Coastal Geography of New Jersey and New York By: Sarah Aimone & Lori Czaplinski

THE JERSEY COAST THE JERSEY COAST 130 miles of open ocean coastline 130 miles of open ocean coastline 1792 miles of tidally affected land 1792 miles of tidally affected land 60% of shoreline is Barrier islands 60% of shoreline is Barrier islands 70% of states population lives within coastal counties 70% of states population lives within coastal counties

Major Bays and Rivers Hudson Bay Hudson Bay Barnegat Bay Barnegat Bay Great Bay Great Bay Delaware Bay Delaware Bay Raritan Bay Raritan Bay Hudson River Hudson River Delaware River Delaware River

Barrier islands of NJ Eight barrier islands Eight barrier islands Long Beach Island, Brigantine Island, Absecon Island, Peck Beach Island, Ludlam Beach Island, Little Beach Island, Seven Mile Beach Island, Five Mile Beach Island. Two peninsulas that act like Barrier islands Two peninsulas that act like Barrier islands Barnegat Bay Peninsula Sandy Hook Peninsula

Island Beach State Park

Atlantic City on Absecon Island

Erosion of the Shoreline 26 % of New Jersey shoreline is critically eroding 26 % of New Jersey shoreline is critically eroding Large scale, statewide beach nourishment program Large scale, statewide beach nourishment program The Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet project The Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet project largest beach fill project in world (in terms of volume) (in terms of volume) Seawalls Seawalls

Tidal range Sandy hook Sandy hook 0.69 ft – 5.61 ft Atlantic City Atlantic City 1.06ft ft

New York 125 miles of open ocean coastline >5,000 miles of shoreline, including the Great Lakes 1,850 miles of tidally affected land 70% of the state’s population lives within coastal counties (13,800,000) New York 125 miles of open ocean coastline >5,000 miles of shoreline, including the Great Lakes 1,850 miles of tidally affected land 70% of the state’s population lives within coastal counties (13,800,000)

Major Rivers, Bays and Lakes: St. Lawrence River, Hudson River Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Champlain Hudson Bay, Long Island Sound

Long Island Long Island extends east of New York City Long Island extends east of New York City Flanked by the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean Flanked by the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean 125 miles of ocean coast 125 miles of ocean coast Four barrier islands are located off the south shore Four barrier islands are located off the south shore Several inlets and bays Several inlets and bays

Barrier Islands: Long Beach Island Jones Beach Island Fire Island the Unnamed Island

Long Beach Island: -10 ¼ miles of ocean beach -extensive salt water marsh -important rest stop for migratory waterfowl Jones Beach Island: -19 miles of ocean front acres of wetlands -state parks used for recreation Fire Island: -largest in the chain; 32 miles of ocean beach -30% marsh -Fire Island National Seashore -Moriches flats Unnamed Island: -19 ¾ miles ocean front -connected to LI Peninsula until a hurricane in 1938 opened up Shinnecock Inlet

Beach Erosion and Nourishment 47 % of the shoreline is critically eroding 47 % of the shoreline is critically eroding Human activity??? The coastline is very densely populated! Human activity??? The coastline is very densely populated! Private property owners allowed to protect/nourish their land Private property owners allowed to protect/nourish their land Numerous groins on Long Island and Staten Island Numerous groins on Long Island and Staten Island

Tidal Range Montauk Montauk ft ft The Battery The Battery ft ft

New York Bight -great expanse of shallow ocean between Long Island and the New Jersey Coast -Longshore transport of sand by wave action from the southeast, ultimately from prevailing wind zones and storm events in the tropics and the South Atlantic region. Hurricanes during the summer and nor'easters during the winter are responsible for intense periods of sediment transport and beach erosion and accumulation.

References Scheinkman, J.J. and P.M. Byrne. Inventory of the Barrier Island Chain of the States of New York and New Jersey. New York: The Mc Intosh Foundation Scheinkman, J.J. and P.M. Byrne. Inventory of the Barrier Island Chain of the States of New York and New Jersey. New York: The Mc Intosh Foundation