New York State's waterfronts are exciting and diverse, from Niagara Falls to Montauk Point, from New York Harbor to the lakes of the Catskills and the Adirondacks, from the Delaware River to the Finger Lakes, and from the Hudson River and the Canal system to the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. The waterfront plays a vital role in the lives of New Yorkers.

Ninety percent of the state's population and a wide variety of economic activities are concentrated in the communities along its waterfronts — from the largest cities to the smallest hamlets.

Our waterfronts are rich in natural resources – with abundant fish and wildlife as well as bluffs, beaches and wetlands, forests, and rolling farmlands.

More and more people are seeing their waterfronts as a way to bring new life and energy to their community. They're doing this by creating new economic activity, redeveloping historic and abandoned structures, improving waterfront recreation, and restoring and protecting natural resources.

Whether you live in a rural town or a New York City neighborhood, you can take full advantage of your waterfront by working with the Division of Coastal Resources. We work in partnership with community groups, non-profit organizations, and all levels of government to help communities make the most of their waterfronts by achieving both conservation and development to strengthen local economies and quality of life.

Welcome to the New York State Department of State Division of Coastal Resources