Moriches Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moriches Bay |
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 Moriches Bay
Location in New York
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| Location | Long Island, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°47′22″N 72°42′56″W / 40.78944°N 72.71556°W |
| Type | Lagoon |
| Primary inflows | Moriches and Shinnecock Inlets |
| Primary outflows | Atlantic Ocean |
Moriches Bay ( moh-RITCH-iz) is a beautiful lagoon system. It is located on the south shore of Long Island, New York. The name Moriches comes from Meritces, a Native American who owned land in this area long ago.
Two towns in Suffolk County, New York, share the shoreline of Moriches Bay. These towns are Brookhaven and Southampton.
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Moriches Bay: A Special Place in New York
Moriches Bay is a large body of water that is very important to Long Island. It is a thriving natural habitat for many different kinds of plants and animals. People living on Long Island also use the bay for local fishing.
Where is Moriches Bay Located?
Moriches Bay is found to the east of the Mastic Narrows and Great South Bay. It is located to the west of Shinnecock Bay. The bay is about 62 miles (100 kilometers) east of New York City.
The western edge of Moriches Bay is marked by the Smith Point Bridge. Its eastern boundary reaches the eastern end of Quantuck Bay.
What Makes Up Moriches Bay?
Moriches Bay is a large aquatic environment covering about 9,480 acres. This area includes several connected water bodies.
- It includes Moneybogue Bay and Quantuck Bay.
- You will also find salt marshes here.
- There are also dredged material islands and intertidal flats.
This body of water sits between the outer barrier islands and the main part of Long Island. Water flows into Moriches Bay from two important openings: the Moriches and Shinnecock Inlets. The bay also gets water from tidal creeks and marshes that feed into it from the Long Island mainland.
Wildlife and Habitat in Moriches Bay
Moriches Bay is a very important natural home for many creatures. It is a busy habitat connected to the Atlantic Ocean.
- It is a natural home for shellfish.
- Many waterbirds use the bay. This includes birds that migrate through or spend the winter here.
- Colonial nesting waterbirds, beach-nesting birds, and migratory shorebirds also live here.
- You can also find raptors (birds of prey) and rare plants.
Who Owns the Bay Bottom?
The land under the Great South Bay and Moriches Bay, up to the barrier beach, is owned by the local towns. This ownership comes from special grants given by the British monarch a very long time ago. These grants were made before the United States even existed.
Courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have confirmed that these land grants are valid. However, since 1968, the federal government has been discussing who owns parts of the bay bottom. These discussions involve the areas extending from the barrier beach in Islip and Brookhaven towns.
Images for kids
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Map of Great South Bay. Moriches Bay is on the far right.
