The Great Patchogue Lake Fish Passage Project seeks to reconnect the Patchogue River at its primary, head-of-tide barrier in the Village of Patchogue, with a focus on moving river herring and American eel upstream. The project will result in a shovel-ready design that will provide the necessary readiness to pursue future construction funding.

River herring have been documented below the tidal barrier annually since 2006, and American eel have been documented for the past few migration seasons. It’s one of only about 30 streams on Long Island where remnant runs of the ecologically valuable fish still exist.

“Reconnecting” the 40-acre Patchogue Lake, as well as the upstream riverine habitat and 26-acre Canaan Lake (where fish passage already exists), would provide access to freshwater habitat for river herring, American eel and other wildlife. By fostering the growth of the river’s diadromous fish, the project seeks to complement restoration efforts on the neighboring Swan River (where a nature-like fishway was recently completed) and provide momentum for overall restoration efforts throughout the South Shore Estuary Reserve.

Seatuck and the Patchogue Lake Advisory Committee selected L.K. McLean Associates to lead the project. In 2024, the engineers conducted site assessments, prepared an alternatives analysis, and generated several conceptual fish passage and dam removal options for consideration.  After reviewing the options, the advisory committee recommended the “nature-like” fishway option.  Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne and the Village of Patchogue have expressed enthusiastic support for the proposal and are working to secure funding to advance the project while LKMA works on final design plans. Stay tuned!