bay, Lower Saxony Land (state), northwestern Germany. It is a broad inlet of the North Sea that covers an area of 73 square miles (190 square km). Formed for the most part by storm floods that occurred in 1219 and 1511, the generally shallow bay is fed by several small streams, including the Jade River. In springtime, the 13.5-foot (4.1-metre) difference between high and low tide is the greatest on the German North Sea coast. The port of Wilhelmshaven is situated on its northwest coast. The bay and its shore are part of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park.