East River: Difference between revisions

The '''East River''' is a saltwater [[Estuary|tidal estuary]] in [[New York City]]. The waterway, which is actually not a [[river]] despite its name, connects [[Upper New York Bay]] on its south end to [[Long Island Sound]] on its north end. It separates the borough of [[Queens]] on [[Long Island]] from [[the Bronx]] on the [[North America]]n mainland, and also divides [[Manhattan]] from Queens and [[Brooklyn]], also on Long Island.<ref name=encnyc>Hodges, Godfrey. "East RIver" in Jackson, pp.393–93</ref>

Because of 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]] changes its direction of flow frequently, and is subject to strong fluctuations in its current, which are accentuated by its narrowness and variety of depths. The waterway is navigable for its entire length of {{convert|16|mi}}, and was historically the center of maritime activities in the city.<ref name=encnyc /><ref name=fed420 />