Geography of New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary facts for kids

The New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary, also known as the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, is a huge system of waterways. It is located on the East Coast of the United States in New Jersey and New York. This area forms one of the most complex natural harbors in the world. It connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the New York Bight and to Long Island Sound.

USACE harbor estuary map 2016

NASA image of the estuary region

Population density and elevation in Greater NYC (2010). This area is very sensitive to sea level rise.

Even though the estuary looks similar to how it did in 1524 when Giovanni da Verrazzano first explored it, many parts have changed. For example, areas like Hell Gate and Ellis Island look very different now. One of the biggest changes is that the shipping channels have been made much deeper. They were naturally about 17 feet deep, but now they are 45 feet deep. In some places, this even required blasting through solid rock!

The estuary has a very complex system of tides and currents. Both the New York Bight and Long Island Sound are mostly saltwater bodies with tides. However, Long Island Sound is less salty than the Atlantic Ocean. Its tides also arrive about 3 hours later and can be much larger. Rivers add fresh, non-tidal water to the system. But the tides and salty water can reach far up the rivers, all the way from Albany to Montauk Point. The New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System (NYHOPS) uses sensors and weather forecasts to predict conditions in the harbor in real-time.

Since a big storm in 1962, beaches along the East Coast have been regularly refilled with sand. This sand is pumped in from offshore. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) helps manage these projects. In 2016, the USACE and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey created a plan to restore the harbor. This plan included ideas to reduce the effects of sea level rise by bringing back natural areas.

Features of the Harbor Estuary

This section lists important parts of the Port of New York and New Jersey. It focuses on natural water features. The list generally goes clockwise around the harbor, starting from the Lower Bay entrance.

1. Upper New York Bay
2. Lower New York Bay
3. Newark Bay
4. Hudson River
5. East River
6. Raritan Bay
7. Jamaica Bay
8. Long Island Sound
9. New York Bight-North Atlantic
10. Ambrose Channel
11. Mud Dump Site
12. Hudson Canyon
A. Manhattan
B. Brooklyn
C. Staten Island
D. Queens
E. The Bronx
F. Bayonne-Jersey City
G. Newark
H. Raritan Bayshore
i. Rockaway Point
j. Sandy Hook
(This map is not for navigation.)

Aerial view of the estuary

Official maps and charts from the NOAA and the USGS are used as references for these features.

Rivers and Streams

Many rivers and streams flow into the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary. Some are shared between New Jersey and New York, while others are entirely within one state.

Shared between New Jersey and New York

• Hudson River

  The lowest part is also called the North River.

New Jersey

New York

Tidal Straits

Tidal straits are narrow waterways that connect larger bodies of water and are affected by tides.

Shared between New Jersey and New York

• Arthur Kill
• Kill Van Kull
• Long Island Sound

New York

Bays, Inlets, and Coves

The estuary includes many different bays, inlets, and coves, which are smaller water bodies connected to the main harbor.

New York Bay

• Lower New York Bay
  • Gravesend Bay
  • Jamaica Bay
    • Mill Basin
  • Raritan Bay
  • Sheepshead Bay

• Upper New York Bay
  • Gowanus Bay
  • Newark Bay
  • Weehawken Cove

East River

Long Island Sound

Islands

Many islands are found within the harbor estuary. Some are shared by both states, while others belong to New Jersey or New York.

Shared between New Jersey and New York

• Ellis Island—Most of the land added to Ellis Island is in Jersey City, New Jersey. The original part of the island is in New York State.
• Liberty Island—This island, home to the Statue of Liberty, is part of New York but is surrounded by waters of Jersey City.
• Shooters Island—Located at the top of Kill Van Kull, it is partly in New Jersey and partly in New York.

New Jersey

• Plum Island, Sandy Hook Bay
• Robbins Reef

New York

Land Features

These are important land areas that shape the harbor and its shores.

New Jersey

New York

Banks and Shoals

Banks and shoals are shallow areas in the water. They can be important for navigation or for marine life.

Lower Bay

• East Bank
• Flynns Knoll
• Old Orchard Shoal
• Romer Shoal
• West Bank

Upper Bay

• Bay Ridge Flats
• Gowanus Flats
• Jersey Flats

East River

• College Point Reef
• Mill Rock
• Rhinelander Reef

Navigational Channels

Navigational channels are deeper paths in the water that ships use to travel safely through the harbor.

Lower Bay

• Ambrose Channel
• Coney Island Channel
• Sandy Hook Channel

Raritan Bay

• Raritan River Cutoff

Jamaica Bay

• Beach Channel

Arthur Kill

• Elizabeth Port Reach
• Port Reading Reach

Newark Bay

• Elizabeth Channel
• Newark Bay Middle Reach
• Port Newark Branch Channel

Kill van Kull

• Constable Hook Reach

Upper Bay

• Anchorage Channel
• Bayridge Channel
• Buttermilk Channel
• Red Hook Channel

Hudson River

• Weehawken Edgewater Channel

East River

• East Channel
• West Channel

Port Facilities

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey helps manage trade and shipping in the area. They run many of the large container terminals. They also work with the Army Corps of Engineers to keep the shipping channels deep enough.

New Jersey

• Port Jersey
• Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal, in Newark and Elizabeth (operated by the Port Authority)

New York

• Brooklyn
  • Red Hook Container Terminal (operated by the Port Authority)
• Staten Island
  • Howland Hook Marine Terminal (operated by the Port Authority)

Lights and Lighthouses

Lighthouses and other lights guide ships safely through the harbor, especially at night.

New Jersey

New York

Waterfront Jurisdictions

Many different groups and levels of government manage the waterfront areas of the harbor.

Government and Other Agencies

• National Park Service
• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
• United States Army Corps of Engineers
• United States Coast Guard
• Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor

State, County, Municipal

New Jersey

New York

Images for kids

• 

  1866 map of the harbor estuary