Low Water Level Means Dredging for Browns River

A recent visit to Brown's River, which is off Seaman Avenue in Bayport and Foster Avenue in Sayville, revealed extremely low water levels in the Town of Islip marina dock area. So low that at some points there was no water at all on the east side of the waterway.

Islip officials told Patch they are aware of the water level issue.

"We are working on securing the permits from NYS and FEMA to enable dredging," a town spokesperson told Patch in an email this week.

"However given the nature of the work that has to be done, surrounding ecosystem, and the time of year, we probably would not be able to begin the work until the Fall," the spokesperson added. Town officials also want to make sure dredging doesn't impact breeding seasons of marine life.

The low water level is the result of last October's super storm Sandy and made worse  of what the town described as "maneuvers of the several boats in that area as underwater riverbed has shifted significantly from Sandy’s fury."