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Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and various rivers in the United States. It lies between the coast of Connecticut to the north and Long Island to the south. Many mansions along with wealthy neighborhoods characterize a good portion of the sound from the cityline of New York out to Setauket and Port Jefferson. The towns of Orient, Greenport, East Marion, Southold, and Mattituck have smaller populations and are located on the extreme eastern tip of the Long Island Sound. The property value here is high. On the extreme western end, it is bounded on the north side by Westchester County, New York and the Bronx, and connects to the East River. On its eastern end it is connected to Block Island Sound. The sound is considered by some to be the natural border between New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.
Waters of Long Island Sound are influenced by the Labrador Current, which results in the relatively cold water temperature and dark bluish-green color. Average water temperature for Long Island Sound is around 34°F (1°C) in January; some of the shallow inlets freeze over during winter. In July the water temperature is typically around 55°F (13°C), which contributes to relatively mild summer temperatures for Long Island and coastal Connceticut.
The Sound is 110 miles (177 km) long and 21 miles (34 km) wide at its widest point. It has an average depth of 78 feet (24 m), with the deepest point being 300 feet (90 m). The volume of water in the Sound is 8 trillion US gallons (30 km³). Including all islands, the Long Island Sound has a shoreline of 548 miles (882 km).
The first European to record the existence of Long Island Sound was the Dutch navigator Adriaen Block, who entered the sound from the East River in 1614.
Several major cities are situated along the Long Island Sound, resulting in a total of more than 8 million people living within its watershed. Major Connecticut cities on the Sound include Bridgeport, New London, Stamford, Norwalk, and New Haven. New York cities on the Sound include Port Jefferson and New York City (the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx).
Ferries provide service between Long Island and Connecticut, notably between Port Jefferson, New York and Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Orient Point, New York and New London, Connecticut. Some of the ferries that cross the Long Island Sound carry automobiles, trucks, buses, as well as passengers.
Underwater cables transmit electricity under the Long Island Sound, most notably the controversial Cross-Sound Cable that runs from New Haven in western Connecticut, to Brookhaven in central Long Island. Scientists debate whether or not these cables are safe for the fragile Long Island Sound environment, especially the underwater lifeforms.
Broadwater Energy LLC, a joint venture between the Shell Oil Company and TransCanada Corporation, has proposed building a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the middle of Long Island Sound. The terminal would regasify LNG offloaded from ships, and this gas would flow through pipelines under the sound to New York and Connecticut. Some politicians from both states, such as NY Senator Chuck Schumer are fiercely opposed to the terminal, claiming that alternative energy sources and conservation should be pursued instead of adding new distribution lines and supply sources. However, local Connecticut politicians have little influence since the terminal would be located entirely within waters that are part of New York state (although Connecticut senators and congressmen may be able to stop the platform at the federal level).
The Long Island Sound side differs from the Atlantic Ocean side of Long Island because the shorelines here are rocky. The Atlantic Ocean side remains sandy with no rocks. This is due to the formation of Long Island nearly 10,000 years ago as glaciers formed the fish-shaped island.
Many attempts have been made to build a bridge over the sound, including a bridge from Rye, New York to Oyster Bay, New York, from New Haven, Connecticut to Shoreham, from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Port Jefferson, New York on Long Island, or from Orient Point, New York to Rhode Island. In addition, there are also thought to build a tunnel under the sound, such as a tunnel from Rye, New York to Oyster Bay, New York to carry both freeway lanes and railroads. However, none has been built yet.
Long Island Sound has historically had a rich fishery, but in recent years the western part of the sound has become increasingly deficient of marine life. The fishing and lobstering industries have encouraged efforts to identify the cause of the dead water and rectify the problem.
Major environmental problems currently affecting the Sound include hypoxia, toxic substance and pathogen contamination, debris and other man-made pollution, and overdevelopment.*
See also
External links
- What Makes Long Island Sound So Special? - EPA website
- Save The Sound - non-profit preservation group
- Long Island Sound Foundation - non-profit preservation group
- Cross-Sound Cable - official CSC website
- Human Nature - New York Times series on Long Island Sound
Estuaries | Geography of Connecticut | Geography of New York | Long Island
"Long Island Sound"