Word of the Week: Breach

Those of us who live on the south shore of Long Island are all too familiar with the pain of waking up in the morning to inches of flooding in our homes and businesses.

It’s no comfort to know which type of coastal event caused this massive inconvenience in your life, but understanding the difference between a breach and an overwash helps us to mitigate future flooding to the best of our ability.

While nature can never be fully tamed, we can take certain precautions if we understand where the water is flooding in from.

When a breach occurs, it means there is significant structural damage in the barrier between the bay and ocean.

This requires fixing, or the problem may worsen.

Fire Island is the first line of defense for the mainland. With the Fire Island dune system continuing to erode, the mainland faces threats of increased flooding and storm damage.

Save The Great South Bay is a local environmental non-profit whose mission is to restore water quality in the Great South Bay for future generations to enjoy. Our Word of the Week initiative aims to make the scientific vocabulary of environmentalism accessible to everyone. View past Words of the Week at www.savethegreatsouthbay.org under News & Events in the Photo Gallery.