Water Quality
Water Quality > Hudson River Estuary Data > New York City, Hudson County & Bergen County Sites > George Washington Bridge mid-channel

George Washington Bridge mid-channel

George Wash Bridge midchan copy
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Physical/Chemical Data

Physical, chemical and biological properties of the surface water that are measured continuously while the patrol boat is underway.

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall

115 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Enterococcus Count
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Entero Count

Enterococcus (“Entero”) is a fecal indicating bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. It is the EPA preferred indicator for sewage contamination.

Quality Rain, day of (in) Prior Day 2 Days Prior 3 Days Prior Rain 4 Days Total Rain
Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort
06/10/2024 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/20/2024 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
10/16/2023 52 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.8
09/18/2023 20 Acceptable 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.0 1.0
08/21/2023 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 1.6
07/17/2023 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.4
06/26/2023 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
05/01/2023 85 Beach Advisory 3.1 1.1 1.7 0.0 5.9
10/09/2022 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
09/09/2022 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.1 1.2
08/11/2022 <10 Acceptable 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.6 0.8
07/14/2022 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/13/2022 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3
05/23/2022 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.5
10/25/2021 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/13/2021 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
08/16/2021 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/19/2021 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.6
06/07/2021 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.3 1.0
05/17/2021 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/13/2020 31 Acceptable 0.9 0.2 0.0 0.0 1.1
09/17/2020 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/13/2020 <10 Acceptable 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5
07/13/2020 10 Acceptable 0.1 0.0 2.5 0.0 2.6
06/15/2020 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/25/2020 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.8
10/07/2019 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/09/2019 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3
08/05/2019 41 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.2
07/08/2019 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/03/2019 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3
05/06/2019 10 Acceptable 0.0 1.3 0.1 0.1 1.5
10/09/2018 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/09/2018 10 Acceptable 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.9
08/13/2018 31 Acceptable 0.7 0.0 2.9 0.0 3.6
07/16/2018 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.6 0.4 0.0 1.0
06/12/2018 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/05/2018 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/15/2017 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2
09/10/2017 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/13/2017 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1
07/09/2017 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 1.8 0.0 1.8
06/11/2017 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/14/2017 41 Acceptable 0.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 1.6
04/04/2017 41 Acceptable 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2
10/12/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.6
09/13/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/14/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.5
07/12/2016 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5
06/14/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/19/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/11/2015 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.0 0.9
09/10/2015 95 Beach Advisory 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6
08/11/2015 1086 Beach Advisory 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2
07/07/2015 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/10/2015 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
05/11/2015 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/12/2014 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3
09/07/2014 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1
08/11/2014 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/07/2014 30 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
06/12/2014 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 1.6
05/12/2014 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.4
10/16/2013 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/18/2013 63 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/14/2013 52 Acceptable 0.0 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.9
07/17/2013 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/19/2013 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2
05/31/2013 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5
11/08/2012 84 Beach Advisory 0.1 1.1 0.0 0.0 1.2
10/10/2012 <10 Acceptable 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.5
09/10/2012 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.4
08/13/2012 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
07/16/2012 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3
06/11/2012 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/15/2012 10 Acceptable 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5
10/21/2011 52 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.0 1.1
09/14/2011 30 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/16/2011 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.6 5.8 0.0 6.4
07/25/2011 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/22/2011 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/21/2011 313 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
07/19/2011 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1
06/27/2011 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/16/2011 41 Acceptable 0.2 0.9 0.0 0.0 1.1
10/12/2010 110 Beach Advisory 0.1 1.1 0.0 0.0 1.2
09/11/2010 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/17/2010 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.3
07/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
06/15/2010 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3
05/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 1.1
10/19/2009 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.4
09/14/2009 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.8
08/20/2009 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.6
07/28/2009 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.6 1.4 0.0 2.0
06/22/2009 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.8
06/06/2009 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.9 0.5 0.5 1.9
05/12/2009 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.6
10/20/2008 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/24/2008 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/14/2008 31 Acceptable 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5
07/02/2008 16 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.6
06/24/2008 134 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2
05/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.9 1.0
09/06/2007 1 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/16/2007 6 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/11/2007 1500 Beach Advisory 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
06/18/2007 11 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/23/2007 5 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
04/18/2007 246 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.9 7.6 8.5
12/13/2006 46 Acceptable 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2
11/10/2006 72 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 3.6 0.0 3.6
10/18/2006 29 Acceptable 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 1.1
09/26/2006 2 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall Correlation

115 Samples taken

All Water Quality Parameters

115 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Entero Count
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Entero Count

Enterococcus (“Entero”) is a fecal indicating bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. It is the EPA preferred indicator for sewage contamination.

Quality [i] Temp (f)
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Temperature

Hudson River water temperature changes seasonally. Surface water temperature can change on small scales in the river reflecting natural and human influences.

[i] Salinity
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Salinity

Estuaries like the Hudson are where freshwaters in rivers meet the sea. Salinity tells us about the relative contribution of fresh and salt water within a particular region of the estuary. 

[i] Chlorophyll
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Chlorophyll

A measure of the amount of microscopic algae present in the water. High chlorophyll counts can mean high levels of the nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen, and the threat, or presence, of algae blooms.

[i] Turbidity
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Turbidity

Turbidity is a measure of the amount of fine particles suspended in the water. As turbidity rises, light penetration, a key factor for aquatic plants and algae, diminishes.

[i] Oxygen
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Oxygen

Oxygen concentrations in the water are closely connected to biological activities. Surface waters are typically in equilibrium with the atmosphere such that the oxygen concentration near the surface is close to fully saturated (100%).

Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort Sort
06/10/2024 <10 Acceptable 71.6 NS NS NS 82.6
05/20/2024 10 Acceptable 64.29 6.12 2.09 2.3 112.6
10/16/2023 52 Acceptable 63.14 13.3 1.11 3.4 100.8
09/18/2023 20 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
08/21/2023 <10 Acceptable 77.3 7.6 6.6 7 96
07/17/2023 <10 Acceptable 82.4 2.5 2.8 14 93
06/26/2023 <10 Acceptable 73.7 8.9 9.4 6 137
05/01/2023 85 Beach Advisory 54.8 2.2 2.1 15 97
10/09/2022 20 Acceptable 62.3 18.2 1.8 12 80
09/09/2022 10 Acceptable 76.8 18.2 2.8 9 67
08/11/2022 <10 Acceptable 79.3 20.5 3.4 8 68
07/14/2022 <10 Acceptable 75.3 18.8 3.1 11 83
06/13/2022 <10 Acceptable 72.4 12.4 9.9 19 n/a
05/23/2022 20 Acceptable 63.4 8.1 1.6 14 94
10/25/2021 10 Acceptable 64.1 5 2.9 n/a 88
09/13/2021 <10 Acceptable 75.1 5.1 2.5 12 83
08/16/2021 <10 Acceptable 78.7 8.1 3.5 7 88
07/19/2021 <10 Acceptable 79.7 1.4 3.6 13 87
06/07/2021 <10 Acceptable 69.9 7.3 2.7 12 98
05/17/2021 <10 Acceptable 62.4 5.2 3.4 21 101
10/13/2020 31 Acceptable 63.2 14.1 3.1 31 88
09/17/2020 10 Acceptable 73.2 18.6 2.5 11 70
08/13/2020 <10 Acceptable 82.2 10.4 86.3 9 149
07/13/2020 10 Acceptable 81.4 12 11.9 6 113
06/15/2020 <10 Acceptable 70.3 11.8 7.1 6 113
05/25/2020 <10 Acceptable 63.4 10.2 3.6 14 104
10/07/2019 10 Acceptable 68.6 14.6 2.6 6 84
09/09/2019 <10 Acceptable 74.7 10.1 4.8 6 91
08/05/2019 41 Acceptable 78.7 17.6 3.1 15 61
07/08/2019 <10 Acceptable 76.6 10.1 2.8 12 75
06/03/2019 10 Acceptable 65.2 10 1.6 12 86
05/06/2019 10 Acceptable 56.4 7.2 1.5 15 91
10/09/2018 <10 Acceptable 70.8 9.7 2 20 73
09/09/2018 10 Acceptable 76.3 16.4 2.3 11 67
08/13/2018 31 Acceptable 79.1 14.1 3.5 11 61
07/16/2018 <10 Acceptable 79.2 19.4 5.7 15 79
06/12/2018 <10 Acceptable 68 14.7 12.5 14 113
05/05/2018 10 Acceptable 55.9 1.9 1.8 26 101
10/15/2017 10 Acceptable 69.9 15.3 3.3 7 82
09/10/2017 <10 Acceptable 70.8 17.2 2.3 14 76
08/13/2017 <10 Acceptable 77.9 12.6 2.3 13 69
07/09/2017 <10 Acceptable 74.8 9.1 2.7 11 93
06/11/2017 10 Acceptable 68.5 5.6 1.8 15 92
05/14/2017 41 Acceptable 57.4 4 2.2 23 93
04/04/2017 41 Acceptable 41.9 1.2 2 28 100
10/12/2016 <10 Acceptable 65.2 14.8 17.6 31 103
09/13/2016 <10 Acceptable 76.8 11.6 34.9 n/a 136
08/14/2016 <10 Acceptable 83.6 10 54.5 20 171
07/12/2016 10 Acceptable 76.6 13.3 7.1 9 97
06/14/2016 <10 Acceptable 69.4 7.1 4.5 23 102
05/19/2016 <10 Acceptable 59.7 9 2.6 n/a 97
10/11/2015 <10 Acceptable 65.9 17.5 2.7 11 84
09/10/2015 95 Beach Advisory 77.8 18.5 5.5 9 75
08/11/2015 1086 Beach Advisory 75.2 19.2 5.1 9 78
07/07/2015 <10 Acceptable 77 6.8 8 17 98
06/10/2015 <10 Acceptable 69.6 8.3 3.5 7 92
05/11/2015 <10 Acceptable 61.2 13.1 3.7 27 95
10/12/2014 <10 Acceptable 65.1 17.4 1.7 15 81
09/07/2014 <10 Acceptable 77.5 11.8 6.6 9 92
08/11/2014 <10 Acceptable 77.7 12.2 0.8 19 77
07/07/2014 30 Acceptable 76.1 8.2 5.6 9 98
06/12/2014 20 Acceptable 67.1 12.1 28.7 23 109
05/12/2014 20 Acceptable 59.7 4.7 2.8 26 100
10/16/2013 20 Acceptable 65.2 19.9 1.6 22 78
09/18/2013 63 Beach Advisory 69 19.9 1.9 16 72
08/14/2013 52 Acceptable 75.7 12.2 6.5 22 92
07/17/2013 <10 Acceptable 81.1 7.8 7.1 94 99
06/19/2013 <10 Acceptable 70.6 3.3 3.8 15 96
05/31/2013 20 Acceptable 67.4 5.3 4.7 45 96
11/08/2012 84 Beach Advisory 50.7 8.9 0.9 28 92
10/10/2012 <10 Acceptable 65.9 8.4 7.4 4 93
09/10/2012 10 Acceptable 76.8 11.7 12.6 66 99
08/13/2012 <10 Acceptable 82.1 13.5 12.7 8 147
07/16/2012 <10 Acceptable 82.2 14.5 16.1 8 153
06/11/2012 <10 Acceptable 71.4 9.1 5.3 n/a 86
05/15/2012 10 Acceptable 62.2 3.2 3.7 23 98
10/21/2011 52 Acceptable 61.8 3.4 1.7 30 92
09/14/2011 30 Acceptable 71.9 1.3 1.8 119 81
08/16/2011 20 Acceptable 78.4 12.2 2.3 29 78
07/25/2011 10 Acceptable 82.3 6.4 19.4 9 135
07/22/2011 20 Acceptable 83.6 8.8 25.4 73 171
07/21/2011 313 Beach Advisory n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
07/19/2011 <10 Acceptable 80.9 10.9 2.7 11 86
06/27/2011 <10 Acceptable 76.6 2.7 13.2 69 100
05/16/2011 41 Acceptable 58.6 6.4 2.8 242 88
10/12/2010 110 Beach Advisory 65.9 9.9 3.6 16 82
09/11/2010 <10 Acceptable 73.8 16.6 1.9 20 68
08/17/2010 <10 Acceptable 80 14.9 7.1 6 85
07/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 83.1 12 77.7 11 190
06/15/2010 10 Acceptable 71.6 16 4 18 75
05/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 62.5 11.3 3.3 17 89
10/19/2009 10 Acceptable 56.5 12.9 n/a n/a 88
09/14/2009 <10 Acceptable 74.3 9.5 3.8 27 92
08/20/2009 <10 Acceptable 80.5 10.2 2.3 20 79
07/28/2009 <10 Acceptable 77.5 10.8 3.2 16 79
06/22/2009 <10 Acceptable 70.3 2.3 0.9 62 84
06/06/2009 <10 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/12/2009 10 Acceptable 60.4 5.1 1.3 20 93
10/20/2008 <10 Acceptable 61.9 21.8 1.5 7 82
09/24/2008 <10 Acceptable 70.9 11.7 2.3 8 85
08/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 76.7 13.4 1.2 14 78
07/14/2008 31 Acceptable 78.6 10.1 6.3 10 101
07/02/2008 16 Acceptable 77.5 11.7 7.6 14 101
06/24/2008 134 Beach Advisory 73.9 13.2 4.1 9 91
05/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 59.2 7.4 1.1 29 93
09/06/2007 1 Acceptable 75.1 17.2 5.7 11 90
08/16/2007 6 Acceptable 78.3 15.8 2.4 17 75
07/11/2007 1500 Beach Advisory 73 19.2 4.8 84 89
06/18/2007 11 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/23/2007 5 Acceptable 63.4 7.7 1.1 46 n/a
04/18/2007 246 Beach Advisory 43.6 0.5 0.3 46 99
12/13/2006 46 Acceptable 44.8 4.8 1.1 17 98
11/10/2006 72 Beach Advisory 52.6 3 1.3 51 93
10/18/2006 29 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
09/26/2006 2 Acceptable 71.3 14.5 0.3 n/a 89

Water Quality*

Acceptable (0–60) Beach Advisory (61+)

*Single sample thresholds;
Enterococcus count per 100mL

Prior Four Day Rainfall
(in inches)

Dry Weather (0–0.25) Wet Weather (0.25+)

Enterococcus is an EPA-approved fecal contamination indicator.

Samples taken by Riverkeeper, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and CUNY Queens College staff, and processed on the Riverkeeper vessel, according to the 2014 Quality Assurance Project Plan.

Rainfall data comes from wunderground.com. Wet weather is a common trigger of fecal contamination.

What do the Numbers Mean?

Water Quality scoring is based on the 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for safe swimming. Learn More

About this location:

Manhattan, NY
This deep water sample site at the George Washington Bridge has recreational boating, jet-skiing, kayaking and occasional swim events.

The data displayed on these pages relates to the levels of sewage indicating microbes. Even though the levels on a single days can fall within acceptable levels for Enterococcus, these locations are not necessarily acceptable for swimming. Other water quality parameters not reported on this web site such as chemical contamination and floatables should cause users to exercise caution at this site.

Agencies Responsible:

NYCDEP: 212-639-9675 and NYSDEC Region 2: 718-482-4933

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