleboard Rentals, Gloria Rocchio, president of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, said that what she’s doing is “wonderful.”
“The paddleboard business is helping her with sales, and [when we spoke] she expressed incredible affection for the Mill Pond,” Rocchio said. “If the general public desires, they can support the community in this very difficult time.”
Ross said that 100 percent of the proceeds will go to The Ward Melville Heritage Organization for repair and restoration efforts.
“We’re backing them up, and we want to help restore such important parts of the community,” Ross added.
Ross customizes the bracelets, which she buys in bulk, to say “Stony Brook Strong” on one side and “Save the Mill Pond”’ on the other. The bracelets sell for $2 each but donations are also accepted.
“I wear mine every day,” Rocchio said.
Ross explained that with all the “negativity that goes on in the world,” she was pleased to see the positive reactions she received on Facebook, where her bracelets are available on both her and WMHO’s pages, as well as through her email, [email protected].
“I’ve sold over a hundred, and I’m almost up to a thousand dollars in donations, so I am trying to spread the word more. I’ve had a couple of businesses reach out to me asking if they could buy some in bulk, and then sell them in their stores. I love that idea,” Ross said.
And, as far as the damage that remains in Stony Brook, Rocchio explained that the WMHO is working with all facets of government, including at the federal, state, county and in conjunction with the towns of Brookhaven and Smithtown, to get Harbor Road rebuilt, among a host of other issues.
The Stony Brook Grist Mill will be getting help as early as Friday, from an excavation crew, which will begin digging out the sand damage from under the mill’s wheel, by hand, to allow it to turn once again.
It takes a village.
By Sabrina Artusa
At Mill Pond in Stony Brook, a group of swans and mallards can be observed on the sandy banks. On occasion, some Canadian geese can be seen as well, crossing the road confused and displaced.
After August’s rain, Stony Brook’s residents — both people and animals — are gradually recouping. A month later, the road ahead is a little clearer as questions on funding and rebuilding become less intimidating.
Community support
Gloria Rocchio, president of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization which owns the Grist Mill and Mill Pond, said she is grateful for the “unbelievable” amount of support the community has shown her organization, especially as she navigates the rebuilding process.
Over 100 people came to cleanup sessions at the Mill Pond where they fished out personal effects that washed into the creek after a nearby house was damaged.
People across the country have been touched by the disaster — Rocchio has received donations and letters from people nationwide. Some were former residents.
Rebuilding
The resolve to rebuild exists in abundance. Governmental officials such as Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R), Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and community leaders like Rocchio have repeatedly announced their dedication to this area.
“People sat on the boulders, watched the wildlife, watched the sunset — that’s what we want them to have again. We have to have it back,” Rocchio said.
Rocchio said her organization has met with an engineer and has hired a marine expert to ensure the debris is cleaned out. Further, she said they are in the midst of designing a new plan for the creek leading to the pond.
The 1699 grist mill was not severely damaged. Over a foot of water washed into the basement on the west side. Now, Rocchio is concerned with waterproofing and repairing the building in a way that prevents further damage. She is also worried that the wheel will suffer from lack of use without water to keep it turning.
Town of Brookhaven officials have also stated their intentions to construct a dam that has the capacity to allow for larger amounts of water to pass through. The previous dam was not designed to endure such a large rush of water.
Stony Brook University
Two of Stony Brook University’s residence halls were damaged after severe flooding, putting the buildings out of commission. The Mendelsohn buildings were flooded with 4-6 feet of water.
With limited housing, the university initiated a $5,000 incentive to students that cancels their housing plan. The university also added beds to rooms in other halls, making them triples instead of doubles and started placing returning students in nearby hotels.
“We have expanded our recharge basins to handle increased demand. Last year, we installed a stormwater pump lift station specifically designed to redirect stormwater away from Gray and Ammann residence halls,” William Herrmann, vice president for Facilities & Services, wrote in an email.
“We have also submitted grants to secure funding for additional mitigation efforts, including the installation of stormwater retention systems, bioswales and rain gardens in the most vulnerable areas of our campus,” he added.
Funding
It is uncertain if federal aid will be secured to fund the repairs to town infrastructure. In order to gain access to federal aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, damages must meet a $37.5 million threshold.
Rocchio said WMHO needs funding for the grist mill.
Homeowners have the option to apply for a grant with the New York State Housing Trust Fund Agency to be reimbursed for damage that wasn’t covered by insurance. Applicants could be given up to $50,000 depending on the county’s median income. Applications should be made through the Long Island Housing Partnership. The deadline to apply is Oct. 7, and grants are awarded until funds are exhausted. Please email LIHP at [email protected] before applying.
Looking ahead
Stony Brook is moving forward, despite the unpleasant interruption the storm posed to summer affairs.
Rocchio said that tourism and visitation to Stony Brook village is almost as it was before Aug. 18.
Avalon Nature Preserve has reopened and was relatively unharmed, although some trails needed maintenance.
After the storm, residents from across Suffolk County organized efforts to save the fish that were stranded in the diminishing pond.
In another instance, a gas station owner, noticing a particularly weary looking Canadian goose wandering outside his gas station, provided food and water to the confused bird, who Rocchio guesses was born at the pond. The bird now hangs around the gas station regularly, even allowing his head to be pet. This owner muses that he adopted the goose, in a way.
“I do believe that when the Mill Pond is back with water that they will come back,” Rocchio said.
It could be some time until Stony Brook Mill Pond and the Grist Mill return to their former state, but it is a comfort to know that Stony Brook remains alive and well, and that the vitality of the community, like the pond, still flows.
You are probably tired of hearing about last week’s storm.
It was catastrophic, terrible, disturbing and all-around, a complete and utter drag.
But, it is so incredibly important to remember that this Earth is precious, and should not be taken lightly. Storms like this serve as stark reminders of the fragility of our planet, and how it can be struck with disaster, at the blink of an eye.
We know you have all heard this before, but it is vital to care about our home. And, not just in Stony Brook or Port Jefferson or Rocky Point or Smithtown or Centereach. We need to nurture our Long Island home. Our waterways. Our wildlife. Even our infrastructure.
If we are to experience natural disasters, the last thing our planet needs is plastic bottles thrown onto the curb, incessant pipe exhaust and muck-ridden water. Everything in life is a chain reaction. If we show indifference to our atmosphere, the climate will change. If our animals swim in filth, they will die. If they die, their terrain is permanently altered. It goes on and on.
We are not scientists, and we are not seeking to preach. However, as concerned citizens of this community, all we want is for it to thrive. To be clean and livable for all living creatures.
As that sign down in the Stony Brook Village Center says: “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.” But, perhaps more importantly, the full quotation continues on, “I like to see a man live, so that his place will be proud of him.”
Our planet is unpredictable enough, so let’s not add unnecessary variables to its already, sometimes devastating, whims.
So, let’s make our Earth proud.
By Steve Englebright
In the dark early morning hours of Aug. 19, almost 11 inches of rain descended like a cataract upon the central North Shore of Long Island. The storm then crossed into Connecticut where it killed two people and destroyed numerous bridges and roads.
The paved roads and impermeable surfaces within the catchment of Stony Brook Mill Pond caused it to immediately flood. This deluge then spilled over the top of that part of Harbor Road which capped the artificial earthen dam adjacent to the National Register of Historic Places-listed circa 1751 mill. Floodwater poured uncontrollably over the road, creating a thunderous curtain that plunged into the marine side of the dam, quickly and severely eroding its base. The dam failed, and the pond emptied catastrophically into Stony Brook Harbor.
The boundaries of two towns, one incorporated village and one hamlet all meet at this location. In the aftermath of this catastrophe, it is important for each of these governing units as well as all other elements of the community to quickly come together in support of a single plan of restorative action. Fortunately, President Joe Biden has heeded the call of local governments, including Suffolk County, to declare this site a federal disaster area. Much-needed federal dollars may now follow. This precious funding can be wisely utilized, presuming that everyone is cooperating. One of the challenges now before all of us is to find commonality and consensus. In particular, we must reconcile the interests of historic preservation and environmental protection so that they are aligned and mutually supportive within a thoughtfully engineered plan.
Some have wondered if it may be appropriate to leave the breached dam unreconstructed purposefully. Several threshold questions arise from this thought:
• Should we allow the recently unconstrained Stony Brook Creek to continue to flow freely and allow recovery of natural processes such as the breeding activities of the herring-like fish known as the alewife?
• What course of action would provide the greatest overall environmental benefit?
• Would the nationally significant cultural treasure that is the Stony Brook Grist Mill have diminished relevance without its historic impoundment?
Reasons for restoration
This author would argue strongly for restoration of Stony Brook Mill Pond for reasons that embrace both environmental and historic preservation purposes. These include:
• More than 90% of the Stony Brook Harbor is tidally-influenced salt water. Freshwater habitats within the harbor are rare and enhance its biodiversity. Prior to the dam’s breach, the largest surface freshwater feature of the entire harbor was Stony Brook Mill Pond. Allowing this scarce resource to remain permanently reduced would significantly subtract from this ecosystem’s vibrancy and health.
• The Stony Brook Mill Pond Basin uniquely joins Main Street with the Avalon Preserve — arguably the finest nature center in New York state. This geographic juxtaposition created a remarkable outdoor education classroom that enabled thousands of children and families to directly experience nature. It would be most unfortunate to compromise or lose the open water and aesthetic appeal of this site which could, if restored, continue effectively to foster for each next generation an ethic of learning and respect for the environment.
• The Mill Pond helped keep the Stony Brook Harbor clean. This relatively-unspoiled harbor’s water chemistry was maintained, in part, by the fact that the Mill Pond acted as a sediment trap and contaminant settlement basin that intercepted substances in road runoff that would otherwise have flowed directly into the harbor.
• The continued existence of two significant rookeries on the edge of Stony Brook Mill Pond featuring, respectively, cormorants and herons would be uncertain if the pond is not restored.
• While some fish species, such as alewife, might theoretically benefit from a free flowing Stony Brook, it is unknown if this site would support a significant run for such fish.
• Suffolk County’s largest industry is tourism, and Stony Brook Mill Pond and Grist Mill combine to create a major magnet attracting and welcoming visitors to Old Stony Brook and its vicinity. Any decision to delay reconstruction of the Mill Pond dam could compromise the sense of place of Old Stony Brook. Loss of these landmarks in pursuit of limited or speculative environmental improvements could create significant community resentment, which would only detract from other preservation efforts
Reconstruction of Harbor Road and Mill Pond dam
It is useful to note that the dam at the north end of Setauket’s Frank Melville Memorial Park was subjected to the same storm event and did not rupture. The apparent reason for this is because that dam is armored with cement on its seaward side. Reconstruction of Harbor Road at Stony Brook Mill Pond should proceed expeditiously and be built in like kind to what was there previously except that the reconstructed dam should be armored on its seaward-side in a manner similar to the construction of its sister site in the Frank Melville Memorial Park.
We are fortunate that this event did not cause loss of human life, and that our volunteer first responders were unharmed. Another takeaway from this catastrophe is that its effects would have been worse if the proposed extensive construction of impermeable surfaces already existed on three large properties in the immediate watershed area, i.e., Flowerfield, Bull Run Farm and a former private school.
This ruinous flood should be a wake-up call for planners as they consider these and other intensive development proposals within the immediate watershed of Stony Brook Harbor and its Mill Pond. Going forward, this recent flood event should be top of mind — land use decisions here should reflect awareness, restraint and caution. Although we can hope that the unusual storm that eroded the Mill Pond dam at its base is not a new normal, exceptionally destructive weather events are occurring much more frequently than in the past. A similar torrential flood could occur at any time.
We should restore Stony Brook’s historic Mill Pond and, by extension, also preserve that extraordinary harbor and its namesake community.
Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) is the Suffolk County legislator for the 5th Legislative District and a former New York State Assemblyman.
