Long Island Sound Report Card

Last month, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Integration and Application Network sent out a “report card” of sorts to highlight the ecological health of the Sound. The results of this study ranged from “A” to “F”— very good quality along the Eastern Sound to very poor quality by the Western Narrows, near New York City. Using this interactive map, it is easy to examine the overall health scores, as well as specific water quality grades such as the amounts of dissolved nutrients, water clarity, and indicator species that may be affected by runoff, algal blooms, pollution, and climate change. The quality varies mainly due to turbidity, which restricts light and muddles particles in the water. Areas further east have better scores due to the flow from the Atlantic Ocean.

Clearly, Long Island Sound is flourishing in some areas, but it could desperately use help in many other places. However, this report card should be seen as both a positive and a negative. Although it is sad to see such low scores, environmentalists can use this information to determine exactly what, where, and why the habitat is being threatened, and how to fix it.

The Integration and Application Network also suggests several methods for the public to assist in the cleanup of the Sound—anywhere from reducing fertilizers in their lawns to volunteering time to manually clean beaches and open water. In addition, Senator Kristen Gillibrand of New York has proposed new legislation to fund the restoration of the waters that play such an important role in the lives of those who surround it.