As part of the System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP), we collect site-specific data on abiotic indicators of water quality and weather every 15 minutes at several sites along the Hudson. To track the ecological functions of habitats and how they are changing, we also collect data on vegetative cover, marsh surface elevation, and water levels.
Our data is freely available to the researchers who study the Estuary, the land managers who protect it, and the students and community members who care about their local waters.
Looking to do research in the Hudson River Estuary? We can help. Check out our searchable libary of collaborative research questions.
Status Reports
The Hudson River Research Reserve compiles yearly status reports on ecological conditions for each of its four components sites, as well as the headquarters at Norrie Point Environmental Center. These status reports compare data collected from previous years, noting any changes in historical trends and averages.
2019 reports
Nutrient Data
The Hudson River Research Reserve has collected ammonium, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, chloride, suspended sediment, and chlorophyll data at all component sites since 1991. This data has directed vital research and guided the management of the Estuary.
Water Quality Data
Since 1995, we have recorded water quality metrics including depth, dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, salinity, pH, turbidity, and chlorophyll at one site on Norrie Point and four within Tivoli Bays. The latter included freshwater wetlands and their respective upland tributaries, which were selected to determine the relative importance of stream flow and tidal exchange.
Meteorological Data
Meteorological data—including air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, precipitation, photosynthetically active radiation, and wind direction and speed—complement data on water quality conditions and improve our understanding of the relationship between atmospheric and aquatic conditions. We have collected meteorological data at two stations in Tivoli Bays and Norrie Point since 1999.
Tide Station Data
In 2017, The Reserve installed the only water level/tide station above the Battery in New York City. The station provides real-time reports of water and meteorological conditions and is part of NOAA’s National Water Level Observing Network (NWLON). This data can be used to observe daily tides, water temperature, localize tidal predictions, track episodic water levels due to storms, and establish long term water level trends.