Goose Creek Stormwater Management Project

PEP is allocating $98,000 of BIL Funds for the Town of Southold Stormwater Outfall Elimination Project and Discharge Removal Plan in the sub-catchment boundary of Goose Creek, Southold

Source: PEP

Background

Goose Creek, located in Southold, is struggling with the effects of stormwater runoff due to infrastructure developed without stormwater pollution in mind. During any precipitation event, water flows over impervious surfaces and into bodies of water. The stormwater runoff picks up pollution along its path like trash, chemicals, oils, and sediment that can harm out water bodies. The introduction of harmful pollutants from stormwater runoff and sewer discharge is damaging water quality and ecosystem function, leading to the loss of habitat and aquatic diversity.

Outdated stormwater infrastructure leads to increased flooding and coastal erosion.

NYSDEC Identifies Goose Creek as an impaired waterbody, in compliance with The Clean Water Act.

The Goose Creek Sub watershed is approximately 569 acres, 15% of which are impermeable.

Goose Creek Sub-catchment Discharge Elimination in the Town of Southold

Goals:

Eliminate direct stormwater discharge into Goose Creek
Update stormwater management practicies
Update outdated infrastructure
Continually monitor water quality
Revitalize Goose Creeks ecosystem
Educate about stormwater

Methods:

The identified outfalls will be permanently shut down by cementing with brick and concrete, completely removing it, or replacing it with a subsurface infiltration chamber, where water flows through a pretreatment system before being discharged back into the watershed.

To complement these efforts, educational activities on the impacts of stormwater discharge and the actions people can take to prevent polluted runoff will be implemented.

Photos from Property on Jean Wells Drive in Goose Creek experiences flooding in rainstorms that shock homeowners.(Leslie Powell) Live 5 News, The East End Beacon, and The Peconic Baykeeper on Mycoast

CCMP Related Actions

Action 14: Increased public awareness of the anticipated impacts of climate change in the Peconic Estuary and practical ways to mitigate and prepare for them

Action 21: Expand non-point source sub-watershed management plans to all pathogen impaired waterbodies and continue to use existing plans.