Artificial Island (Delaware River) facts for kids
 Artificial Island
Location in New Jersey
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| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 39°28′33″N 75°32′10″W / 39.4757°N 75.5360°W |
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United States
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Artificial Island is a unique island in the Delaware River in the United States. It is mostly in New Jersey, but a small part of it is actually in Delaware. This island is called "artificial" because some of its land was created by adding soil and other materials to the Delaware Bay.
The island is separated from the New Jersey mainland by two creeks: Alloway Creek and Hope Creek. It is part of Lower Alloways Creek Township, New Jersey and New Castle County, Delaware.
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Island Geography
Artificial Island has a very unusual geography. A tiny piece of Delaware is located on the northern tip of the island. This part of Delaware is completely cut off from the rest of Delaware by the Delaware River. You can only reach this small Delaware area by land from New Jersey.
Why is Delaware on the Island?
This strange border was created a long time ago. It was part of an agreement called the Twelve-Mile Circle. This agreement helped settle arguments over land borders between the colonies. These colonies later became the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and West Virginia.
Another small piece of Delaware land in New Jersey is Finns Point. It is located north of Artificial Island.
Nuclear Power Plants
Two large power plants are located on the southwest side of Artificial Island. These are the Salem Nuclear Power Plant and the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station. These plants use nuclear energy to create electricity for many homes and businesses.
New Jersey Wind Port
In June 2020, New Jersey's Governor Phil Murphy announced exciting plans for Artificial Island. They decided to build the New Jersey Wind Port here. This will be the first port of its kind in the nation.
What is a Wind Port?
A wind port is a special place designed to help build offshore wind farms. It will be used for:
- Storing large parts of wind turbines.
- Assembling the huge wind turbines.
- Manufacturing some of the parts needed for wind farms.
The port is perfect because it has no bridges downstream. This means giant ships carrying massive wind turbines can easily dock there.
Jobs and Economic Growth
The New Jersey Wind Port is expected to create many jobs. It could bring up to 1,500 jobs in manufacturing, assembly, and operations. Hundreds of construction jobs will also be created. This project will help the economy grow in Salem County and all of South Jersey. Construction on the port began in September 2021.
