Long Island Water Quality Report for week of July 17 from Gobler Laboratory at Stony Brook University

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Water temperatures are warming into the 70s on Long Island, with generally fair water quality. Out of 30 sites tested, 11 are ranked fair with 10 good and nine poor. Water quality is good by Fire Island Inlet, Shinnecock Inlet and across the Peconics. We also have good water on the North Shore from Stony Brook Harbor to Port Jefferson and Mount Sinai. In contrast, locations from Central Great South Bay east through Moriches Bay were poor with water being highly turbid due to harmful algal blooms, and low levels of oxygen at night. Cold Spring Harbor and Hempstead Harbor also have poor quality due to dense harmful algal blooms that caused low water clarity and low levels of dissolved oxygen at night as well as elevated levels of fecal bacteria. Fair conditions can be found across some harbors and tributaries on the East End, including Meetinghouse Creek, Mattituck Inlet and Sag Harbor, with lower oxygen and water clarity and elevated levels of algae. The same can be said for the South Shore of Nassau County from Hewlett Bay to Middle Bay. As always, check with your county health departments and NYSDEC for more information on swimming and shell fishing. "