Peconic Baykeeper Seeks Public's Help Mitigating Impacts of Climate Change

Called Project R.I.S.E (Recording Inundation Surrounding the Estuary), the operation’s main goal is to crowdsource images from various points along the Peconic Estuary to document how climate change is impacting the shape of the coast. 

Sea levels are rising on Long Island, with the expected increase over the next 25 years to fall between 13 and 25 inches, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. That could extend to 69 inches by the end of the century.

Each location, which includes Riverhead, Orient, East Hampton, Southampton, Noyac and Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island according to The Suffolk Times, displays its own “chronolog,” or a two-by-four wooden platform with a phone cradle attached. 

This allows visitors to take photos of the shoreline. Images can be submitted via email, which are then are uploaded to that location’s individual website where people can observe the changes to the coast over time. 

Each chronolog contains details on how to set up your smartphone for the proper picture placement — the goal of the project is to have each participant capture the same photo scene for uniformity — as well as where the upload the image and the corresponding subject line. 

Peconic Baykeeper is looking to expand beyond its current number of stations along the East End. There is no cost attached to the instillation or maintenance of the chronolog for site partners, but the nonprofit organization is seeking a five-year commitment from each location with hopes of extending beyond that.