Long Island's Estuaries |
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Long Island Sound
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Peconic Estuary
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South Shore Estuary
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Hudson Raritan Estuary
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Area of Surface Water
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1320 square miles |
247 square miles |
173 square miles |
~108 square miles |
Area of Watershed
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16,820 square miles |
197 square miles |
326 square miles |
16,216 square miles |
Population w/in watershed
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> 8 million ; 20 mil w/in 50 mile radius |
100K-280K(summer) |
1.5 million |
15-20 million |
Major Freshwater Tributaries
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90% from Housatonic, Conneticut, Thames, rivers; over 58 in total |
Peconic river, stormwater, and groundwater |
Carmans, Connetquat, Carls rivers; over 100 total |
Hudson, Passaic, Hackensack, and Raritan Rivers |
Length
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110 miles |
46 miles |
>70 miles |
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Width
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21 miles (widest pt) |
18 miles |
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Miles of shoreline
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600 miles |
453 miles |
650 miles |
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$ generated by services/resources per year
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est. 5.5 Billion! |
supports 30 K people; 3K buisnesses |
In 2002, NY and NJ ports handled $89 billion in cargo, supplying 18 mil. customers. Supports 230 K jobs |
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Avg. depth
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19.2 meters ~63 ft |
4.7 meters |
1-3 meters |
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Avg. surface water temperature
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32°F winter /73°F summer |
38 °F winter/ 72°F summer |
38 °F winter/ 75°F summer |
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Eelgrass acres
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2006: 1905 acres |
1930: 8720 acres 2001: 1552 acres |
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Interesting Facts
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>120 fish species occur; 50 spawn here |
>150 threatened or endangered species in estuary and/or watershed |
The most urban estuary on earth |
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>125 bird species rely for food and habitat |
Home to the nation's 3rd largest container port |
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>200 spp. of fish frequent the estuary, including fluke, sea bass, striped bass, flounder, white perch |
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1/4 of all nesting herons b/w RI and Cape May make their home in the HRE |
Next: Eelgrass Distribution: Now and Then
References: Long Island Sound Study: LIS facts webpage http://www.longislandsoundstudy.net/facts.htm EPA Long Island Sound Facts, Figures, and Maps: http://www.epa.gov/region01/eco/lis/facts.html Peconic Estuary Program http://www.peconicestuary.org/AboutPEP.html The Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve http://www.estuary.cog.ny.us/background-pages/about-the-reserve.htm New York State DEC-Estuary Management Programs page http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4934.html New York/ New Jersey Baykeeper: The Hudson-Raritan Estuary Geography http://www.nynjbaykeeper.org/geography/ NYS DOS Division of Coastal Resources: South Shore Estuary Reserve http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/initiatives_southshore.asp |
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