WESTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND 



Disposal f dredge spoils from harbors in the Western Long Island Sound 

 area has taken place at the Cable and Anchor Reef site (Fig. 1-1) since the 

 beginning of the twentieth century. A rough estimate of 10 million cubic 

 meters of spoil had been dumped at this site through 1973, most of which resulted 

 from maintenance dredging of surrounding harbors. This site has become a major 

 lobstering area and therefore, no longer suitable for future disposal of spoils. 



An "alternative to the Cable and Anchor Reef site has been DroDosed by a 

 combination of state and federal agencies in a depression two miles east of the 

 original area. This Western Long Island Sound disposal site (Fig. 1-2) is 

 being studied as part of the DAMOS program to provide background data should a 

 requirement for a disposal area arise in the future. Meanwhile, a somewhat reduced 

 monitoring effort will be conducted at the Cable and Anchor Reef site to provide 

 continuity for long term effects. 



Bathymetry 



The first survey of the Western Long Island Sound disposal site was conducted 

 on February 8 and 9, 1978, (Fig. I-3(a-h ) ) . This survey confirmed the presence 

 of a depression with a maximum depth of 50 meters, however, it was apparent that 

 the major axis of the depression was east-west, while the survey was oriented 

 north-south. Therefore, the second survey, on July 25, 1978, (Fig. I-4(a-m)), 

 was altered such that the north-south lanes were shortened and increased in 

 number to provide more coverage in the east-west direction. This survey provided 

 - better de r iption of the depression, indicating a steeper slope on the northern 

 margin and more gentle, uniform slopes on the southern side. A significant 



