Romaine says Stump Pond dam needs to be rebuilt; will cost $5 million to $6 million

The dam at Blydenburgh County Park would cost an estimated $5 million to $6 million to rebuild, Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine said on Sunday as he vowed to move forward with the project and restore the now-destroyed Stump Pond.

There has been debate over how to proceed after the dam collapsed during an Aug. 18 storm, draining the 110-acre pond and revealing the centuries-old tree stumps that gave the waterbody its name. Some environmental groups have called to let the human-made pond return to a free-flowing stream while others have said the pond is too important for cultural and recreational reasons to let go.

Romaine on Sunday, surrounded by hikers, equestrians and fishermen waving signs that read "Rebuild the dam" and "Save Stump Pond," reiterated that he is firmly in the latter camp.

"It would take years for nature to heal itself, and it would be a stream, and it would not offer the same type of recreational benefits that Blydenburgh [Stump] Pond did," he said. "This is a tremendous asset. It’s an oasis."

Romaine said he hopes to secure federal and state funds for the project. He also called on the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the permit process.

A DEC spokeswoman said the county has not filed for permits yet, but if an application is filed, the agency will promptly review it. A representative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday. 

There are movements nationwide to remove dams built to power historic grain and textile mills and restore native habitats. Locally, groups like the Seatuck Environmental Association in Islip, say it is better fiscally, environmentally and for public safety reasons to let Stump Pond return to its natural state.

"We’re naive to think this is not going to happen again," said John Turner, a conservation policy advocate for the organization, said of the dam collapse during a storm that dumped 9 inches of rain in some areas. "We’re going to see other failures."

Legis. Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist, noted that the dam at Frank Melville Park in Setauket is reinforced with concrete and withstood the same storm that wiped out Stump Pond as well as the dam at Stony Brook’s Mill Pond. He and other officials have called for the Blydenburgh dam to be rebuilt in the same manner, perhaps with a fish ladder to help migration.

Turner said a "thoughtful" rock ramp fish ladder, if possible, could alleviate some environmental concerns.

The pond and surrounding 6-mile trail are the main attractions at the Smithtown park, which generates revenue for the county through parking fees, boat rental fees and campsite fees. County officials could not immediately provide revenue figures Sunday afternoon.

It is also a beloved community resource, representatives from the hiking and fishing communities said Sunday.

Nancy Manfredonia, a board member of the Long Island Greenbelt Conference, a nonprofit hiking organization, said the pond trail is used by thousands of its members. She noted hikers cannot traverse the 32-mile Long Island Greenbelt Trail the runs from Long Island Sound to the Great South Bay until the dam is rebuilt.

"I can't even begin to tell you how upset we were to see this tragedy happen," she said while holding a sign reading "I give a dam."

"We’re all determined to work with everybody that we can to get this pond back so everyone can enjoy it again," she said.

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.