- Home
- Events
- Investigations
- News
- OPINION
- Police/Fire/EMS
- Politics
- Sports & Schools
To see a larger version of an image please click on it
The Betty Allen Nature Park is once again open to the public now that the environmental restoration project has been completed. The nature park provides opportunities for fishing, hiking, bird watching, and enjoying scenic views. Residents can access the nature preserve at the southwest corner of Rt. 25A and Stony Hollow Road in Centerport. The entrance is a few hundred feet to the west of the intersection, located near the Shack Restaurant. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation typically stocks the pond with trout every spring.
The project components included repairing and replacing the dilapidated platform and spillway structure, slope and stream channel stabilization and the addition of a fish ladder. The project was funded by the Town of Huntington Taxpayer and grant monies provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funds. The breakdown of funds to implement the project was as follows:
Huntington Taxpayer: | $150,000 | |
NYS DEC Grant: | $100,000 | |
NOAA Funds: | $ 65,000 |
The pond, which is situated in the park, flows northward and underneath 25A and ultimately discharges into Northport Harbor. This project will help preserve the fragile ecosystem within the pond as well as the stream that flows northward from the pond.
The components of the project are explained here in greater detail.
Replacing the Platform, Guard Rails, and Spillway Structure:
The platform provides scenic viewing and fishing opportunities at the park. A new guardrail system was installed to provide safety to residents. The platform allows hikers to access the eastern part of the trail that traverses the perimeter of the pond. The spillway structure is used to control the water depth within the pond as shown in the photographs. Controlling water elevation within the pond has many benefits to include ecosystem protection, flood control, and maintenance activities.
Slope and Stream Channel Protection:
The slopes around the structure, as well as certain segments of the stream immediately north of the spillway, were protected with stone of various sizes in order to protect the embankment from erosion and downstream sediment deposition.
Fish Ladder:
A fish ladder was installed in an effort to reintroduce species to the pond that historically may have spawned at the location. One such example includes Alwives, which are known to have spawned in the area in the past. Diadromous fish, such as Alwives, are migratory species which migrate between the sea and fresh water. The fish ladder provides such species access to water bodies that may have impoundments or obstructions between the sea and fresh waters.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login