Water defines much of New Jersey's geography, borders, and recreational life.
* **Borders:** The state is bounded by the Delaware River to the west, the Hudson River to the northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south. * **Lakes:** Lake Hopatcong is the state's largest freshwater lake, highly popular for motorized boating, sailing, and fishing. * **Bays and Estuaries:** Barnegat Bay and the Delaware Bay are critical aquatic ecosystems for marine life, commercial fishing, and recreational crabbing. * **Rivers:** The Passaic, Raritan, and Hackensack rivers are major internal waterways with rich industrial histories that are currently seeing significant environmental restoration and renewed recreational use.