The following water bodies on Long Island have been identified as not meeting state water quality standards due to problems with recurrent blooms of brown algae:

• The Great South Bay, 
• Moriches Bay,
  
• Quantuck Bay and 
• Shinnecock Bay and Inlet 

As a result of this contamination, they were added to the Department of Environmental Conservation’s draft 2010 “impaired waters list", which could lead to the development of and funding for, a plan to combat the algae. Click here to read Jennifer Smith's full story in Newsday.

Cocoa-colored water is a tell-tale sign of brown algae.Water bodies that make it through the draft comment period to the final list can still face a wait of several years for environmental action. Marine scientists had hoped the designation would eventually result in a plan to reduce nitrogen flowing from storm water runoff and septic systems into the bays. Nitrogen is believed to trigger brown algae tide. However, the Department of Environmental Conservation said more study is needed on what causes the harmful algal blooms before they decide on the best approach to prevent them.

Inclusion on the list could open up federal money for research to increase the area’s hard clam population. The population of these clams tanked in the 1980s due to over harvesting. The brown tide has hindered restoration efforts because the algae makes it harder for clams to feed. Last fall, the Nature Conservancy asked DEC to add the Great South Bay to the impaired waters list. The group is working to restore clams at its local preserve.