A study from Stony Brook University reignited an important conversation about Long Island’s vulnerability to major storms. The research, led by oceanography professor Malcolm Bowman, Ph.D., explored whether large mechanical sea gates at South Shore inlets could help reduce destructive flooding during hurricanes.
The concept was straightforward: install steel-and-concrete gates at the six ocean inlets stretching from the Rockaways to Shinnecock. These gates would remain open under normal conditions but could temporarily close during a hurricane to block storm surge from pushing into the South Shore’s bays and low-lying neighborhoods.
Bowman’s report suggested that such a system could have lessened some of the severe flooding seen during Superstorm Sandy, when water pushed far beyond coastal areas and into communities miles inland. The study also proposed underwater “baffles” for wide bays like Great South Bay to help disrupt wave energy before it reached the shore.
While similar systems already exist in places like Providence and New Bedford, the financial reality for Long Island is significant. Bowman acknowledged that building sea gates here would come with a multibillion-dollar price tag — an enormous challenge for counties with long coastlines and varying population densities.
The discussion gained additional momentum when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a major proposal around the same time outlining more than $50 billion in potential storm-protection structures for New York Harbor. Together, these ideas underscored the region’s shared need for long-term coastal resilience.
Though the proposal for sea gates has not advanced since the report’s release, the concerns it raised remain timely. With rising sea levels and the expectation of stronger storms in the future, the question of how to best protect Long Island’s communities — from the Rockaways to the East End — is more important than ever.
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