DEC probes aquifer geyser near Nissequogue River in Smithtown

State officials are investigating after a report that a contractor drilled into a layer of the aquifer by a town park that sent discolored water into the Nissequogue River.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation responded to a report that a contractor drilled into a "pressurized layer of the aquifer, resulting in a geyser of groundwater" erupting near Paul T. Given Park in Smithtown, an agency spokeswoman said. The park, a popular launching spot with kayakers, attracts about 100 visitors each day on weekends and up to 30 on weekdays, Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said.

The town plans to replace a pedestrian footbridge at the park that was destroyed during the August 2024 storm that devastated parts of the North Shore of Suffolk County, including communities in Smithtown.

The contractor was conducting test boring work to better understand the structure of the ground where the bridge is to be replaced, Wehrheim said in a phone interview.

The town and DEC are working to stop the discharge of water, which Wehrheim said “may be completed before the end of the week."

While the well has been capped, water is still "being released into manmade sediment treatment ponds" before heading into the Nissequogue.

The "DEC is currently investigating the incident," the spokeswoman said in a statement.

“We’re working with New York State DEC on all the processes needed to protect the river, and we hope to have that in hand by the end of this week, and then we can move on with the project,” Wehrheim said.

The park remains open to the public and kayakers, and Wehrheim said the town and DEC are working to make sure there’s “no imminent public safety hazard” for parkgoers. The town will close the park if any hazards are found, he said.

“We want to make sure there’s nothing hazardous to kayakers that use that facility to put their kayaks in,” Wehrheim said. “Right now it’s open, but if the engineers deem [there] to be any public safety issues, of course we would close it.”

The DEC's spill response unit acted on a complaint made Monday at 9:40 a.m. regarding discolored water entering the river near the park, the spokeswoman said.

The town is working on securing DEC permits for park improvements. It is also waiting for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover damage from last year's storm, Wehrheim said. The town sustained $7 million in damage to town parks after the Aug. 18-19 storm, Newsday previously reported.

Once the funding is secured, the town will proceed with the broader bridge repair project and other renovations at the park.

In January, the town received $1.5 million in state funding to revamp Paul T. Given Park. The park property formerly housed a topless bar — the Oasis Gentlemen's Club — and is considered environmentally sensitive, Newsday previously reported. The area where the bar was will be used to build a new welcome center.