Due to increased maintenance costs, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) and the HRECOS network had to take a hard look at downsizing the number of water quality stations to keep the greater network operational.
Why Pier 84?
Pier 84 has higher maintenance and quality control costs compared to other stations in the network. In addition, it is just over 3 linear miles from the Pier 25 HRECOS site. Piers 84 and 25 collect comparable readings for most water quality parameters, with nominal differences in conditions like salinity and turbidity likely due to Pier 25’s proximity to the ocean and the high volume of commercial vessel traffic.
Graphs showing similar water temperature (left) and dissolved oxygen concentration (right) measurements at Pier 84 and Pier 25. Data are from 2024.
A graph showing salinity measurements at Pier 84 and Pier 25 in November 2024. Pier 25 has higher salinity measurements because it is closer to the ocean than Pier 84.
Moving Forward
Hudson River Park and HRECOS network users will have access to the Pier 25 data stream, 14 other HRECOS stations, and Pier 84’s historical data, available online at the Data Hub and USGS page. The Pier 84 station will be decommissioned in early June and the Park’s River Conditions Dashboard will share data from the Pier 25 station. A final report on the site will be made available later this year.