The New Inlet and its Evolution since SandyCharles Flagg, Research ProfessorStony Brook University

Roger Flood, ProfessorRobert Wilson, Assoc. ProfessorDong-Ming Yang, Graduate Student

Rich Giannotti, PilotDon Richards, PilotRich Weissmann, PhotographerMike Ferigno, PhotographerJustin Flagg, PhotographerBrian Wasser, Photographer

http://po.msrc.sunysb.edu/GSB

April 9, 2005

C. Flagg

November 3, 2012 ~0900 EDT (~1300 GMT)

C. Flagg and R. Giannotti

Nov 11

Nov 29

Jan 6Courtesy of Patti Rafferty, NPS

Nov 3

Nov 11

Nov 18

Nov 29

Dec 20

Jan 6

January 27, 2013

February 2, 2013

February 14, 2013

March 10, 2013

Shoreline Analysis by the National Park Service

Courtesy of Patti Rafferty, NPS

C. Flagg and R. Giannotti

Oblique Aerial Photo taken on Sunday March 10

December 7, 2012 March 17, 2013

Hi-Tech Bathymetric Surveying TechniqueRTK GPS

Fathometer

Courtesy of P. Rafferty, NPS

February 22 Bathymetric Survey of the inlet

Roger FloodSoMAS, Stony Brook Univ.

Bottom Profiles at Northern End of Inlet

Great South Bay Observatory

Funded by New York Department of State

Sensors deployed at the Bellport marina since 2004

Sea Bird Electronics “SeaCat”, SBE 16 and SBE 16Plus

Temperature and salinity Temperature, salinity, sea Level, chlorophyll and turbidity

Great South Bay Buoy #1Deployed ~2 mi south of Sayville

Pre-inlet responses of the ocean and eastern bay to strong winds

mean water level

Low salinity riverwaters enter the bay

Bay waters flowup river

Waves scourthe beach

High waves can over-top the dunes

Before Hurricane Sandy After Hurricane Sandy

Amplitude, m Phase, Deg Amplitude, m Phase, Deg

Bellport 0.16 102.8 0.16 93.8Barrett Beach 0.15 100.3 0.15 99.0Fire Island Inlet

0.23 11.7 0.22 12.4

Tanner Park 0.20 63.1 0.19 62.6

Tides Before and After Hurricane Sandy and the opening of the Breach at Old Inlet

Amplitude and Phase of the M2 tidal constituent, 12.42 hour period

Amplitude is ½ the tide range

USGS tide gaugeat Lindenhurst

Woods Hole

BellportLindehurst

Atlantic City

Chesapeake Bay

We have seen Wide Spread Sea Level Fluctuations

What Happens in Great South Bay is Often the Result of Ocean Forcing

Comparison of Previous Winter Water Level Fluctuations

Sandy

Bellport Bay Nitrogen Loaddata from 2010 thru 2012

Post Sandy

Data courtesy of theSuffolk County Department of Health Services

The New Inlet is a dynamic system that responds to tides, storm surges and ocean waves, and it will continue to evolve.

As part of this evolution, the inlet will continue to move west.

Although the inlet has increased in size since it was formed, it is uncertain whether this trend will continue as we move into the summer period with milder weather when sand typically is deposited on the beach.

The inlet is relatively small compared to the other inlets and this is reflected in the lack of change in the tide range at Bellport and the Great South Bay in general.

There is an increased exchange of waters with the ocean in the eastern Great South Bay and this will undoubtedly improve the water quality of the area.

We have experienced unusually frequent storms over the past months which have caused repeated local flooding through a combination of ocean and local Bay response to winds.

The Bay closely matches low-frequency ocean sea level changes and the existence of the new inlet has little to no impact on the Bay’s response.