Helping People Conserve, Restore, and Enjoy the Hudson River
The Hudson River Estuary Management Program helps to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance the Hudson River estuary and its watershed. The program focuses on the tidal Hudson and adjacent watershed from the Verrazano Narrows below Manhattan Island to the federal dam at Troy (see map of Hudson River Estuary Program Boundary (PDF)), and encompasses four programs: The Hudson River Estuary Program, Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, Hudson and Delaware Marine Fisheries, and the Marine Habitat Program of DEC’s Marine Resources.
The Hudson River estuary stretches 153 miles, nearly half of the river’s 315-mile course. Twice daily, the ocean’s tides push up salty seawater into the estuary from the ocean, diluted by freshwater from the upper Hudson and tributaries. In the northern reaches, the estuary is a freshwater tidal environment. More than 200 species of fish are found in the Hudson River estuary ecosystem. Coastal migratory fish, like striped bass, sturgeon, and shad, depend on spawning and nursery habitat here. Bald eagles, herons, waterfowl, and other birds feed from the river's bounty. Tidal marshes, mudflats, and other habitats in and along the estuary support a great diversity of life. People also flourish here thanks to the river’s rich natural resources. The Hudson provides a source of drinking water for municipalities; supports the region’s tourism and business economies; and offers a destination for swimming, fishing, and boating.
