The Fire Island breach created by Superstorm Sandy in 2012 demonstrated the positive influence that greater ocean exchange can have on estuarine waters. The “Wilderness Breach,” as it came to be known, delivered clean ocean water to a stagnated and polluted section of Great South Bay, resulting in a cascade of ecological benefits. Water clarity improved, nitrogen levels were reduced, fish and birds returned and even wild set mollusks took hold.
GSB Hydrology
