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

USACE harbor estuary map 2016

NASA image of estuary region

Population density and elevation above sea level in Greater NYC, U.S. (2010). The New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary is especially vulnerable to sea level rise.

The New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary, also known as the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, is in the Mid-Atlantic states of New Jersey and New York on the East Coast of the United States. The system of waterways of the Port of New York and New Jersey forms one of the most intricate natural harbors in the world. The harbor opens onto the New York Bight in the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast and Long Island Sound to the northeast.

Although the overall form of the estuary remains unchanged from the time of Giovanni da Verrazzano's visit in 1524, all parts have changed at least a little, and some parts, such as Hell Gate and Ellis Island, have been almost completely altered. In the greatest hidden change, the navigational channels have been deepened from the natural 17 feet (5.2 m) depth to 45 feet (14 m). In some places this required blasting of bedrock.

There is an extremely complex system of tides and currents. Both the Bight and the Sound are essentially marine bodies with tides and saltwater, but the Sound compared to the Atlantic is about 20-30% less saline (as an estuary), and the tide is about 3 hours later with as much as 70% more variation. Rivers add a fresher, non-tidal inflow although the tide and brackishness extend well up rivers throughout the extended hydrologic system from Albany to Montauk Point to the Hudson Canyon region of the New York Bight. The New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System (NYHOPS) utilizes information from sensors, weather forecasts, and environment models to provide real-time forecasts of meteorological and oceanographic conditions in the area.

Since the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 beaches along the shores of the East Coast have been regularly replenished with sand pumped in from off-shore. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) coordinates the projects. In 2016 the USACE and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey produced a comprehensive restoration plan for the harbour region, which included proposals to mitigate the effects of sea level rise through projects to restore natural areas.

Features of the harbor estuary

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 is not for navigation.)

Aerial view of the estuary

The lists below includes features of the Port of New York and New Jersey with a waterborne emphasis, starting with natural features. Where possible the list proceeds from the Lower Bay entrance approximately clockwise around the Harbor. The alternative sorting is by jurisdiction.

Official references are the NOAA Coastal pilot, NOAA nautical charts, and USGS topographic maps. Many jurisdictional issues appear in U.S. law.

Rivers and streams

Bi-state

• Hudson River

  lowest section also called the North River

New Jersey

New York

Tidal straits

Inter-state

• Arthur Kill
• Kill Van Kull
• Long Island Sound

New York

Bays, inlets and coves

New York Bay

• Lower New York Bay
  • Gravesend Bay
  • Great Hills Harbor
  • Jamaica Bay
    • Bergen Basin
    • Fresh Creek Basin
    • Grassy Bay
    • Head of Bay
      • Thurston Basin
    • Mill Basin
    • Norton Basin
    • Paerdegat Basin
  • Leonardo Harbor
  • Prince's Bay
  • Raritan Bay
  • Rockaway Inlet
    • Dead Horse Bay
    • Sheepshead Bay

• Upper New York Bay
  • Atlantic Basin
  • Communipaw
  • Erie Basin
  • Gowanus Bay
  • Harsimus Cove
  • John's Cove
  • Long Canal
  • Morris Canal Basin
  • Newark Bay
  • Weehawken Cove

East River

Long Island Sound

Islands

Bi-state

• Ellis Island—All of the landfill portion of Ellis Island beyond its 1834 waterfront is in Jersey City, New Jersey, as is all water surrounding Liberty and Ellis Islands. The original island is an exclave in New York State.
• Liberty Island, exclave of New York within surrounding waters of Jersey City
• Shooters Island at head of Kill Van Kull in Newark Bay, part in New Jersey and part in New York

New Jersey

• Plum Island, Sandy Hook Bay
• Robbins Reef

New York

Land features

New Jersey

New York

Banks and shoals

Navigational channels

Port facilities

One of the many duties of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is to develop trade interests in the New York-New Jersey area. The Port Authority operates most of the containerized port facilities listed here, and also collaborates with the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain shipping channels in the harbor.

New Jersey (numerous privately operated bulk facilities, especially petroleum, are not listed)

• Port Jersey
• Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal, Newark and Elizabeth — Port Authority

New York

• Brooklyn
  • Red Hook Container Terminal — Port Authority
  • South Brooklyn Marine Terminal — City of New York
• Staten Island
  • Howland Hook Marine Terminal — Port Authority

Lights and lighthouses

For lists see and. Active unless noted.

New Jersey

New York

Waterfront jurisdictions

Government and other agencies

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• National Park Service
• New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
• Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
• United States Army Corps of Engineers
• United States Coast Guard
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• United States Park Police
• Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor

State, county, municipal

New Jersey

New York

Images for kids

• 

  1866 map of the harbor estuary