Hudson River Estuary Program
On this page:
Helping People Enjoy, Protect , and Revitalize the Hudson River
About the Hudson River Estuary Program
- Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2021 - 2025
- 2021 Hudson River Estuary Coordinator's Report (PDF)
- 2015 - 2020 Hudson River Estuary Coordinator's Report (PDF)
- 2020 State of the Hudson Report (leaves DEC website)
The Hudson River Estuary Program helps people enjoy, protect, and revitalize the Hudson River and its valley. The program focuses on the tidal Hudson and adjacent watershed from the federal dam at Troy to the Verrazano Narrows in New York City, including upper New York-New Jersey Harbor (see map of Hudson River Estuary Program Boundary (PDF). The program works with many groups to develop knowledgeable and effective stewards of the estuary, using an understanding of the river's ecology as a foundation for its work.
With projects that help manage and restore key species like striped bass and bald eagles, estuary grants have allowed counties, towns and villages in the Hudson River Valley to take ownership of their resources and define the future of their communities while contributing to the overall health and beauty of the region. Cooperation with partners such as the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (leaves DEC website) is key to the Hudson River Estuary Program's success. Read 2020 State of the Hudson (leaves DEC website) for more information on progress to restore the Hudson River Estuary.
A Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor
The 20th Annual Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor takes place Thursday, October 13. During this one-day event, shorefronts along the Hudson River and the piers of New York Harbor are busy with activity as thousands of students equipped with seine nets, minnow pots, and water testing gear collect data on the Hudson's fish and invertebrates, track the river's tides and currents, and examine water chemistry and quality. Training workshops, online lesson plans, specialized equipment, data from previous years, and other resources are provided to educators. The Hudson River Estuary Program co-sponsors the event with the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve. It is produced with assistance from the Columbia Climate School Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which hosts the Day in the Life website (leaves DEC website).
Action Agenda
The program is guided by an Action Agenda, a conservation and restoration blueprint developed with significant community input. The Hudson River Estuary Program collaborates with many partners including nonprofit organizations, academic and scientific institutions, businesses, local governments, state and federal agencies, and interested citizens. The Estuary Program offers a variety of programs to support our partners, including:
- Education and training
- Technical assistance and grants
- Research, monitoring, and mapping
Hudson River Almanac
The Hudson River Almanac is a weekly, natural history newsletter that covers the Hudson from the High Peaks of the Adirondacks to New York Harbor. It seeks to capture the river's spirit, magic, and science by presenting observations from many individuals who delight in the diversity of nature in the Hudson Valley. Subscribe by entering your name in the DEC DELIVERS box. Share your observations with other Hudson River lovers by e-mailing them to compiler Tom Lake. Observations for a given week should be sent in by 9:00 pm on the following Monday. See something really special? Call (845) 297-8935.
Hudson RiverNet
- Volunteer and Grant Opportunities
- Events, activities, and news related to the Hudson River
- Education, training, and community planning assistance
- Research results and updates on restoration projects and natural resource conservation
HRECOS
The Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System (HRECOS) (leaves DEC website) is a network of near-real-time water quality and weather monitoring stations in the Hudson River Watershed. Stations record water quality and weather conditions every 15 minutes and transmit data in near real-time to the HRECOS website.
Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee
The Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee steers the Hudson River Estuary program, which is built on sound science and principles of ecosystem-based management. The advisory committee includes representatives of the commercial fishing industry, recreational anglers, utility companies, local government, educators, researchers, conservationists and other river users helps engage many representatives of the public in working together toward common goals.
The Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee was established in 1987 under Section 11-0306 of the Environmental Conservation Law, known as the Hudson River Estuary Management Act. The committee's volunteer members are appointed by the DEC Commissioner and represent a variety of interests including commercial fishing, recreational uses, research, education, conservation, local government, marine trades and industry. The committee meets four times per year. View the minutes from each meeting below:
- June 3, 2021 Minutes (PDF)
- March 4, 2021 Minutes (PDF)
- November 5, 2020 Minutes (PDF)
- September 10, 2020 Minutes (PDF)
More about Hudson River Estuary Program:
- Hudson River Almanac - The Hudson River Almanac is a yearly journal of natural history observations from folks who are excited by what they see on the Hudson and interested in sharing their experiences.
- Hudson RiverNet: Hudson River Estuary Newsletter - RiverNet is the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program's quarterly online newsletter
- Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda - The blueprint for the Hudson River Estuary Program.
- Hudson River Estuary Watershed - Water quality information and resources to promote community-based improvements in the health of the Hudson estuary and of the streams and wetlands in its watershed.
- Conservation and Land Use Program for the Hudson River Estuary Watershed - This program develops science-based information about Hudson Valley plants, animals, and habitats and offers it to land managers, landowners, planners, and policy makers for the purpose of conservation.
- Aquatic Habitats of the Hudson River Estuary - Aquatic habitats are vitally important to wildlife and ecosystems as a whole. Learn more about the key habitats of the Hudson River estuary, including shorelines, tidal wetlands, submerged aquatic vegetation, and the river bottom.
- Access to the Hudson River Estuary - Encouraging Hudson Valley residents to experience and explore the Hudson River whether by foot, on a boat, catching fish, or getting wet is a primary goal of the Hudson River Estuary Program's River Access Project.
- Climate-adaptive Communities in the Hudson River Estuary - The Climate Change Program for the Hudson River Estuary helps communities to adapt to climate change and become more resilient to climate risks.
- Grants Program and Funding Opportunities for the Hudson River Estuary - Hudson River Estuary Program Grants were created to help fulfill those goals of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda that can be implemented most effectively by municipalities, not for profits, and other local partners.
- Community Science Volunteer Opportunities in the Hudson River Estuary - Hudson Valley citizen stewardship projects that you can get involved in
