Every year Dr. Christopher Gobler, Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation and director of the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, delivers his “State of the Bays” talk. This year, the topic is “Watershed of Destiny,” and the the talk is a perfect fit for Earthstock, the week long celebration of Earth Day at Stony Brook University, 

On Long Island, our sole-source aquifer is our drinking water supply, and the primary source of freshwater, nitrogen, and other contaminants to coastal ecosystems. Recent trends in the quality of both groundwater and surface waters on Long Island have been worrisome. Emerging contaminants such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane are entering drinking water supplies. Nitrogen levels in groundwater have risen by more than 60% in recent decades and coastal ecosystems have degraded. Emerging research indicates climate change processes will intensify many of these impairments in the near future, meaning rapid actions are needed to mitigate these events. In good news, Long Island has become a wellspring for novel solutions to mitigate water quality impairment and climate change. ‘In the water’ remediation approaches involving seaweeds and bivalves can locally mitigate nitrogen loads, algal blooms, and ocean acidification, demonstrating that regenerative and restorative aquaculture is a viable economic and environmental solution for Long Island. The New York State Clean Water Technology Center at Stony Brook University has identified cost-effective technologies to dramatically reduce nitrogen loads from individual homes and to coastal water bodies. Implementation of such technologies coupled with ‘in the water’ solutions will be required to reverse the decadal negative trends in water quality and fisheries.

For more information about Earthstock at Stony Brook University, please visit: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/earthstock/

For more information about the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, please visit: https://somas.stonybrook.edu/

Recent Happenings

Southold Zoning Update Project – July 29, 2025 3-4pm

Southold Zoning Update Project – July 29, 2025 3-4pm

Proposed Zoning Changes, OA Workshop, June 29, 3:00 - 4:30 Poquatuck Hall, OrientPlease come join us to discuss the proposed zoning changes to the Southold Town zoning code. We will be walking through the proposed changes for Orient and what it means for the community. We will provide information on how to share your feedback and comments with the Town.
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Orient Water Resources Study Is Finally Here!

Orient Water Resources Study Is Finally Here!

In 2022 the Orient Association embarked on a comprehensive study of Orient’s water resources: fresh, salt and waste. It's finally complete! Our hope is that this report informs the community about how our water ecosystems work, presents hard data about those ecosystems, sets up the challenges and opportunities unique to Orient, and offers some options for the future. We invite you to join us on this deep dive into Orient’s waters!
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SCWA Southold Scoping Session Summary – June 12, 2025

SCWA Southold Scoping Session Summary – June 12, 2025

Suffolk County Water Authority presented a public scoping session about the proposed North Fork Pipeline project which would install a 24" pipeline from Flanders, though Riverhead and connect to SCWA's water system in Southold. A proposed second phase would run a 12" extension from East Marion across the causeway and primarily serve residents of Orient Village.
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