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Home My WebLink AboutFebruary 27, 2003 - Those snows of yesteryear February 27,2003 • The Suffolk Times •7A � se �nows o e � er ear �. � � , � � , s. i �� Q: � � 4 ��` !`E$�� -.� � �/ 5 E g 1 '� t� j: 3 S � �� .-�S E F i E�,S �., � ��. y a � � = There have ��z s - !' >: Q� � .� z, � �r k�g. <. A >' � ` '� s � �- � been big ��;� �' �� Y � ',; r �� snowstorms � �`� � �� " R before like �;� ,� � :,'� ��. t r = `�� ,� � ��, `, � � � ' ��, ,� the one we � �a� � �� '��'� �� n �� , x� t <a r � �USt �78O �aSt � ^ � � � � ��:��'�; � �� ,� � / ��p� �� week and f ➢ 'k l � �� ry�' �.. �� ~�� ;� � 4 r�' there will �t !p�� u �` � Z 3 �� .fxk�� k , _ , 3,,, � probably still £ � � ' be more to µ''�c e, .� '�' come in the �� future. This � � � picture, ; . 1. ,. ;V � _ „a. showing ' .r-;�,� z ' , snow piled � � ' ' high on both s 4 y�" �ti sides of the ' � °;. -..,: .. � road, was taken on ��.; � k �� ;' �q ? our lane in ,a�. ��• - � February ; � ,��,��" a c ti �. s�E ��. ,. W 19V1. -� t�++A. ;�, r�• � . , 5�:. 1, � '�.a6s�'"�� .. ::.,�. . � M ' Times/Review � z,f � ` '� �`� � :�. �' ?`�'"�'� � `�� Photo by �mm`• �� ,�s � � �� Paul Stoutenburgh � < , �• �:d... -�. 4;F� �k5 �; � ,� WHEN WE WERLi KIDS We O teri prayed for snow and Ulen waited. and you went down them with a boo Once our prayers were answered,we —boom—boom.There was that rapid got our old Flexible Flyers out and jar as you headed down the steps,the Ileaded for the big hill that was part o the speed increased.At the bottom a large estate nearby.There were thre there was a quick turn to the left.If good areas we could sleigh down.One y�u didn t turn sharp at the bottom, was the town road that ran through you'd run into the garage and that the property,the second one was a would be a disaster.I believe the steep 40-or 50-step walkway down a garage is still there,and if you were to hill.That was the most exciting one look about ten inches up on the left- and the most hand side of the garage door,you d dangerous.It find a big gash left there by someone F�G V$ consisted of unfamiliar with our trails. four-foot cedar The second hill was down the town �N logs used as road.It was a straightaway.If the high NATU RE steps,and whcn Way department had gotten down to by Paul they got a little plow it,and a few cars had ridden ove Stoutenburgh snow on them �t,you had sledding at its best.And if they became as there was a little ice at the bottom you slippery as ice could actually turn and sleigh all the way down to the bay.That was an mto t e ay and eventually into the great bait for lobster ocean. pots.As a matter of Once the spawn has taken place and fact,96% of the built by an ingenious person or the young have hatched,they spend alewives caught in waterpower years ago.It was too high months in the fresh water feeding and Maine are used for lob- for the fish to jump over and so their growing.Then around the end of sum- ster bait The fish is progress up the river was stopped at mer,they travel back down the river somewhat oily.It's con- the dam. and hopefully back into the ocean, sidered top bait for Realizing the problem the dam was where they will gain their greatest pots.It's also used ir. causing the fish,a group of concerned growth.Alewives are plankton feed- chunks on hook and individuals headed by Bob Conklin, ers,meaning they live on the micro- line to catch a variety retired Riverhead science teacher,and scopic soup of the ocean.As the fish of fish. Byron Young of the New York State grow larger they also eat small shrimp The first fish ladder DEC decided to see if they could small fish,etc. in Riverhead has work out a bypass system in the form This migration is a fascinating cycle worked so well the of a fish ladder.With that the fish and to think it happens practically in committee is now could swim up and gain access to the our back yard.It's a shame more peo- working on another river that would let them get to their ple haven't enjoyed seeing this unique ladder.The new one is planned for spawning grounds.So with the cooper migration of fish up the Peconic Little River.Few people realize there ation of many government agencies River.As the fish go up the ladder is even such a river in our area.IYs and a group of dedicated people,a into the spawning grounds,they doci't across the.road from the county build- fish ladder was obtained and installed eat.Their focus is on one thing: ings on the east side of the highway in Over time,with alterations,it has spawning.Once that's over,they head Riverhead.If you follow this small proved most successful. down the river and eat ravenously to river,which I have done,it will bring You can see this fish ladder opera- build their strength up again. you into the county-owned Cranberry tion at Grangebel Park in Riverhead. Alewives have predators all along Bog Preserve.Then if you follow it So if ou are in Riverhead durin the way.The gulls and terns and hun- through the woods to the south,it gry freshwater fish in the upper reach- �oes into a narrow stream and then es of the river are after the little fry. eventually into Wildwood Lake.This Once they get out into the bay and is the second largest kettle hole lake March and April,walk to the back of ocean there are hungry bluefish, on Long Island.(Kettle holes are the park where the dam is located and weakfish and striped bass waiting for depressions left by great chunks of ice you will see the aluminum fish ladder them.I'm sure that's why the ospreys as the glacier receded northward.) in operation.If you're lucky,they come up when they do.They're look- This area was once a spawning area might even have a TV camera set up ing for something to eat and the new for alewives,but years ago man put a so you can see the fish swimming up arrivals are the alewives,along with dike across Little River to create a through the ladder to the water above. the bunkers and flounders.The . wet area for cranberry growing.It's Through the spring months and into ospreys wouldn't come up unless here the new fish ladder is being pro- early summer,fish will come up the there was a ready supply of fish to eat. posed. river to spawn.Adult fish spawn after Once in the ocean,the alewives Plans are to get this second fish lad- four years.Usually the male alewife travel in great schools like the men- der going by fall so it will be complet- comes first;he is smaller than the haden and,of course,these schools are ed for next year.It should be ready to female.Once they get up the river, transport a whole new group of captured by fishermen alewives u Little River and ho eful- spawning takes place,during daylight in their nets.The fish p p hours only.Spawning has to have just ly into Wildwood Lake.The project are used in many ways. will cost over$100,000.The count is the right water temperature:around Some enjoy them as y 55 to 60 degrees.We know the , being asked to put up half and Fish food.I ve tried them and Wildlife to put up the other half. groundwater that flows into the � and they re not bad but And so,with our fin ers crossed,who Peconic River is approximately 50 ou have to watch out g degrees,making the area ideal for for the fine bones; knows?Maybe by next year at this spawning. there are lots of them. time a new ladder will have been One female will produce 60,000 to plewives are used in installed and functioning on Little 100,000 eggs.Only a tiny fraction of making fish meal, River.Then our alewives,the hun- those will mature into adult fish. dreds or maybe even thousands that which is high in pro- Nature has provided a bounty of eggs, have been seen milling around the tein.It goes into feed knowing many will be eaten by a long base of that dam,will once again have for chickens and other list of predators.This is true with most animals,and it makes access to their ancestral spawning fish;though they lay an abundance of grounds farther up the river,Let's cggs,only a few ever reach adulthood. hope so. Four or five days later,the"spent" adults head back down the river out