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'{{about|the East River in [[New York City]]|other uses|East River (disambiguation)}} {{Geobox|River | geobox_width = 250 <!-- *** Heading *** --> | name = East River | native_name = | other_name = | category = Tidal strait <!-- *** Names **** --> | etymology = | nickname = <!-- *** Image *** --> | image = East River and UN.jpg | image_caption = East River and the [[United Nations Headquarters]] in [[Manhattan]], as seen from [[Roosevelt Island]]. | image_size = 325px <!-- *** Country *** --> | country = United States | state = New York | region = | district = | municipality = New York City <!-- *** Family *** --> | parent = | tributary_left = [[Newtown Creek]], [[Flushing River]] | tributary_right = [[Westchester Creek]], [[Bronx River]],<br />[[Bronx Kill]], [[Harlem River]] | city = | landmark = | river = <!-- *** River locations *** --> | source = Long Island Sound | source_location = | source_region = | source_country = | source_elevation_imperial = | source_lat_d = 40.8039900 | source_lat_m = | source_lat_s = | source_lat_NS = | source_long_d = -73.8251343 | source_long_m = | source_long_s = | source_long_EW = | source1 = | source1_location = | source1_region = | source1_country = | source1_elevation_imperial = | source1_lat_d = | source1_lat_m = | source1_lat_s = | source1_lat_NS = | source1_long_d = | source1_long_m = | source1_long_s = | source1_long_EW = | source_confluence = | source_confluence_location = | source_confluence_region = | source_confluence_country = | source_confluence_elevation_imperial = | source_confluence_lat_d = | source_confluence_lat_m = | source_confluence_lat_s = | source_confluence_lat_NS = | source_confluence_long_d = | source_confluence_long_m = | source_confluence_long_s = | source_confluence_long_EW = | mouth = Upper New York Bay | mouth_location = | mouth_region = | mouth_country = | mouth_elevation_imperial = | mouth_lat_d = 40.696355 | mouth_lat_m = | mouth_lat_s = | mouth_lat_NS = | mouth_long_d = -74.016609 | mouth_long_m = | mouth_long_s = | mouth_long_EW = <!-- *** Dimensions *** --> | length_imperial = 16 | length_orientation = | width_imperial = | width_orientation = | depth_imperial = | volume_imperial = | watershed_imperial = | discharge_imperial = | discharge_max_imperial = | discharge_min_imperial = <!-- *** Free fields *** --> | free = | free_type = <!-- *** Maps *** --> | map = Wpdms terra east river.jpg | map_caption = The East River is shown in red on this satellite photo of New York City. | map_background = | map_locator = | map_locator_x = | map_locator_y = <!-- *** Website *** --> | website = | commons = East River <!-- *** Footnotes *** --> | footnotes = }} The '''East River''' is a tidal [[strait]] in [[New York City]]. It connects [[Upper New York Bay]] on its south end to [[Long Island Sound]] on its north end. It separates [[Long Island]] (including the boroughs of [[Queens]] and [[Brooklyn]]) from the island of [[Manhattan]] and [[the Bronx]] on the [[North America]]n mainland. In reference to its connection to [[Long Island Sound]], it was once also known as the ''Sound River''.<ref>[[John Montresor|Montrésor, John]] (1766). ''[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g3804n+ar110401)) A plan of the city of New-York & its environs]''. London.</ref> The tidal strait usually reverses flow four times a day.<ref>http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_times_a_day_does_the_current_in_the_East_River_reverse_its_course</ref> ==Formation== The strait was formed approximately 11,000 years ago at the end of the [[Last_glacial_period#Wisconsinan_glaciation.2C_in_North_America|Wisconsin glaciation]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The East River Flows From Prehistoric Times To Today |url=http://www.qgazette.com/news/2005-07-20/features/049.html |newspaper=The Queens Gazette |date=July 20, 2005 |accessdate=2010-07-31}}</ref> The distinct change in the shape of the strait between the lower and upper portions is evidence of this glacial activity. The upper portion (from [[Long Island Sound]] to [[Hell Gate]]), running largely perpendicular to the glacial motion, is wide, meandering, and has deep narrow bays on both banks, scoured out by the glacier's movement. The lower portion (from Hell Gate to [[New York Bay]]) runs north-south, parallel to the glacial motion. It is much narrower, with straight banks. The bays that exist (or existed before being filled in by human activity), are largely wide and shallow. ==The channel== [[Image:Eastriverandbrooklynbridge1903-snd.ogg|thumb|left|250px|Historical film of the East River, leading up to a final shot of the Brooklyn Bridge (1903)]] <!--The following information, right up to the 8/30/07 NY Times footnote, is covered by the source in that footnote. Please do NOT add "citation needed" tags as was done in the past because ... the citation is adequate.-->The East River is dangerous to people who fall in or attempt to swim in it, although as of mid-2007 the water was cleaner than it had been in decades. Anyone in the channel would find there are few places from which to climb out. According to the marine sciences section of the city [[New York City Department of Environmental Protection|Department of Environmental Protection]], the channel is swift, with water moving as fast as four knots (just as it does in the [[Hudson River]] on the other side of Manhattan). That speed can push casual swimmers out to sea. A few people drown in the waters around New York City each year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Welcome, Students. Now Watch It. |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/30/nyregion/30students.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 30, 2007 |accessdate=2007-08-30}}</ref> The strength of the current foiled an effort in 2007 to tap it for [[tidal power]].<ref>{{cite news |title=East River Turbines Face Upstream Battle |first=Dave |last=Hogarty |url=http://gothamist.com/2007/08/13/east_river_turb.php |newspaper=[[Gothamist]] |date=August 13, 2007 |accessdate=2010-07-31}}</ref> However, in February 2012 the federal government announced plans that an agreement to install 30 tidal turbines in the channel, projected to begin operations in 2015 and produce 1.05 MW of power.<ref>{{cite web|title=Turbines Off NYC East River Will Create Enough Energy to Power 9,500 Homes|url=http://energy.gov/articles/turbines-nyc-east-river-will-create-enough-energy-power-9500-homes|publisher=U.S. Department of Energy|accessdate=13 February 2012}}</ref> Historically, the lower portion of the strait (separating Manhattan from Brooklyn) was one of the busiest and most important channels in the world, particularly during the first three centuries of New York City's history. The [[Brooklyn Bridge]], opened in 1883, was the first bridge to span the strait, replacing frequent ferry service. Some passenger ferry service remains between Queens and Manhattan. The [[Bronx River]] drains into the East River in the northern section of the strait. North of [[Wards Island]], it is joined by the [[Bronx Kill]]. Along the east of Wards Island, at approximately the strait's midpoint, it narrows into a channel called [[Hell Gate]], which is spanned by both the [[Robert F. Kennedy Bridge]] (formerly the Triborough), and the [[Hell Gate Bridge]]. On the south side of Wards Island, it is joined by the [[Harlem River]]. [[Newtown Creek]] on Long Island drains into the East River, forming part of the boundary between Queens and Brooklyn. The East River contains a number of [[island]]s, including: *Upper section **[[Rikers Island]] **[[North Brother Island, East River|North Brother Island]] **[[South Brother Island, East River|South Brother Island]] **[[Mill Rock]] *Lower section **[[Wards Island]] and [[Randall's Island]] (joined by [[land reclamation|landfill]]) **[[Roosevelt Island]] **[[U Thant Island]] (Belmont Island) [[Image:Waterways New York City Map Julius Schorzman.png|thumb|right|267px|New York City waterways:<br /> 1. [[Hudson River]], 2. East River, 3. [[Long Island Sound]], 4. [[Newark Bay]], 5. [[Upper New York Bay]], 6. [[Lower New York Bay]], 7. [[Jamaica Bay]], 8. [[Atlantic Ocean]]]] ==Crossings== {{see also|List of fixed crossings of the East River|List of ferries across the East River}} '''Bridges'''<br> The river is spanned by ten [[bridge]]s, which from north to south are: *[[Throgs Neck Bridge]] *[[Bronx-Whitestone Bridge]] *[[Rikers Island Bridge]] (From Queens to [[Rikers Island]] only) *[[Hell Gate Bridge]] *[[Robert F. Kennedy Bridge]] (Triborough, East River Suspension Span) *[[Roosevelt Island Bridge]] (east channel only) *[[Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge]] *[[Williamsburg Bridge]] (Vehicular traffic & Trains of the {{NYCS Williamsburg}} [[New York City Subway|subway]] services) *[[Manhattan Bridge]] (Vehicular traffic & Trains of the {{NYCS Manhattan Bridge}} subway services) *[[Brooklyn Bridge]] '''Tunnels'''<br> The river is spanned by thirteen [[tunnel]]s. From north to south, along with uses as of April 2012: *[[63rd Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS 63rd IND}} [[New York City Subway|subway]] service – upper level; lower level – under construction for [[East Side Access|LIRR East Side Access]] project) *[[60th Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Broadway 60th}} subway services) *[[53rd Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Queens 53rd}} subway services) *[[Steinway Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Flushing}} subway services) *[[Queens-Midtown Tunnel]] (Vehicular traffic of [[Interstate 495 (New York)|Interstate 495]]) *[[East River Tunnels]] ([[Long Island Rail Road]] and [[Amtrak]] trains from [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station]] to points north and east) *[[14th Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Canarsie}} subway service) *[[Rutgers Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Sixth Rutgers}} subway service) *[[Cranberry Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Eighth Cranberry}} subway services) *[[Clark Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Broadway-Seventh Brooklyn}} subway services) *[[Montague Street Tunnel]] (Temporarily closed for post-Hurricane Sandy construction) *[[Joralemon Street Tunnel]] (Trains of the {{NYCS Lexington Brooklyn}} subway services) *[[Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel]] (Vehicular traffic of [[Interstate 478]]) [[Image:East River Park painting IMG 3773.JPG|275px|right|thumb|[[William Glackens]] 1902 painting of East River Park in the [[Brooklyn Museum]]]] '''Tram'''<br> *[[Roosevelt Island Tramway]] (west channel only) ==In popular culture== * [[The Brecker Brothers]] performed a song named after the river and is featured on their 1978 album ''Heavy Metal Be-Bop''. * [[Cosmo Kramer|Kramer]] decided to swim in the East River for exercise in the ''[[Seinfeld]]'' episode "[[The Nap]]." * In the video game ''[[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3]]'', the [[Russian Navy]] had taken control of the river as part of their invasion of the [[East Coast of the United States]] in the fictitious Russo-American War. * According to words of its author [[Yasushi Akimoto]], one of the best known Japanese songs "[[Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni]]" ("swan song" of the famous singer [[Hibari Misora]]) also was inspired by this river.<ref>[http://www.musicman-net.com/relay/86-3.html 第86回　秋元 康 氏]</ref> * In ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode, "[[The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson]]", Homer receives a letter stating that his vehicle is illegally parked between the [[World Trade Center Towers]] and that if he doesn't fix the issue that his car will be "crushed into a cube and thrown into the East River at your expense." ==Gallery== <center><gallery widths="167px" heights="167px"> Image:East River 59 jeh.JPG|East River flows past [[Upper East Side]] Image:East River Park in Fall 2008 number 3.jpg|East River passes children playing [[American football|football]] in [[East River Park]] Image:Powellls Cove BWB jeh.JPG|Powell's Cove, [[Whitestone, Queens|Whitestone]] Image:Blackwells Island East River 1862.jpeg|Blackwells Island, East River, From Eighty Sixth Street'', [[Currier & Ives]], 1862 Image:Sunriseclipper.jpg|Loading at Pier 10, East River, [[Clipper|Clipper ship]] ''Sunrise'' </gallery></center> ==See also== *[[List of New York rivers]] *[[Lists of crossings of the East River]] *[[Geography and environment of New York City]] *[[Geography of New York Harbor]] <!--spacing--> [[File:Astoria Park Panorama of Triborough and Hell's Gate Bridges.jpg|thumb|center|750px|A panorama of the [[Hell Gate Bridge]] and [[Robert F. Kennedy Bridge]] from [[Astoria Park]]]] ==References== '''Notes''' {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category|East River}} *[http://www.eastrivernyc.org East River NYC] from the [[Greater Astoria Historical Society]] *[http://www.licboathouse.org LIC Community Boathouse site for free paddling on the East River] *[http://gothamist.com/2007/08/13/east_river_turb.php Hydropower turbines destroyed by East River current] *[http://www.astoriawaterfront.org Western Queens waterfront information page] [[Category:East River| ]] [[Category:Geography of Manhattan]]'