518:. From 1940 to 1991, the islands decreased in size by 5%. Some of the largest islands include Cowpens Island and Shooting Island, both of which are adjacent to Ocean City. Shooting Island, part of Cape May Wetlands Wildlife Management Area, has been eroding since at least 1930. In 2018, Act Engineers Inc. began a $ 2.75 million project to install 1,450 ft (440 m) of concrete blocks, which would provide shelter for oysters and restore the island's marshes. In the middle of the bay are the Rainbow Islands, which total 250 acres (100 ha) in area, but which are submerged during high tide.
54:
26:
429:
475:, which in the western portion of the bay is part of Lester G. McNamara Wildlife Management Area. The bay is also bounded by sandy beaches and settlements. Water depth in the bay range from less than 3.3 ft (1 m) to greater than 33 ft (10 m) in the main water channel, which extends from the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the mouth of the Tuckahoe and Great Egg Harbor rivers.
61:
448:. The bay is part of New Jersey's backbarrier lagoon system. The bay exists as a drowned, or submerged, river valley. The waterway covers an area of 8.5 sq mi (22 km), measuring 5.0 mi (8 km) along the coast, and extending 2.8 mi (4.5 km) inland. The tidal range varies from a 5.0 ft (1.52 m)
392:
to Ocean City via Somers Point. The railroad's bridge across the Great Egg Harbor Bay burned in 1946, and was not rebuilt; the line was abandoned in 1948. In 1914, the Ocean City
Automobile Bridge Company financed the construction of a toll bridge linking Somers Point and Ocean City. In 1921, the
554:, and other turtle species, occupy the coastal waters of New Jersey, including in the bay. Dozens of bird species use the water and adjacent marsh lands as breeding grounds. Cowpens Island, located within the bay, is a bird sanctuary and a heron
478:
The channels in the bay carry sand and shell debris to the Great Egg Harbor Inlet. At the inlet, the shifting currents produce a hazardous waterway to boats, due to changes in the channel related to shoaling. To improve navigation and
672:
270:, which translates to Egg Harbor in English. The bay has a total area of 8.5 sq mi (22 km). Its depth ranges from shallow waters in the southern extension, called Peck Bay, to a 33 ft (10 m) deep channel.
362:
appointed John Somers to operate the ferry service across the Great Egg Harbor Bay to Cape May County. That year, Somers purchased land from Thomas Budd, naming the property
Somerset Plantation. John Somers' son, Richard, built
954:
335:. Over time, the river established its course to its present location. Currently, the Great Egg Harbor River and its 17 tributaries drain into the Great Egg Harbor Bay. The waterway enters the ocean between
371:
became established in 1750. During the 17th and 18th centuries, pirates and other boaters used Great Egg Harbor Bay as refuge. In 1880, one year after Ocean City was established as a
Christian resort, regular
981:
1208:
1171:
490:
Peck's Bay is a shallow extension of Great Egg Harbor Bay, located on the waterway's southern periphery between Ocean City and the Cape May County mainland. Peck's Bay also serves as part of the
680:
928:
1288:
1283:
367:
sometime between 1720 and 1726, which remains the oldest house still in existence in the county. The town name was changed to Somers Ferry, and then Somers
Plantation, until the name
958:
1234:
1000:
1019:
1054:
376:
service from Somers Point began. In 1897, the eastern boundaries of Peck Bay and Great Egg Harbor Bay served as the boundaries of newly established Ocean City.
393:
bridge became free when it was bought by the state of New Jersey, and was entirely replaced by the World War
Memorial Bridge in 1933. This bridge, designated
53:
1259:"NJ Route 52 (1) Causeway Between City of Somers Point, Atlantic County, and Ocean City, Cape May County Federal #BRF-0070103 Technical Environmental Study"
514:, which rise out of the bay to form a series of marshy islands. The islands are gradually eroding at a rate of 0.28 in (7 mm) per year, due to
464:. The tidal circulation of the bay is counterclockwise, fed by the deep channels. The quality of the water is good, despite nearby urban development and
1055:"Geomorphological Evolution of Estuaries: The Dynamic Basis for Morpho-Sedimentary Units in Selected Estuaries in the Northeastern United States"
903:
570:
along the Great Egg Harbor Bay, supporting the shipbuilding industry. Shellfish harvesting is allowed from
November 1 to April 30.
484:
35:
1115:
NJ Route 52 (1) Causeway
Between City of Somers Point, Atlantic County, and Ocean City, Cape May County Draft Environmental Impact Statement
494:, connecting the Great Egg Harbor Bay with Crook Horn Creek. This waterway is along the west side of Ocean City, which reaches the ocean at
105:
420:
opened in 1973. The 1955 bridge was replaced in 2016, and the northbound bridge was subsequently refurbished, with completion in 2019.
550:
and oysters. There are 32 species of fish in the bay, including six species that use the bay as spawning grounds. The endangered
1155:
861:
788:
202:
1120:(Report). United States Department of Transportation. August 2000. III-62, III-77, III-89, III-116, III-118, III-130, IV-II, I-13
632:
385:
631:
Joseph Dowhan; Thomas
Halavik; Andrew Milliken; Andrew MacLachlan; Marcianna Caplis; Kelly Lima; Andrew Zimba (November 1997).
445:
804:
635:. Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes of the New York Bight Watershed. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from
409:
304:. In the eastern periphery, the bay measures 5.0 mi (8 km) along the coast, bordered by Ocean City on the east.
1278:
1077:
401:
359:
332:
255:
251:
87:
83:
412:
via the Great Egg Harbor Bay. This bridge was closed in 2004 due to damage, and was demolished in 2016. In 1955, the
441:
227:
223:
405:
389:
487:
has periodically dredged sand from a location 5,000 ft (1,500 m) offshore the Great Egg Harbor Inlet.
599:
577:
The barrier islands to the north and south – Ocean City and
Longport – are heavily developed, with
368:
219:
1114:
749:
292:
that covered much of southern Cape May County. Over time, the waterway shifted its course, emptying into the
413:
31:
452:
to a 2.3 ft (0.7 m) neap tide. Coastal storms can cause extreme tidal variations. The bay has a
877:
551:
351:
336:
324:
297:
274:
263:
215:
140:
491:
1193:
440:
of the Great Egg Harbor Bay, the Great Egg Harbor River joins the Middle and
Tuckahoe Rivers between
417:
340:
301:
231:
982:"Parkway to replace southbound Great Egg Harbor bridge; demolition pushed for Beesleys Point Bridge"
25:
1258:
571:
394:
39:
836:
400:
In 1928, a bridge in northern Ocean City opened, crossing Great Egg Harbor Inlet to marshlands in
724:
578:
457:
526:
The waterway and its channels carrying silt produce a soft bottom, creating a good habitat for
1151:
1143:
1069:
857:
851:
784:
480:
465:
778:
437:
830:
515:
364:
320:
293:
159:
152:
636:
354:
discovered the bay, surrounded by plentiful birds laying eggs. May named the waterway
1272:
808:
531:
495:
316:
285:
319:
period, melting glaciers formed rivers that carried sediment to the coast of the
1172:"New Jersey Shore Protection, Great Egg Harbor and Peck Beach, (Ocean City), NJ"
835:. Trenton, New Jersey: MacCrellish and Quigley, Current Printers. 1897. p.
428:
350:, who fished, clammed, and bathed in the summer months. In 1614, Dutch explorer
328:
313:
289:
282:
1209:"How to ease island flooding? Some Jersey shore towns are using bayside islets"
1196:(Report). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 1972. p. 126.
832:
Acts of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Legislature of the State of New Jersey
1148:
Atlantic Boating Almanacs: Sandy Hook, NJ To St. Johns River, Fl & Bermuda
542:, and worms. In shallow waters where sunlight can reach the bottom, algae and
461:
259:
91:
1073:
120:
107:
547:
535:
527:
498:, and also continues as the Intercoastal southward through Cape May County.
373:
278:
702:
558:. The region is one of the top 20 migratory bird locations in the country.
605:(Report). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. pp. 7–8.
567:
543:
453:
1020:"Get ready for two more years of traffic headaches at the Jersey shore"
555:
511:
657:
539:
468:. Stormwater drains in nearby Ocean City feed directly into the bay.
347:
266:'s description of the plentiful birds laying eggs, naming the waters
727:. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. January 3, 2018
432:
Map of Great Egg Harbor Bay, surrounding waterways, and nearby towns
416:
was built, and a parallel bridge carrying northbound traffic of the
507:
472:
427:
147:
1150:. Atlantic Boating Almanac. Vol. 3. pp. 161, 174–175.
449:
883:(Report). United States National Park Service. February 7, 1997
247:
471:
Adjacent to the bay is 18,932 acres (7,662 ha) of salty
1235:"Ocean City proposes $ 3.2 million plan to rebuild wetlands"
904:"Route 52 Causeway ready for the season in Ocean City, N.J."
404:. Also in 1928, the Ocean City Automobile Club financed the
397:, was itself replaced by a wider and taller bridge in 2012.
1261:. United States Department of Transportation. August 2000.
673:"History of the Ten Villages of Upper Township: Marmora"
574:
operations are popular along the bay in the summertime.
878:
National Register of Historic Places; Registration Form
929:"Closed bridge ties Beesleys Point to the quiet life"
1001:"Parkway traffic eases over Great Egg Harbor bridge"
850:George Woodman Hilton; John Fitzgerald Due (1960).
211:
201:
197:
189:
181:
173:
169:
158:
146:
136:
97:
78:
18:
530:that covers a 706 acres (286 ha) area. Other
358:, translated to Egg Harbor. In 1693, the court of
955:"Blast demolishes last of Beesleys Point Bridge"
288:period, the Great Egg Harbor River existed as a
98:
1137:
1135:
1289:Bodies of water of Cape May County, New Jersey
1284:Bodies of water of Atlantic County, New Jersey
566:By the 18th century, Somers Point had several
1194:Studies of The Great Egg Harbor River and Bay
546:grow. The bay serves as breeding grounds for
388:railroad line began operations, running from
8:
783:. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 11, 46, 153.
780:Ocean City: America's Greatest Family Resort
262:coast. The name derives from Dutch explorer
60:
853:The Electric Interurban Railways in America
331:at that time, covering much of what is now
30:Great Egg Harbor Bay facing west, with the
856:. Stanford University Press. p. 307.
15:
1048:
1046:
1044:
1042:
1040:
772:
770:
768:
766:
764:
762:
750:"Guide to Historic Tour of Somers Point"
660:. National Park Service. March 22, 2016.
346:The first people in the region were the
1253:
1251:
1174:. United States Army Corps of Engineers
1018:Jacqueline L. Urgo (January 15, 2017).
658:"Starting as a trickle near Berlin, NJ"
590:
534:in the bay include mussels, barnacles,
42:, and the Rainbow Islands in background
1109:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1101:
1099:
1097:
671:Robert F. Holden (February 27, 2017).
296:at the Great Egg Harbor Inlet between
1053:Norbert P. Psuty; Tanya M. Silveira.
744:
742:
633:"Great Egg Harbor Estuary Complex #3"
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
616:
614:
612:
485:United States Army Corps of Engineers
7:
953:Columb Higgins (November 18, 2016).
1233:Michelle Brunetti (July 25, 2018).
902:Jacqueline L. Urgo (May 17, 2012).
705:. Government of Egg Harbor Township
600:Geology of Cape May County in Brief
1207:Avalon Zoppo (December 31, 2018).
999:John DeRosier (October 18, 2016).
807:. VisitNJShore.com. Archived from
755:. Somers Point Historical Society.
408:, which connected Somers Point to
36:Beesley's Point Generating Station
14:
927:Lee Procida (December 19, 2012).
725:"New Jersey State Historic Sites"
581:modifying the natural coastline.
506:Sediment from the rivers produce
980:Michael Miller (March 2, 2011).
703:"History of Egg Harbor Township"
386:Atlantic City and Shore Railroad
193:8.5 sq mi (22 km)
59:
52:
24:
343:at the Great Egg Harbor Inlet.
281:empty into the bay. During the
207:Cowpens Island, Rainbow Islands
188:
180:
172:
1:
77:
805:"History of Ocean City, NJ"
410:Beesley's Point, New Jersey
1305:
1213:The Press of Atlantic City
1142:Peter L. Griffes (2004).
1024:The Philadelphia Inquirer
907:The Philadelphia Inquirer
185:2.8 mi (4.5 km)
47:
23:
1144:"Intracoastal Waterway"
1062:Marine Fisheries Review
598:Carol S. Lucey (1976).
456:between 17 and 32 ppt (
414:Great Egg Harbor Bridge
177:5.0 mi (8 km)
32:Great Egg Harbor Bridge
1005:Press of Atlantic City
986:Press of Atlantic City
933:Press of Atlantic City
552:Leatherback sea turtle
433:
406:Beesley's Point Bridge
352:Cornelius Jacobsen May
325:Great Egg Harbor River
275:Great Egg Harbor River
264:Cornelius Jacobsen May
141:Great Egg Harbor River
492:Intracoastal Waterway
431:
121:39.30417°N 74.64972°W
777:Fred Miller (2003).
418:Garden State Parkway
240:Great Egg Harbor Bay
67:Great Egg Harbor Bay
19:Great Egg Harbor Bay
483:in Ocean City, the
446:Egg Harbor Township
395:New Jersey Route 52
258:along the southern
126:39.30417; -74.64972
117: /
40:New Jersey Route 52
1279:Bays of New Jersey
458:parts per thousand
434:
683:on March 31, 2018
516:rising sea levels
481:replenish beaches
460:), classified as
256:Cape May counties
237:
236:
148:Ocean/sea sources
1296:
1263:
1262:
1255:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1241:
1230:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1219:
1204:
1198:
1197:
1190:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1168:
1162:
1161:
1139:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1125:
1119:
1111:
1092:
1091:
1089:
1088:
1082:
1076:. Archived from
1059:
1050:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1030:
1015:
1009:
1008:
996:
990:
989:
977:
971:
970:
968:
966:
961:on March 2, 2018
957:. Archived from
950:
944:
943:
941:
939:
924:
918:
917:
915:
913:
899:
893:
892:
890:
888:
882:
874:
868:
867:
847:
841:
840:
827:
821:
820:
818:
816:
811:on March 2, 2018
801:
795:
794:
774:
757:
756:
754:
746:
737:
736:
734:
732:
721:
715:
714:
712:
710:
699:
693:
692:
690:
688:
679:. Archived from
677:Shore News Today
668:
662:
661:
654:
648:
647:
645:
644:
628:
607:
606:
604:
595:
466:dissolved oxygen
323:. The formative
277:and its 17
244:Great Egg Harbor
149:
132:
131:
129:
128:
127:
122:
118:
115:
114:
113:
110:
100:
63:
62:
56:
28:
16:
1304:
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1257:
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1249:
1239:
1237:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1217:
1215:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1192:
1191:
1187:
1177:
1175:
1170:
1169:
1165:
1158:
1141:
1140:
1133:
1123:
1121:
1117:
1113:
1112:
1095:
1086:
1084:
1080:
1057:
1052:
1051:
1038:
1028:
1026:
1017:
1016:
1012:
998:
997:
993:
979:
978:
974:
964:
962:
952:
951:
947:
937:
935:
926:
925:
921:
911:
909:
901:
900:
896:
886:
884:
880:
876:
875:
871:
864:
849:
848:
844:
829:
828:
824:
814:
812:
803:
802:
798:
791:
776:
775:
760:
752:
748:
747:
740:
730:
728:
723:
722:
718:
708:
706:
701:
700:
696:
686:
684:
670:
669:
665:
656:
655:
651:
642:
640:
630:
629:
610:
602:
597:
596:
592:
587:
564:
524:
504:
426:
402:Atlantic County
382:
360:Cape May County
333:Cape May County
310:
162: countries
125:
123:
119:
116:
111:
108:
106:
104:
103:
74:
73:
72:
71:
70:
69:
68:
64:
43:
12:
11:
5:
1302:
1300:
1292:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1271:
1270:
1265:
1264:
1247:
1225:
1199:
1185:
1163:
1156:
1131:
1093:
1036:
1010:
991:
972:
945:
919:
894:
869:
862:
842:
822:
796:
789:
758:
738:
716:
694:
663:
649:
608:
589:
588:
586:
583:
563:
560:
523:
520:
503:
500:
442:Upper Township
425:
422:
381:
378:
365:Somers Mansion
321:Atlantic Ocean
309:
306:
294:Atlantic Ocean
235:
234:
228:Seaview Harbor
224:Upper Township
213:
209:
208:
205:
199:
198:
195:
194:
191:
187:
186:
183:
179:
178:
175:
171:
170:
167:
166:
163:
156:
155:
153:Atlantic Ocean
150:
144:
143:
138:
134:
133:
101:
95:
94:
80:
76:
75:
66:
65:
58:
57:
51:
50:
49:
48:
45:
44:
29:
21:
20:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1301:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1260:
1254:
1252:
1248:
1236:
1229:
1226:
1214:
1210:
1203:
1200:
1195:
1189:
1186:
1173:
1167:
1164:
1159:
1157:9781577855033
1153:
1149:
1145:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1116:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1104:
1102:
1100:
1098:
1094:
1083:on 2018-03-02
1079:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1063:
1056:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1041:
1037:
1025:
1021:
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1006:
1002:
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992:
987:
983:
976:
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960:
956:
949:
946:
934:
930:
923:
920:
908:
905:
898:
895:
879:
873:
870:
865:
863:9780804740142
859:
855:
854:
846:
843:
838:
834:
833:
826:
823:
810:
806:
800:
797:
792:
790:0-7385-2447-6
786:
782:
781:
773:
771:
769:
767:
765:
763:
759:
751:
745:
743:
739:
726:
720:
717:
704:
698:
695:
682:
678:
674:
667:
664:
659:
653:
650:
639:on 2018-07-02
638:
634:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
617:
615:
613:
609:
601:
594:
591:
584:
582:
580:
575:
573:
569:
561:
559:
557:
553:
549:
545:
541:
537:
533:
532:invertebrates
529:
521:
519:
517:
513:
509:
501:
499:
497:
493:
488:
486:
482:
476:
474:
469:
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451:
447:
443:
439:
430:
423:
421:
419:
415:
411:
407:
403:
398:
396:
391:
390:Atlantic City
387:
384:In 1907, the
379:
377:
375:
370:
366:
361:
357:
353:
349:
344:
342:
338:
334:
330:
327:existed as a
326:
322:
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307:
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184:
176:
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165:United States
164:
161:
157:
154:
151:
145:
142:
139:
137:River sources
135:
130:
102:
96:
93:
89:
85:
81:
55:
46:
41:
37:
33:
27:
22:
17:
1238:. Retrieved
1228:
1216:. Retrieved
1212:
1202:
1188:
1178:December 22,
1176:. Retrieved
1166:
1147:
1122:. Retrieved
1085:. Retrieved
1078:the original
1068:(3): 38–39.
1065:
1061:
1027:. Retrieved
1023:
1013:
1004:
994:
985:
975:
963:. Retrieved
959:the original
948:
936:. Retrieved
932:
922:
910:. Retrieved
906:
897:
885:. Retrieved
872:
852:
845:
831:
825:
813:. Retrieved
809:the original
799:
779:
729:. Retrieved
719:
707:. Retrieved
697:
685:. Retrieved
681:the original
676:
666:
652:
641:. Retrieved
637:the original
593:
576:
565:
525:
505:
496:Corson Inlet
489:
477:
470:
435:
399:
383:
369:Somers Point
355:
345:
317:interglacial
311:
286:interglacial
272:
267:
243:
239:
238:
220:Somers Point
190:Surface area
82:Counties of
450:spring tide
356:Eyren Haven
348:Leni-Lenape
314:Sangamonian
312:During the
283:Sangamonian
279:tributaries
268:Eyren Haven
212:Settlements
174:Max. length
124: /
99:Coordinates
1273:Categories
1087:2018-03-01
643:2018-03-01
585:References
548:hard clams
544:seagrasses
462:polyhaline
337:Ocean City
298:Ocean City
260:New Jersey
216:Ocean City
182:Max. width
112:74°38′59″W
109:39°18′15″N
92:New Jersey
1074:0090-1830
709:April 14,
579:bulkheads
568:shipyards
536:amphipods
528:shellfish
522:Ecosystem
380:Crossings
374:steamboat
1124:March 2,
1029:March 1,
965:March 1,
938:March 1,
912:March 1,
887:March 1,
815:March 1,
731:March 1,
687:March 1,
562:Industry
512:mudflats
454:salinity
424:Features
341:Longport
302:Longport
252:Atlantic
250:between
232:Longport
88:Cape May
84:Atlantic
79:Location
1240:July 1,
1218:July 1,
572:Jet ski
556:rookery
502:Islands
473:marshes
436:At the
308:History
246:) is a
203:Islands
1154:
1072:
860:
787:
540:mysids
508:shoals
1118:(PDF)
1081:(PDF)
1058:(PDF)
881:(PDF)
753:(PDF)
603:(PDF)
329:delta
290:delta
160:Basin
1242:2019
1220:2019
1180:2017
1152:ISBN
1126:2018
1070:ISSN
1031:2018
967:2018
940:2018
914:2018
889:2018
858:ISBN
817:2018
785:ISBN
733:2018
711:2018
689:2018
510:and
444:and
438:head
339:and
300:and
273:The
254:and
242:(or
86:and
837:107
248:bay
90:in
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1134:^
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761:^
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611:^
538:,
230:,
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