Estuaries also have economic, recreational, and aesthetic value. People love water sports and visit estuaries to boat, fish, swim, and just enjoy their beauty. As a result, the economy of many coastal areas is based primarily on the natural beauty and bounty of their estuaries. Estuaries often have ports serving shipping, transportation, and industry. Healthy estuaries support profitable, commercial fisheries. In fact, almost 31 percent of the Gross National Product (GNP) is produced in coastal counties. This relationship between plants, animals, and humans makes up an estuary's ecosystem. When its components are in balance, plant and animal life flourishes.
Because of our love of the water, almost half of the United States population now lives in coastal areas, including shores of estuaries. In addition, coastal counties are growing three times faster than anywhere else. Unfortunately, this increasing concentration of people upsets the balance of ecosystems. People need housing services, and roads, so new industry and businesses arrive to provide them. When severe, such stresses have forced government authorities to close beaches and shellfish beds and issue warnings about eating fish. In addition, removing grass and trees for development can cause soil erosion and reduce natural habitat, which contributes to the threat of extinction of endangered wildlife.
By providing grants and technical assistance, EPA helps state and local governments in their efforts to protect and restore their vital estuarine resources. EPA also shares "lessons learned" among all the individual estuary programs as well as other coastal communities.
The NEPs are as diverse as their individual estuaries. Each provides a unique blend of marine resources, natural beauty, and economic and recreational opportunities for its community. Therefore, estuary programs' priorities and potential solutions are equally diverse.
Sediments in Puget Sound are contaminated with toxic chemicals. This contamination results from large inputs of toxic substances to a body of water, which is a very serious problem in estuaries. Marine animals that live on the estuary floor can accumulate the poisons in their bodies and, sometimes, pass them on to humans who eat them. To protect marine life and help guide decisions on when and where to clean up contaminated sediments, the Puget Sound NEP's CCMP called for development of the nation's first marine sediment standards. Because industrial and sewage plant dischargers are among the main sources of toxic substances entering the Sound, these sediment standards are being incorporated into their discharge permits. This should significantly reduce the quantity of poisonous substances entering the Sound.
Who to Contact:
Nancy McKay, Executive Director
Puget Sound Water Authority
(206) 407-7300
Tillamook Bay represents many small Pacific Northwest estuaries. Dominated by rugged mountains with narrow coastal plain, it presents a challenging combination of environmental concerns. Heavy rainfall can wash sediment from the forested upper watershed and a variety of pollutants from the lowlands through the rivers and into the bay, affecting important fish runs and shellfish beds. Resulting loss of habitat undermines fishing industries and threatens wildlife. In addition, further limiting uses of the estuary. The Program is finding ways to protect both the area's natural resources and its natural-resource-dependant economy.
Who to Contact:
Marilyn Sigman, Director
Tillamook Bay NEP
(503) 842-9922
Human activities in the 1600 square mile Bay / Delta watershed region have drastically altered natural habitats and impaired the functions of the estuary's ecosystem. Poor cattle grazing practices contribute to soil erosion and water quality problems. In a model public / private partnership, this NEP is assisting a private rancher in developing a grazing management strategy for a 500 acre parcel of public land within Wildcat Creek Regional Park. Strategies already being implemented include building barriers to prevent livestock from trampling sensitive habitats, installing pens to improve livestock management, and selecting cattle grazing period to retard the growth of alien and nuisance plants. These measures encourage the regrowth of native bunchgrasses and forbs that provide not only better habitat for wildlife, but also more desirable forage for the cattle. In addition, soil erosion and pollutant loadings should decrease.
Who to Contact:
Craig Denisoff, Program Manager
San Francisco Estuary Project
San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
(510) 286-0625
For additional information on spatial data in the San Francisco Bay area, go to the Research Program in Environmental Planning and Geographic Information Systems (REGIS) at the University of California, Berkeley.
Southern California's culture has been linked to its beaches for decades. But over the last several years, the number of visitors to area beaches has dropped, due in part to concern about pollution in bay waters. The Santa Monica Bay NEP determined that the 5,000 mile storm drain system in the county was causing pollution that created public concern about swimming and surfing. To ensure public safety, this NEP produced bilingual advisory signs for posting by lifeguards and initiated one of the first stormwater runoff permit programs in the nation. Eventually this will reduce the amount of pollution entering the bay.
Who To Contact
Catherine Tyrrell, Director
Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project
(213) 266-7515
The Corpus Christi Bay Estuary is located in a semi-arid region and is subject to the growing needs of a large city. In addition to a lack of rainfall, water from rivers and streams that would otherwise flow to the estuary is diverted for residential, industrial, and agricultural uses. The lack of fresh water mixing with sea water causes pollutants to concentrate in the estuary and contributes to losses of oysters and white shrimp. As the urban population in Corpus Christi area grows, so does the demand for water. This NEP will try to meet these growing urban needs as well as provide adequate fresh water to support the estuary's plant and animal life. Developing water re-use and conservation practices and allowing reservoir releases of fresh water during critical high-salinity periods are among the strategies available to the Corpus Christi NEP.
Who to Contact:
Richard Volk, Director
Corpus Christi Bay NEP
(512) 985-6767
In Galveston Bay, shoreline was lost at a rate of 2.2 feet per year between 1850 and 1982, causing a total loss of 8,000 acres. To reverse this trend, the local NEP is transplanting smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) at a variety of sites and protecting the new plants with temporary wave barriers made of used parachute material. Volunteers from the Galveston Bay Foundation, local businesses, citizen groups, and student organizations have done much of the actual work of transplanting the codgrass.
Who to Contact:
Dr. Frank Shipley, Director
Galveston Bay National Estuary Program
(713) 332-9937
Since 1932, over 400,000 acres of productive wetlands habitat have been converted to open water in the Barataria- Terrebonne Estuary System. This NEP is developing a computer model of the 4- million- acre estuary system that will predict future habitat conditions. Looking at the whole estuary, the model will show how and where the changes - natural or manmade - in one area affect the other areas. The model will also predict effects of natural events, such as hurricanes and storms, and large-scale human activities, such as canal construction and flood control. The Barataria- Terrebonne NEP will use this landscape model to evaluate the impacts of actions that could be taken to conserve the habitat in this estuarine watershed.
Who to Contact:
Dr, Steve Mathies, Director
Barataria- Terrebonne NEP
(504) 447-0868
(800) 259-0869
Through local county extension services, the Tampa Bay NEP launched a grass-roots initiative to reduced runoff to its bay. Florida Yards and Neighbors pairs residents committed to improving their environment with experts trained to advise and assist. Neighbors may enroll in a 12- month program that begins with a "checkup" identifying bay-polluting home and landscape practices. On-site workshops follow, with emphasis on ways to reduce fertilizer and pesticide use and conserve water.
Who to Contact:
Dick Eckenrod, Director
Tampa Bay Estuary
NEP
(813) 893-2765
Much of Sarasota Bay's habitat for young fish was destroyed as the natural, mangrove shoreline was replaced by concrete sea walls during development of waterfront communities. Most of those sea walls cannot be removed without causing severe damage to homes. However, a project by the Sarasota Bay NEP may turn those sea walls in to an asset for the bay, rather than a liability. Four different styles of small artificial reefs attached to sea walls are being tested for their ability to provide a home for young fish. Early results show more than 400 young fish living near the reefs. Only a few young fish have been seen in similar areas without reefs.
Who to Contact:
Mark Alderson, Director
Sarasota Bay NEP
(813) 361-6133
Excessive amounts of stormwater runoff deposit nutrients and sediment in the Indian River Lagoon. These impact bottom-dwelling organisms, foster algae overgrowth, and smother seagrasses, which are critical to the health of the estuary. To help keep sand, leaves, and litter out of the lagoon, the Indian River NEP built a concrete sediment trap - called a 'baffle box" - in a drainage system serving a developed section of the shoreline. This "baffle box" has captured approximately four tons of sediment since its installation in 1992. As a result, the use of this simple and relatively inexpensive technology is being expanded throughout the lagoon.
Who to Contact:
Derek Busby, Director
Indian River Lagoon
NEP
(407) 984-4950
Like other estuaries, the Albemarle- Pamlico Sounds suffer from the loss of wetlands habitat. Therefore, the Albemarle- Pamlico Estuary Program is sponsoring a marsh construction project. Landowners and contractors are building breakwaters and planting marsh grass to provide vital habitat, prevent erosion, and filter pollutants. The breakwaters will be low enough to withstand severe storms and maintain water quality, but high enough to protect marsh grass planted behind them and buffer eroding shorelines from destructive waves. Eventually, the marsh grass will provide additional habitat and prevent further shoreline erosion.
Who to Contact:
Randall G. Waite, Director
Albemarle/Pamlico Estuarine Study
N.C. Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources
(919) 733-0314
As in many other estuaries, the Delaware Inland Bays are significantly affected by shoreline erosion. Traditional soil stabilization techniques used to combat erosion, especially building vertical bulkheads, harm habitats of marine life and increase erosion of nearby unprotected shoreline. Therefore, the Delaware Inland Bays Estuary Program is sponsoring a project to demonstrate the benefits of alternative stabilization methods. The project involves stabilizing two eroding shorelines with a combination of native vegetation and rock groins. The project will benefit not only the estuary, but also the plants, animals, and people who live along the shore of the estuary. In addition, the project will encourage state legislators to initiate a tax incentive programs to promote use of other natural erosion control measures.
Who to contact:
John Schneider, Director
Delaware Inland Bays Estuary Program
Delaware Department of Natural Resources
and Environmental Control
(302)739-4590
The water of Red Clay and White Clay Creeks eventually mix with the Delaware Estuary waters. When it rains, the sediments, animal wastes, pesticides, and fertilizers wash off nearby farms and into the creeks-eventually settling in the Delaware Estuary. To prevent these pollutants from reaching the estuary and causing health hazards to plants, animals, and humans, the Delaware Estuary NEP helped develop and demonstrate methods such as the use of terraces and grassy channels to capture and filter pollutants before they reach the creeks. These techniques, where instituted by local farmers , were so successful at reducing pollution that tours of the area were given to other farmers and homeowners who could use the same approaches on their crops and gardens.
Who to contact:
Robert Tudor, Program Coordinator
Delaware Estuary Program
U.S. EPA-Philadelphia, PA
Environmental Assessment Branch
(215) 597-1181
Trash and other floatable marine debris washing up on area beaches had been chronic problem for the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary, but unusual episodes in 1987 and 1988 shocked the public and closed many beaches. The New York-New Jersey Harbor NEP developed a short- term plan using helicopters and vessels for surveillance and capture of the floatable debris. A long-term plan to address the floatables problem was subsequently developed. It included the purchase of additional skimmer vessels to collect debris, a pollution abatement strategy, and an Operation Clean Shores program in New Jersey that has already removed 10,000 tons of debris.
Who to Contact:
Joanne Moisides
New York Department of Environment Conservation - Albany NY
(518)485-7786
Mary Downes Gastrich
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy
(609)292-1895
Excess nitrogen inputs are a major problem in Long Island Sound because they deplete oxygen in the water that marine life depends upon for its survival. Much of this nitrogen comes from sewage treatment plants. The Long Island Sound NEP has demonstrated innovative technologies to remove nitrogen from sewage treatment plant discharges. Local trials in Connecticut and New York show that these technologies are quite successful with either mechanical aeration or diffused air systems. Consequently, this NEP is promoting the use of these technologies to other sewage treatment plants to increase the amount of oxygen in the sound and to make the sound more hospitable to marine life.
Who to Contact:
Mark Tedesco, Director
Long Island Sound Office
(203)977-1541
Long before Peconic Bay joined the NEP program, agencies, businesses, and citizens formed a task force to fight an algae overgrowth that threatened their multimillion dollar fish and shellfish industries. This resulted in a comprehensive study whose recommendations will allow quick completion of the final NEP management plan for Peconic Bay. Taking advantage of this early work, the Peconic Bay NEP has decided to conduct various demonstration projects, including a program to reestablish its scallop population. The program will plant 100,000 seed scallops and implement controls on sources of pollution that threaten the scallop habitat.
Who to Contact:
Vito Minei, Manager
Peconic Bay Program Suffolk County Department of Health Services
(516)852-2080
Narragansett Bay is the center of industrial activity in Rhode Island and, therefore, receives a great quantity of pollutants. In addition, pollution from highly industrialized areas in Massachusetts is washed into rivers that flow into the bay. To help companies reduce the amount of toxic contaminants they discharge into these waters, the Narragansett Bay NEP established the Hazardous Waste Reduction Project (HWRP). Under this project, companies could request a technical assessment of practices generating hazardous waste. Assessment teams inspected companies' industrial processes to identify possible areas where hazardous waste production or discharges could be reduced. These teams also evaluated the most practical and cost-effective methods of incorporating waste reduction teams. The success of this project has led the State of Rhode Island to establish a permanent Hazardous Waste Reduction Program as well as a hazardous waste collection facility.
Who to Contact:
Richard Ribb/Chris Deacutis
Project Co-Managers
Narragansett Bay Project
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
(401)277-3165
The threat of disease-producing organisms in storm water runoff is causing increased closings of swimming beaches and shellfish beds around Buzzards Bay. To reverse this trend, the Buzzards Bay Project is working with area municipalities to treat contaminated stormwater by collecting it in detention basins and percolating it through soil to reduce the quantity of bacteria and viruses. The use of artificial wetlands is also being tested to reduce these pollutants.
Who to Contact:
Dr. Joseph Costa, Director
Buzzards Bay Project
(508) 748-3600
In 1991, the Massachusetts Bays Program identified three coastal areas to serve as small-scale NEP models of integrated research, planning, action, and public involvement. The mini-bay projects selected were Wellfleet Harbor, the Fore River Estuary, and the Plum Island Sound / Rivers System. For five years the NEP will support the communities bordering these areas in their efforts to identify sources of pollution, implement cost-effective corrective actions, establish monitoring programs, and generate local support. By encouraging communities to work together on the basis of where natural resources are located, instead of following traditional political boundaries, the Massachusetts Bay NEP encourages a new approach to environmental protection.
Who to Contact:
Dr. Diane Gould, Executive Director
Massachusetts Bays Program
(617) 727-9530
The Casco Bay NEP realizes that long-term protection of the bay will depend on the actions of the local communities. As a result, the program has worked to give local officials the tools they need to make sound decisions. One of these tools is a geographic information system (GIS), which allows large quantities of geographic information- such as critical natural resources, existing development, and drainage ways- to be combined, analyzed and printed up as maps. As a result, town officials can see the effects of their decisions in advance. This type of decision-making power will be instrumental in preventing pollution of the Casco Bay.
Who to Contact:
Lee Doggett, Director
Casco Bay Estuary Project
(207) 828-1043
San Juan Bay Estuary has a unique role to play in the NEP. The first tropical island estuary to take part in the program, it contains coral communities, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests- all habitats designated critical areas. The estuary is one of the many tropical areas trying to balance economic needs and resource protection through environmentally sensitive tourism. Information gained and lessons learned in this NEP can help other tropical estuaries in the United States and the Caribbean.
Who to Contact:
Milagros Rodriguez
P.R. Environmental Quality Board
(809) 729-6921
Carlos Padin
Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources and Environment
(809) 724-5516