'A Day in the Life of the Hudson River'

2006 Sediment Sample Results

The coring activity creates challenges and excitement!
Sediment Sampling 2005 Results 2006 Results 2007 Results

Before reviewing this page please refer to the main Sediment's Page on this website for the necessary background information.

The chart below summarizes the core description information by River Mile/Location (with the tip of the Battery being designated as RM1) , an estimation of the amount of water in the sample, color description of the sample, estimated grain size and noted content of the sample. Why is this information useful? Refer back to the main Sediment page for a discussion on this topic.

River Mile
Location Name
 % H2O 
Sed. Color
Sed. Size
Sed. Content
-11
Breezy Pt.
Medium
light sandy tan
Coarse Grain
sand & shells
-7
Ft. Wadsworth
High
sandy brown
Coarse Grain
sand & fines, small brick bits
1
East River 1
Low
Dark/chocolate brown
Coarse Grain
high sand, black flecks, small brick bits
1
East River 2
Low
Dark/chocolate brown
Coarse Grain
high sand, black flecks, small brick bits
1
East River 3
Low
Dark/chocolate brown
Coarse Grain
high sand, black flecks, small brick bits
13
Swindler Cove
Low
Light brown
Coarse Grain
high sand, high rocks, large shell pieces
14
Inwood
Low
Dark/Chocolate brown
Fine- mud/silt
roots, seed high organic/high mud
25
Matheson Pk.
High
Brown/black mix
Fine grain
very fine sand
28
Nyack
High
Dark brown
Fine grain
sand, shells, brick, detritus
35
Croton
Low
Sandy tan
Coarse Grain
large sand grains, shells, rocks
41
Verplank
High
Sandy brown
Very coarse
coarse sand, gravel & brick bits
55
Little Stony Pt.
Low
Sandy brown
Coarse Grain
coarse sand & detritus
58
Kowawese
Low
Dark brown
Fine grain
fine grain sand & large rock chunks
76
Waryas Pk.
Medium
Dark brown
Fine grain
mud, sand, plants
84.5
Norrie Pt.
Medium
Dark/chocolate brown
Fine grain
mud, plant material, gravel
92
Kingston Pt.
Low
Reddish brown
Very coarse
coarse sand, gravel & brick bits
96.5
Ulster Lnd.
Low
dark mud/clay
Small sand grain
high sand, some mud & brick
102
Saugerties Lth.
Low
dark brown
Sandy & clumpy
mud and sand, plant threads
115
Cohotate
VERY High
dark brown
Fine grain
find sand & plant detritus
127
Stuyvesant Lnd.
Medium
dark mud/clay
Sandy & mud
high sand, some mud

So what did our results look like in 2006? Examine the two graphs shown below. These graph represent the same information, just shown in different ways. Both graphs show the four main metals we have been focusing on for this sediment analysis. The first graph does not show the individual data points where samples were collected, while the second graph has a marker for each sample site. The spike that is represented in the lower end of the river is from samples taken in the East River ~RM1. Look at the 'lines' that indicate the readings for lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) compared to the Maganese (Mg) and Iron (Fe). You will see there is much more variability in the ppm of Pb and Zn. The Mg and Fe amounts are a more consistent number throughout the sample area. After reviewing the information on our main Sediment page would the results shown below be consistent with what you would expect to find for these four metals in the Hudson River? The East River is well known for its industrial and commercial history. How does this piece of the river's past surface in the XRF results?

The chart below shows just the Pb and Zn amounts from the samples. Looking at these two metals together you can see there is a very consistent relationship between the readings. The spikes and valleys on the graph seem to echo each other. Since these are both metals tied to industrialization does it make sense that their numbers would show a positive relationship?

Location RM Pb Zn Mn Fe
Breezy Pt. -11 4.44 6.44 47.89 2163.88
Ft. Wadsworth -7 8.67 16.32 73.52 2297.03
East River 1 1 1671.4 1293.57 336.34 34176.79
East River 2 1 679.19 1078.65 336.87 28175.2
East River 3 1 328.43 326.75 122.41 14181.52
Swindler Cove 13 55.05 49.72 131.42 6675.1
Inwood 14 116.77 102.72 282.6 13851.38
Matheson Pk. 25 24.71 55.57 294.66 14343.95
Nyack 28 62.47 104.48 219.4 16003.21
Croton 35 3.81 29.82 358.73 15539.74
Verplank 41 20.79 67.67 419.21 15502.62
Little Stony Pt. 55 3.57 42.31 404.27 22529.64
Kowawese 58 21.41 38.8 342.4 12694.89
Waryas Pk. 76 61.16 122.07 484.25 19445.74
Norrie Pt. 84.5 34.94 85.01 289.39 15686.3
Kingston Pt. 92 10.6 36.2 326.34 12954.97
Ulster Lnd. 96.5 4.4 45.57 246.3 11921.7
Saugerties Lth. 102 10.32 35.92 167.94 9482.92
Cohotate 115 15.09 55.22 218.8 12855.27
Stuyvesant Lnd. 127 9.95 54.81 430.62 23561.98

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