This paper provides background information on the effect of tide waves upon the movement of water in the Hudson River estuary. Computations based on records from three continuous stage recorders and current-meter discharge measurements made throughout a tidal cycle show that peak discharge rates in the estuary at Poughkeepsie may be as great as 500,000 cubic feet per second and that total daily tidal volumes as great as 20 billion cubic feet move in the estuary. Computation of water movement in the estuary requires precise field data and continued efforts are needed to perfect the data-collection system and the computation procedure in order to adequately define water movement in the Hudson estuary.