Shark River (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
The Shark River is a river in eastern New Jersey
that rises in eastern Monmouth County
and flows southeast for 11.7 miles (18.8 km), continuing through Neptune Township
and Wall Township
. The river continues towards the Shark River Inlet
, an estuary
that feeds into the Atlantic Ocean
between Belmar
and Avon-by-the-Sea
.
, as it closely resembles the definition of tidal basin
; a tidal, salt water
region separated from the open sea by a land formation, or barrier, and primarily influenced by oceanic tidal fluctuations.
The area commonly referred to as the Shark River (not the inlet
with its bulkhead
) is actually a small bay
of approximately eight hundred acres which includes the confluence
of four fresh water
streams, adjacent mud flats, salt marshes, the open water, and the inlet which connects the bay to the Atlantic Ocean.
The term river generally refers to an aquatic entity that sustains a substantial amount of moving fresh water
. The primary tributaries supplying fresh water to the Shark River tidal basin are; Shark River Stream
, Jumping Brook
; Musquash Brook, and Laurel Brook. These four streams, while draining a sizable watershed
, only provide a negligible amount of fresh water to the basin when compared to the large amounts of salt water
entering via the normal tidal fluctuation. This small amount of fresh water entering the bay, the relatively small size of the bay itself, and the substantial amounts of salt water that enters the bay (via the inlet), better describes the Shark River as a “tidal basin” than a river.
The river (or stream) travels through sediments deposited during the Late Eocene
and Middle Miocene
periods. Fossils of reptiles, mammals and shark teeth and other fish remains can be found along its banks.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
that rises in eastern Monmouth County
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
and flows southeast for 11.7 miles (18.8 km), continuing through Neptune Township
Neptune Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,690 people, 10,907 households, and 6,805 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,366.8 people per square mile . There were 12,217 housing units at an average density of 1,485.4 per square mile...
and Wall Township
Wall Township, New Jersey
Wall Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 26,164.Wall Township was formally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1851...
. The river continues towards the Shark River Inlet
Shark River Inlet
The Shark River Inlet is an inlet that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Shark River, located entirely in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The Shark River Inlet acts as a border between the towns of Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea at the Atlantic Ocean...
, an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
that feeds into the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
between Belmar
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....
and Avon-by-the-Sea
Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey
Avon-by-the-Sea is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,901...
.
River or bay
There is some discrepancy about the Shark River actually being a riverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
, as it closely resembles the definition of tidal basin
Tidal Basin
-External links:*-References:...
; a tidal, salt water
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
region separated from the open sea by a land formation, or barrier, and primarily influenced by oceanic tidal fluctuations.
The area commonly referred to as the Shark River (not the inlet
Shark River Inlet
The Shark River Inlet is an inlet that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Shark River, located entirely in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The Shark River Inlet acts as a border between the towns of Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea at the Atlantic Ocean...
with its bulkhead
Bulkhead (barrier)
A bulkhead is a retaining wall, such as a bulkhead within a ship or a watershed retaining wall. It may also be used in mines, to contain flooding.Certain bulkheads, e.g., at the Hudson River are of historical and architectural value....
) is actually a small bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of approximately eight hundred acres which includes the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of four fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
streams, adjacent mud flats, salt marshes, the open water, and the inlet which connects the bay to the Atlantic Ocean.
The term river generally refers to an aquatic entity that sustains a substantial amount of moving fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
. The primary tributaries supplying fresh water to the Shark River tidal basin are; Shark River Stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
, Jumping Brook
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
; Musquash Brook, and Laurel Brook. These four streams, while draining a sizable watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
, only provide a negligible amount of fresh water to the basin when compared to the large amounts of salt water
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
entering via the normal tidal fluctuation. This small amount of fresh water entering the bay, the relatively small size of the bay itself, and the substantial amounts of salt water that enters the bay (via the inlet), better describes the Shark River as a “tidal basin” than a river.
The river (or stream) travels through sediments deposited during the Late Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
and Middle Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
periods. Fossils of reptiles, mammals and shark teeth and other fish remains can be found along its banks.