Willow Pond’s luster is restored

Though the nearly half a million-dollar project to restore Willow Pond in the Village of Hewlett Harbor is completed, Deputy Mayor Len Oppenheimer said it’s up to residents and village officials to maintain it.

Eight years ago, the pond had fallen into horrific condition, according to Oppenheimer, who added that residents began complaining that the pond was becoming an eyesore. “The first thing we did was go down there and collect data, set budgets and see what was available in terms of grants,” he said. “The environment is a big issue with politicians.”

The $452,000 restoration was financed through two Nassau County Environmental Bond Act grants — one for $202,000 and another for $150,000 — as well as a $100,000 contribution from the Town of Hempstead. “We found ourselves in a position that we collected enough money for dredging in the north end of Willow Pond,” Oppenheimer said.

Dredging removed buildup, storm water runoff, sediment and debris that had collected on the bottom of the pond over the years. According to Oppenheimer, stormwater will still be coming into the pond and there has to be a place for it. “We put a giant filtration device to filter out dirt, road debris and leaves that negatively impact the pond,” he said. “The villages [Hewlett Harbor and Hewlett Bay Park] will have to empty, maintain and upkeep the filtration device.”

Dr. Joan Schmidt, a biology and earth science teacher at Hewlett High School, has taken students in her research class to conduct water testing at Willow Pond for the past few years. She said last summer and the recent mild winter were not good for the pond. “It holds more oxygen when it’s colder,” Schmidt said about the pond. “When there isn’t enough oxygen, aeration (exposure to air) causes stirring up of the water and fertilizer causes algae to bloom.”

Schmidt said the worst situation for the pond is fertilizer but residents still have options when it comes to maintaining their lawns. “Use organic compounds rather than chemicals to fertilize,” she said. “Go as organic as you can be and use natural products that will biodegrade and won’t accumulate in the pond.”

In the future, Oppenheimer hopes the filtration device will prevent another buildup in Willow Pond. “Environmentally we did the best we could and we hope it solves everyone’s concerns,” he said. “The long-term impact is huge so hopefully it won’t happen again.”