Eleven of the 39 South Fork water bodies regularly tested by the Concerned Citizens of Montauk were found to have had medium to high levels of harmful bacteria, it said in its most recent reporting. Samples were taken the week of July 6.
Lake Montauk’s harbor area, and East Creek and West Creek at the south end of the lake all possessed high levels of the enterococcus bacteria, with East Creek having a level of 1,989. In Amagansett, Fresh Pond Creek had a "high" bacteria level of 206. Levels at 104 and above are deemed a risk to human health.
In East Hampton Village, Fithian Lane, the Georgica Pond Route 27 kayak launch, and Georgica Pond’s Cove Hollow access were all found to have high levels. Northwest Creek’s launching ramp and culvert, Accabonac Harbor’s Shipyard Lane ramp, and Pussy’s Pond, in Springs, were all found to have medium bacteria levels, and were being intensively monitored.
High bacteria counts are commonly a result of extreme high tides, heavy rains, and/or warm water temperatures, C.C.O.M. said. However, the recent, enigmatic rise in bacteria levels at the test sites here was despite continued dry conditions. Elevated bacteria levels make it that much more important to be cautious in and around creeks, streams, ponds, and waterbodies with limited flows, C.C.O.M. said. Individuals have been advised to stay away from streams, outfall pipes, and culverts, which are often sources of concentrated bacteria.
The C.C.O.M. water test program is run in conjunction with the Surfrider Foundation Blue Water Task Force.
Concerned Citizens of Montauk, in partnership with the Gobler Lab at Stony Brook Southampton, also monitors Fort Pond in Montauk for harmful algal blooms known as cyanobacteria. Fort Pond’s launching ramp and near Industrial Road were found to have a medium risk of bloom. Big Reed Pond off East Lake Drive in Montauk was flagged as at a high risk of toxic blue-green algal blooms.
