Today, Regional Plan Association and the Nissequogue Stewardship Steering Committee released its groundbreaking plan to protect the environment of the 40-square-mile Nissequogue River watershed. The in-depth plan, developed over three years with a coalition of government, civic, business and environmental organizations, puts forward over one hundred actions to ensure the river's habitat, water quality, and open space are protected.

View the Press Release here.

The report can be downloaded here.

Check out our press coverage: Newsday, Times of Smithtown and NY Sea Grant.

Watch the press conference courtesy of our friends at Local Views

Regional Plan Association and the Nissequogue Stewardship Steering Committee has completed work on its Stewardship Action Plan. The plan contains an overview of the watershed, a summary of the project process and over 100 actions intended to ensure the management and protection of the Nissequogue River watershed. The group is working to find an official release date for the plan to take place this fall.

The report can be downloaded here.

For those interested conducting a similar project, download a lessons learned guidelines document here.

The Nissequogue Stewardship Steering Committee released its DRAFT Actions for the watershed in a public meeting on Thursday, May 8. Held at the Suffolk County Legislative Auditorium, the meeting attracted around 60 participants who heard an overview of the project, a description of its over 100 actions and a keynote address from County Legislator John M. Kennedy (12th District).

We want to hear from you!

Please review this document and send along any comments you may have by email to Rob Freudenberg at Robertf@rpa.org

Download the DRAFT report Actions_sm.pdf

Read about our public meeting here.

Thanks to our friends at Local Views, you can watch the public meeting here.

The Nissequogue River Watershed covers over 40 square miles largely in the Town of Smithtown, Long Island. The watershed is made up of a number of diverse ecosystems that are home to a large variety of species and offers an array of recreational amenities including hiking, fishing and bird-watching. Areas within the watershed are designated as New York State Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat and sections of the river are classified as a National Wild and Scenic River.

Stewardship Action Plan

In 2006 the Long Island Sound Study's Stewardship Initiative (LISSI) workgroup named the Nissequogue River and its 40 square-mile watershed one of 33 Stewardship Areas. With an established network of committed stakeholders and abundance of protected open space, the area was also selected as an ideal location to initiate a pilot program to implement the general principles of LISSI. This is currently being done through development of a Stewardship Action Plan to ensure the long-term management and protection of the watershed.

For more information, click here to download a one-page summary of the Nissequogue River Watershed Stewardship Action Plan.

Who's Creating the Stewardship Action Plan?

The creation of a Stewardship Action Plan is the collaborative effort of many local stakeholders and various government agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations. To learn more about who is helping to shape the Nissequogue's Stewardship Action Plan and how the Steering Committee is organized, visit our Participants page.

The following list of issues important to the watershed was presented at the public meeting in October 2006.

KPPC Site, Consensus Process Among Topics
January 10, 2007
The Park triples in size as the fromer Kings Park Pyschiatric Center is slated to become open space.

CT Group Shares Stewardship Plans
December 6, 2006
The Nissequogue Watershed Steering Committee and the Norwalk River Stewardship Action Plan Steering Committee meet to discuss strategy.

Meeting Held On Watershed Plan
October 18, 2006
The Nissequogue Watershed Steering Commitee receives feedback from residents in a public meeting at Smithtown High School.

Locals To Sound Off On River Plan
September 20, 2006
Residents of Smithtown are asked to give feedback on preserving the Nissequogue Watershed.

Maps


Images of the Nissequogue River Watershed

The Stewardship Action Plan will create a series of recommendations to ensure the sustainability of the watershed's ecological and recreational resources. Divided into recommended actions for Habitat, Water Quality, Land Use/Open Space and Education, the plan will help to guide decision-makers, stewards and educators in their efforts to protect and conserve the watershed. It will identify and prioritize management activities, restoration opportunities, open space acquisition and planning strategies. The Steering Committee will help to facilitate the plan's implementation.

In order for an action item to be considered for the Stewardship Action Plan, it had to adhere to the following criteria:

1) The item has to affect the watershed area.
2) The goals outlined in the action have to be achievable.
3) Once the item has been implemented, it has to be measurable.

The ultimate goal of the Stewardship Action Plan is to both protect the resources of the Nissequogue watershed as well as to serve as a model for other coastal communities seeking to develop stewardship program.

Steering Committee

Formed in late 2005, The Nissequogue River Watershed Steering Committee is comprised of variety of local stakeholders. The Steering Committee is divided into four subcommittees - Habitat, Water Quality, Land Use/Open Space and Education/Outreach - each responsible for coming up with Action Items to manage and protect the watershed. The Steering Committee is also responsible for convening public meetings, producing outreach materials, and coordinating public events.

The two-year project is being coordinated by Regional Plan Association and has received funding from the New York State Department of Conservation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Long Island Sound Futures Fund.

Subcommittee Organization

The Nissequogue Watershed Steering Committee is divided into four subcommittees to draw upon stakeholder interest and expertise.

Click here to view a simple diagram showing how the Steering Committee is structured.

Habitat

The goal of the Habitat Subcomittee is to work to protect and restore fish passage; cold water fisheries habitat; other freshwater habitat; marine and estuarine habitat; terrestrial wildlife habitat; and wetland habitat.

Chair: Jake Kritzer - Environmental Defense

Eric Broecker - Sunken Meadow State Park
Dorothy Chanin - Kings Park Civic Association
Nick Gibbons - Suffolk County Parks
Chart Guthrie - NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Tom Halavik - US Fish and Wildlife Service
Molly Hastings - NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Robin Kriesberg - Friends of the Bay
Gary Lawton - NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Kathy McShane - Town of Smithtown
Gregory Miller - Citizen Bill Muller - Fishing Advisory Board for NYS Parks
Jeff Plackis - Trout Unlimited (Long Island Chapter)
John Potente - Citizen
Jan Porinchak - Citizen
Derek Rogers - Suffolk County Parks
Kathleen Roth - NYS Parks, Caleb Smith
Dave Thompson - Trout Unlimited
Clarence Ware - NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Steve Weber - King's Park Civic Association
Heather Young - NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Water Quality

The goal of the Water Quality Subcommittee is to develop recommendations to protect and improve the quality of surface, marine and ground waters.

Chair: Charlie Dequillfeldt - NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Jeanne Brown - Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (former)
Angel Dybas - Cornell Cooperative Extension
Theresa Goergen - Suffolk County Department of Health
Dennis Mildner - NYS Department of State Division of Coastal Resources
Peter Paquette - Friends of Caleb Smith
Dave Thompson - Trout Unlimited

Open Space and Land Use

The goal of the Open Space and Land Use Subcommittee is to promote conservation strategies to protect the watershed's natural, cultural, and recreational values in order to provide public access to the waterfront, public recreation, and protect the natural resources and scenic qualities of the Watershed.

Chair: Michael Kaufman - Joint Coastal Commission, County CEQ

Gloria Charles - Town of Smithtown Planning Department
Allyson Feld - Town of Smithtown Planning Department
Larry Flynn - Kings Park Chamber of Commerce
Frank Huntington - Daniel Gale Sotheby's
Derek Rogers - Suffolk County Parks
Joyce Rosenthal - Smithtown League of Women Voters
Mario Viscardi - New York Water Environment, Inc, Long Island Chapter

Education and Outreach

The goal of the Education and Outreach Subcommittee is to educate the public about the Nissequogue River's natural, cultural, and historic value to promote public ownership and protection of the river. It strives to actively engage the public in learning about and protecting the river and the watershed.

Chair: Larissa Graham - NY Sea Grant

Molly Hastings - NYS Office of Parks
Sondra Irvine - League of Women Voters: Smithtown Chapter
Peter Kearns - Village of the Branch
Susan Krause - 4 Harbors Audubon, New York Audubon
Elizabeth Platt - Smithtown High School
Ailene Rogers - Cornell Cooperative Extension
Marie Smith - Sweetbriar Nature Center
Ly Williams - Smithtown High School

Member Organizations

• Cornell Cooperative Extension website



• Environmental Defense website



• Friends of the Bay website



• King's Park Chamber of Commerce website



• King's Park Civic Association website



• League of Women Voters website



• Long Island Sound Study website



• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) website



• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website



• NYS Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website



• NYS Department of State Division of Coastal Resources website



• Regional Plan Association website



• Save the Sound website



• Suffolk County Department of Healthwebsite



• Suffolk County Parks website



• Town of Smithtown website



• Trout Unlimited website



• US Fish and Wildlife Service website

The following studies contain data used in the Stewardship Action Plan:

Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat Assessments - The two reports below highlight the fish and wildlife habitats in and around the Nissequogue River. The first report was written in 1987; the second, a modified version of the 1987 report, was written in 2005.

1987 Nissequogue Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Assessment
2005 Nissequogue Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Assessment

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program - Details about the Local Waterfront Reviatalization Program can be found here.

Long Island Colonial Waterbird Survey - Review the results of this survey to learn more about the tern and piping plover, among other waterbirds that call Long Island home.

Long Island Sound Study Group - This table catalogs the types of environmental action and the area, owner, and issues that are represented.

New York State Water Quality Reports - A list of state regulations for the watershed:

New York State 2004 303(d) list of Impaired Waters
Section 305(b) of the Federal Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 (2000)
Section 305(b) of the Federal Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 (2004)
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Annual Report Checklist

Northeast Coastal Areas Study, Significant Coastal Habitats - The coastal habitat of the Nissequogue River is described at length in this report.

Smithtown Shoreline Survey Data - This report has specific information about the different areas along the Smithtown shoreline.

Smithtown Stormwater Management Program - Review this document to learn more about Smithtown's stormwater management program.

Smithtown Zoning Ordinance - The zoning ordinances and regulations for the Town of Smithtown can be found here.

Sunken Meadow Water Quality Report - This report assesses the water quality in Sunken Meadow State Park.

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act - The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is national legislation that protects ecologically and recreationally significant stretches of rivers throughout the country.

Meeting Minutes/Presentations

June 25, 2007
View the presentation from the 12th Steering Committee meeting on Transfer Development Rights (TDR).

April 30, 2007
View the minutes from the 11th Steering Committee meeting.

March 19, 2007
View the minutes from the 10th Steering Committee meeting.

February 7, 2007
View the minutes from the 9th Steering Committee meeting.

January 3, 2007
View the minutes from the 8th Steering Committee meeting.

November 28, 2007
View the minutes from the 7th Steering Committee meeting.

October 30, 2006
View the mintues from the 6th Steering Committee meeting.

September 6, 2007
View the minutes from the 5th Steering Committee meeting.

June 27, 2007
View the minutes from the 4th Steering Committee meeting.

January 19, 2007
View the minutes from the 3rd Steering Committee meeting.

December 1, 2005
View the minutes from the 2nd Steering Committee meeting.

October 5, 2005
View the minutes from the 1st Steering Committee meeting.

Public Meetings

Public Meeting Agenda (October 10, 2006) - View the meeting agenda from the first Nissequogue River Public Meeting.

Two announcements were issued to encourage attendance at the public meeting on October 10, 2006. You can view them here:
1st Announcement | 2nd Announcement