Water Quality
Water Quality > Hudson River Estuary Data > New York City, Hudson County & Bergen County Sites > Harlem River – Willis Ave. Bridge

Harlem River – Willis Ave. Bridge

Harlem River-Willis Ave. Bridge
close

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

110 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Enterococcus Count
close

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 107 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/20/2024 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/16/2023 96 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.8
09/18/2023 4611 Beach Advisory 0.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.7
08/21/2023 85 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 1.6
07/17/2023 583 Beach Advisory 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 6867 Beach Advisory 3.1 1.1 1.7 0.0 5.9
10/10/2022 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/10/2022 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 1.1
08/12/2022 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2
07/15/2022 171 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/13/2022 168 Beach Advisory 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 121 Beach Advisory 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 31 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
10/14/2020 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.9 0.2 0.0 1.1
09/18/2020 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/14/2020 20 Acceptable 0.1 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.6
07/14/2020 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 2.5 2.6
06/16/2020 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/26/2020 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.8
10/08/2019 185 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2
09/10/2019 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/06/2019 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
07/09/2019 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/04/2019 288 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3
05/07/2019 96 Beach Advisory 0.1 0.0 1.3 0.1 1.5
10/10/2018 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/10/2018 465 Beach Advisory 0.9 0.5 0.0 0.0 1.4
08/14/2018 414 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.7 0.0 2.9 3.6
07/17/2018 30 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.4 1.0
06/13/2018 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/06/2018 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/16/2017 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
09/11/2017 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/14/2017 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
07/10/2017 52 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.8 1.8
06/12/2017 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/15/2017 155 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 1.6 0.0 1.6
04/04/2017 884 Beach Advisory 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2
10/13/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/14/2016 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/15/2016 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.4
07/13/2016 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/15/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/20/2016 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/12/2015 52 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.9
09/11/2015 1187 Beach Advisory 0.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 1.6
08/12/2015 231 Beach Advisory 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.0 1.2
07/08/2015 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1
06/11/2015 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
05/12/2015 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
10/13/2014 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.3 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 <10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1
06/12/2014 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 1.6
05/12/2014 109 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.4
10/16/2013 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
09/18/2013 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/14/2013 173 Beach Advisory 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 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5
10/10/2012 20 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 41 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/16/2011 565 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.6 5.8 0.0 6.4
07/19/2011 30 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 448 Beach Advisory 0.2 0.9 0.0 0.0 1.1
10/12/2010 487 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 63 Beach Advisory 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 20 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.6
07/28/2009 399 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.6 1.4 0.0 2.0
06/22/2009 85 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.8
06/05/2009 448 Beach Advisory 0.9 0.5 0.5 0.1 2.0
05/12/2009 20 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 5635 Beach Advisory 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5
07/02/2008 10 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.6
06/24/2008 160 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 4 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
08/16/2007 19 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
07/11/2007 11 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
06/18/2007 16 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
05/23/2007 3 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
04/18/2007 356 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 0.9 7.6 8.5
11/10/2006 310 Beach Advisory 0.0 0.0 3.6 0.0 3.6
10/18/2006 263 Beach Advisory 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 1.1
09/26/2006 25 Acceptable 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1

Entero Count (fecal indicator) and Rainfall Correlation

110 Samples taken

All Water Quality Parameters

110 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Entero Count
close

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)
close

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
close

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
close

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
close

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
close

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 107 Beach Advisory 67.46 NS NS NS 70.1
05/20/2024 10 Acceptable 60.44 19.59 1.59 0.9 96.3
10/16/2023 96 Beach Advisory 62.98 15.25 0.95 9.5 91.4
09/18/2023 4611 Beach Advisory 72.6 19.6 1.6 1 67
08/21/2023 85 Beach Advisory 74.4 17.7 1.8 17 65
07/17/2023 583 Beach Advisory 78.2 5.5 2.3 19 73
06/26/2023 <10 Acceptable 68.6 23.1 2.1 7 73
05/01/2023 6867 Beach Advisory 54.3 12.4 1.6 12 80
10/10/2022 20 Acceptable 62 18.2 1.4 5 77
09/10/2022 <10 Acceptable 76.8 19.8 2.1 7 64
08/12/2022 20 Acceptable 78.7 18.8 2.4 6 67
07/15/2022 171 Beach Advisory 74 20.6 2.1 18 72
06/13/2022 168 Beach Advisory 69 14.2 2.6 14 82
05/23/2022 20 Acceptable 60.3 21.5 1.4 8 78
10/25/2021 121 Beach Advisory 64.3 20.4 1.6 8 n/a
09/13/2021 10 Acceptable 73.1 21.8 1.9 4 67
08/16/2021 10 Acceptable 75.1 23.8 1.9 11 56
07/19/2021 10 Acceptable 75.8 18.4 1.7 8 60
06/07/2021 31 Acceptable 65.6 18.5 1.1 10 72
05/17/2021 10 Acceptable 57 20.3 1.3 11 81
10/14/2020 20 Acceptable 63.1 23.2 1.4 3 76
09/18/2020 20 Acceptable 72.2 18.7 1.8 8 65
08/14/2020 20 Acceptable 77.9 23.4 1.5 4 52
07/14/2020 <10 Acceptable 76.7 22.9 1.7 5 63
06/16/2020 <10 Acceptable 68.8 16.9 2 4 85
05/26/2020 10 Acceptable 60.6 17.4 2 16 91
10/08/2019 185 Beach Advisory 67.7 22.9 1.5 2 74
09/10/2019 <10 Acceptable 73.1 21.2 2.5 3 70
08/06/2019 20 Acceptable 74.8 23.2 1.6 6 48
07/09/2019 <10 Acceptable 71.2 22 1.3 7 64
06/04/2019 288 Beach Advisory 63.7 12.2 1.5 24 78
05/07/2019 96 Beach Advisory 55 12 1.8 28 84
10/10/2018 10 Acceptable 70.6 6.2 2.2 17 75
09/10/2018 465 Beach Advisory 73.9 22.4 1.8 6 66
08/14/2018 414 Beach Advisory 76.6 20.3 1.4 13 46
07/17/2018 30 Acceptable 77.2 17.8 4.1 9 68
06/13/2018 <10 Acceptable 67.4 15.4 8.2 11 95
05/06/2018 20 Acceptable 53.5 13.4 4.5 15 93
10/16/2017 10 Acceptable 68.4 20.3 1.8 4 75
09/11/2017 <10 Acceptable 69.6 22.7 1.8 8 70
08/14/2017 <10 Acceptable 74.7 22.5 2.1 7 56
07/10/2017 52 Acceptable 73.1 13.5 1.2 16 75
06/12/2017 10 Acceptable 66.8 13.8 1.5 17 79
05/15/2017 155 Beach Advisory 55.9 15.2 1.7 14 83
04/04/2017 884 Beach Advisory 43.8 17.3 10.9 11 97
10/13/2016 <10 Acceptable 66.3 24.6 2.3 36 80
09/14/2016 10 Acceptable 76.7 17.1 4.8 n/a 79
08/15/2016 20 Acceptable 81.9 16.3 7 24 87
07/13/2016 10 Acceptable 74.9 19 3.5 6 76
06/15/2016 <10 Acceptable 67.3 17.5 2.2 16 83
05/20/2016 <10 Acceptable 57.9 18.6 1.8 n/a 87
10/12/2015 52 Acceptable 65.7 14.4 2 20 79
09/11/2015 1187 Beach Advisory 76.7 22.2 2.4 9 52
08/12/2015 231 Beach Advisory 76 17 2.5 10 69
07/08/2015 10 Acceptable 71.9 21.4 2.8 11 70
06/11/2015 <10 Acceptable 66.3 21.4 1.3 n/a 72
05/12/2015 <10 Acceptable 58.1 22.4 3.4 32 95
10/13/2014 10 Acceptable 64.7 24 1.2 14 74
09/07/2014 <10 Acceptable 76.3 21.6 2.8 8 68
08/11/2014 <10 Acceptable 76.4 17 1.6 16 68
07/07/2014 <10 Acceptable 71 18.8 1.6 7 67
06/12/2014 10 Acceptable 64.4 18.7 6.8 18 82
05/12/2014 109 Beach Advisory 56.4 15.1 2.3 19 90
10/16/2013 10 Acceptable 65.5 24 1 5 77
09/18/2013 20 Acceptable 69.8 24.6 2.5 n/a 70
08/14/2013 173 Beach Advisory 73.1 23.1 1.9 16 55
07/17/2013 <10 Acceptable 74 21.6 2.2 25 66
06/19/2013 <10 Acceptable 67.4 17.8 1.5 19 73
05/31/2013 10 Acceptable 63.1 20.3 1.1 7 74
10/10/2012 20 Acceptable 66.3 22.4 2.1 7 67
09/10/2012 10 Acceptable 76.8 24.1 2.6 23 54
08/13/2012 <10 Acceptable 78.1 31.7 0.9 14 56
07/16/2012 10 Acceptable 77.1 30.8 2.2 6 68
06/11/2012 <10 Acceptable 68.6 21.7 1.6 n/a 66
05/15/2012 <10 Acceptable 59.9 17.4 2 8 84
10/21/2011 52 Acceptable 63.3 16.8 0.6 25 76
09/14/2011 41 Acceptable 71.2 1.9 2 198 77
08/16/2011 565 Beach Advisory 75 19.7 1 25 42
07/19/2011 30 Acceptable 74.5 20.7 1.6 17 66
06/27/2011 <10 Acceptable 71.1 17.8 1.9 12 66
05/16/2011 448 Beach Advisory 57.2 11.3 2.3 66 81
10/12/2010 487 Beach Advisory 65.9 19.7 1.6 14 70
09/11/2010 10 Acceptable 72.2 22.2 1.5 19 63
08/17/2010 63 Beach Advisory 75.8 26 2 6 46
07/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 77.9 25 1.7 5 47
06/15/2010 <10 Acceptable 67 21.1 0.4 24 62
05/21/2010 10 Acceptable 56.8 23.2 2.1 13 75
10/19/2009 10 Acceptable 56.4 14.7 1.1 18 84
09/14/2009 <10 Acceptable 71.3 23.9 0.6 36 64
08/20/2009 20 Acceptable 78.2 15.9 2 20 63
07/28/2009 399 Beach Advisory 73.9 21.5 1.1 8 51
06/22/2009 85 Beach Advisory 69.5 5.9 1 69 75
06/05/2009 448 Beach Advisory n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/12/2009 20 Acceptable 58.7 12.9 0.7 23 78
10/20/2008 10 Acceptable 61.9 25.4 0.8 6 70
09/24/2008 <10 Acceptable 70.1 24.5 5.1 8 83
08/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 75.7 16.1 1.2 17 64
07/14/2008 5635 Beach Advisory 74.1 21 1.4 11 65
07/02/2008 10 Acceptable 72.9 18.7 1.8 12 69
06/24/2008 160 Beach Advisory 69.4 22.5 1 9 64
05/19/2008 10 Acceptable 58.4 10 1.1 63 87
09/06/2007 4 Acceptable 73.6 24.9 1.4 10 59
08/16/2007 19 Acceptable 77.2 19.1 1.4 23 59
07/11/2007 11 Acceptable 70.5 24.8 1.1 21 57
06/18/2007 16 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/23/2007 3 Acceptable 60.1 20.8 1.2 15 75
04/18/2007 356 Beach Advisory 45 12.6 0.1 17 96
11/10/2006 310 Beach Advisory 53.4 3.3 1.2 52 92
10/18/2006 263 Beach Advisory 63.5 21.9 1.1 9 69
09/26/2006 25 Acceptable 70 11.1 0.6 n/a 85

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:

Bronx, NY
The Harlem River at the Willis Avenue Bridge is an industrial waterway, connecting the Hudson with the East River. Contact includes recreational boating and jet-skiing, kayaking, as well as recreational and subsistence fishing from the shore.

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

Tell Gov. Hochul to block invasive species at the Erie and Champlain canals
Become a Member

Stay in Touch and Up To Date