Water Quality
Water Quality > Water Quality Testing Locations > New York City, Hudson County & Bergen County > Harlem River- Washington Ave. Bridge

Harlem River- Washington Ave. Bridge

Harlem River-Washington Ave. Bridge

About this location:

Manhattan, NY
The Harlem River at the Washington 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. There is increasing activity from community and college crew teams.

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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Basic Sampling Data

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

Water Quality, Enterococcus Count and Precipitation

35 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Enterococcus
Count
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Enterococcus Count

Enterococcus is a commonly used indicator of water quality and sewage contamination.

Quality Rain, day
of (in)		 Prior Day 2 Days
Prior		 3 Days
Prior		 5 Days
Prior
10/21/2011 108 Unacceptable 0 0 1.1 1.1 1.1
09/14/2011 10 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0
08/16/2011 108 Unacceptable 0 0.6 6.4 6.4 6.4
07/19/2011 10 Acceptable 0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
06/27/2011 30 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0.6
05/16/2011 121 Unacceptable 0.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1
10/12/2010 816 Unacceptable 0.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2
09/11/2010 10 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0
08/17/2010 41 Possible Risk 0 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.3
07/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 0 0 0.1 0.1 0.1
06/15/2010 10 Acceptable 0 0 0.3 0.3 0.6
05/21/2010 41 Possible Risk 0 0 0 1.1 1.1
10/19/2009 20 Acceptable 0 0.3 0.3 0.4 1
09/14/2009 10 Acceptable 0 0 0 0.9 0.9
08/20/2009 <10 Acceptable 0 0 0.6 0.6 0.6
07/28/2009 63 Possible Risk 0 0.6 2 2 2.4
06/22/2009 31 Acceptable 0 0.5 0.7 0.7 3
06/05/2009 86 Possible Risk 0.9 1.5 2 2 2
05/12/2009 52 Possible Risk 0 0 0 0.6 1.7
10/20/2008 10 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0
09/24/2008 10 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0
08/19/2008 10 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 1.1
07/14/2008 231 Unacceptable 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
07/02/2008 43 Possible Risk 0 0 0 0.6 1.1
05/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 0 0.1 0.2 1.1 1.1
09/06/2007 27 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0
08/16/2007 36 Possible Risk 0 0 0 0 0
07/11/2007 41 Possible Risk 0 0 0 0 0
06/18/2007 13 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0
05/23/2007 8 Acceptable 0 0 0 0 0.2
04/18/2007 244 Unacceptable 0 0 0.9 8.5 8.5
12/13/2006 36 Possible Risk 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
11/10/2006 92 Possible Risk 0 0 3.6 3.6 3.6
10/18/2006 1467 Unacceptable 0 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1
09/26/2006 11 Acceptable 0 0 0 0.1 0.1

Basic Sampling Data

35 Samples taken

Sample Date [i] Enterococcus
Count
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Enterococcus Count

Enterococcus is a commonly used indicator of water quality and sewage contamination.

Quality Temperature
(f)		 Salinity Chlorophyll Turbidity Oxygen
10/21/2011 108 Unacceptable 62.8 13.6 0.8 23 77
09/14/2011 10 Acceptable 70.8 0.9 2 182.9 80.9
08/16/2011 108 Unacceptable 77.6 12 1.8 37 67
07/19/2011 10 Acceptable 78 12.8 1.9 16 71
06/27/2011 30 Acceptable 76.2 4.8 7.5 36 94
05/16/2011 121 Unacceptable 57.9 7.7 2.8 51 85
10/12/2010 816 Unacceptable 66 13.3 2.1 14 73
09/11/2010 10 Acceptable 73.6 13.7 2.2 30 66
08/17/2010 41 Possible Risk 75.8 24.3 1.9 13 48
07/21/2010 <10 Acceptable 79.6 17.2 5.7 18 66
06/15/2010 10 Acceptable 70 13.2 1.3 59 68
05/21/2010 41 Possible Risk 56.8 21.5 2.2 18 68
10/19/2009 20 Acceptable 56.4 12.8 1.5 26 86
09/14/2009 10 Acceptable 71.6 21 0.9 41 65
08/20/2009 <10 Acceptable 79.2 10.1 2.8 30 73
07/28/2009 63 Possible Risk 73.5 19.4 1.1 12 55
06/22/2009 31 Acceptable 70.3 2.9 1.1 80 82
06/05/2009 86 Possible Risk n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/12/2009 52 Possible Risk 59.6 7 1.1 41 88
10/20/2008 10 Acceptable 61.5 22.7 0.9 7 71
09/24/2008 10 Acceptable 69.7 21.1 1.2 9 68
08/19/2008 10 Acceptable 76.9 10.8 1.6 23 80
07/14/2008 231 Unacceptable 75.1 16.1 2.5 18 76
07/02/2008 43 Possible Risk 75.2 13 2.9 20 79
05/19/2008 <10 Acceptable 58.4 10.1 1.1 55 88
09/06/2007 27 Acceptable 73.6 24.2 1.6 14 60
08/16/2007 36 Possible Risk 78.4 13.8 2 34 74
07/11/2007 41 Possible Risk 73.5 19.7 1.4 30 69
06/18/2007 13 Acceptable n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
05/23/2007 8 Acceptable 61 18.2 0.9 22 78
04/18/2007 244 Unacceptable * * * * *
12/13/2006 36 Possible Risk * * * * *
11/10/2006 92 Possible Risk * * * * *
10/18/2006 1467 Unacceptable * * * * *
09/26/2006 11 Acceptable * * * * *

Rainfall data comes from wunderground.com. It is added daily to show cumulative amounts.

Acceptable Color
Enterococcus count (under 35/100ml) is acceptable by EPA standards*
Possible Risk Color
Enterococcus count (between 35 and 104/100ml), if sustained over time, would be unacceptable by EPA standards*
Unacceptable Color
Enterococcus count (over 104/100ml) is unacceptable by EPA standards*

What do the Numbers Mean?

We have based our assessment of acceptable water quality on the federal guidelines outlined in the 2000 Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act. Learn More