The Shinnecock Canal (also known as the Shinnecock and Peconic Canal) is a canal that cuts across the South Fork at Hampton Bays, New York. At long, it connects

Great Peconic Bay The Peconic Bay is the parent name for two bays between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It is separated from Gardiners Bay by Shelter Island. Peconic Bay is divided by Robins Island into the Great ...

and the north fork of Long Island with

Shinnecock Bay Shinnecock Inlet is the easternmost of five major inlets connecting bays to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Outer Barrier that stretches from New York City to Southampton, New York on the south shore of Long Island. It splits Westhampton Isl ...

and the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. The canal opened to traffic in 1892. Although "

the Hamptons The Hamptons, part of the East End of Long Island, consist of the towns of Southampton and East Hampton, which together comprise the South Fork of Long Island, in Suffolk County, New York. The Hamptons are a popular seaside resort and one o ...

" officially begins about west at Westhampton, New York, the Shinnecock Canal, which funnels traffic across bridges for the Sunrise Highway,

Montauk Highway Montauk Highway is an east–west road extending for across the southern shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. It extends from the Nassau County line in Amityville, where it connects to Merrick Road, to Montauk ...

, and

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County on Long Island. With an average week ...

, marks their beginning in popular imagination.

History

The original Shinnecock Canal was dug in 1892. To alleviate tidal differences of and more between Peconic Bay to the north and Shinnecock Bay, construction of "

tide gates Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water leve ...

" and bulkheading (not a

canal lock A lock is a device used for raising and lowering boats, ships and other watercraft between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water ...

as exists today ) began in 1918. This did not alleviate the difference in elevation between the canal's two ends but sought to mitigate it. Another effect of this as found in the records of the New York State Salt Water Bays Commission was the water level of Shinnecock Bay was raised by one foot. The canal varies in width from . The lock is wide and long. The lowest bridge is the fixed railroad bridge, with a height of vertical clearance above the water. The highway bridges have and , respectively. The lock system now is the only navigation lock operating on Long Island. The lock increased the salinity levels in Shinnecock Bay which had nearly assumed fresh water proportions and was resulting in a dying off of its shellfish population even though it was separated from the Atlantic by a narrow

barrier island Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a ...

. Shinnecock Bay's salinity levels were solidified during

Great Hurricane of 1938 The 1938 New England Hurricane (also referred to as the Great New England Hurricane and the Long Island Express Hurricane) was one of the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclones to strike Long Island, New York, and New England. The stor ...

which broke through the barrier island to form

Shinnecock Inlet Shinnecock Inlet is the easternmost of five major inlets connecting bays to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Outer Barrier that stretches from New York City to Southampton, New York on the south shore of Long Island. It splits Westhampton I ...

almost due south of the canal. The new inlet has created a shortcut to the Atlantic that is now used by 27,000 boats per year. The name Canoe Place comes from the Indian word "Niamuck", which described a canoe

portage Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...

between the two bays. This portage indicates that there was no viable water connection between them. There is no evidence that the

Montaukett = Montauketts = An indigenous Native American People. Name and Identifications The Montaukett (" Metoac" or Matouwac), currently more commonly known as Montauk. The meaning of the name ''Montauk'' is unknown. Native Americans living on Long ...

s or Shinnecocks dug a canal, together or separately.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Newsday profile

Southampton (town), New York Canals in New York (state) Canals opened in 1892