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ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the Association of
National Estuary Programs members and staff. Assistance in compiling
this publication was received from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and members of the National Estuary Programs. Mention
of trade names, corporations or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation by the
sponsoring agencies or the Association
of National Estuary Programs.
Estuary - A semi-enclosed body of water, open to the ocean
and diluted by fresh water
Watershed - The land area surrounding an estuary which
collects and conveys fresh water to the estuary
South Florida
sunrise along
the Indian
River Lagoon
-4';": *KWn^W
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front cover, kayakers paddling in Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds, North Carolina.
©1998
Association of National Estuary Programs,
Washington, D.C.
Derek S. Busby, Project Manager
Cape Canaveral Scientific, Inc.
of Melbourne Beach, Florida, Publication Design
Drawings by Bonnie Bower-Dennis, Vero Beach, Florida.
CIS map information provided by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Water, Washington, D.C.:
Photo credits include:
Cover, Joan Giordano, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Estuary Program;
Inside front cover by Patrick Lynch, South Florida Water Management District;
Page 2, Heinz Gartlgruber of Tampa Bay NEP;
Page 3, Sarasota Bay NEP and Galveston Bay NEP;
Page 4, Charlotte Harbor NEP and Tillamook Bay NEP; ^
Page 5, Trust for Public Lands, NJ and Joan Giordano, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Estuary Program;
Page 6, Galveston Bay NEP and Barataria-Terrebonne NEP;
Page 7, San Francisco Bay NEP and Trust for Public Lands, NJ;
Page 8, New Hampshire Estuaries Project and Barnegat Bay NEP;
Page 9, Tillamook Bay NEP;
Page 10, and San Francisco Bay NEP and Patrick Lynch, South Florida Water Management District-
Page 11, Robert Day at Indian River Lagoon NEP and Tillamook Bay NEP;
Page 12, Florida Marine Research Institute at the Florida DEP and Robert Day, Indian River Lagoon NEP;
Page 13, Patrick Lynch, South Florida Water Management District-
Page 14, San Francisco Bay NEP and Patrick Lynch, South Florida Water Management District;
Page 15, Patrick Lynch, South Florida Water Management District-
Page 16, Tampa Bay NEP and Sarasota Bay NEP;
Page 1 7, Galveston Bay NEP and Tillamook Bay NEP;
Page 18, Joan Giordano, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Estuary Program;
Page 19, Joan Giordano, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Estuary Program;
Back cover, Sarasota Bay NEP.
Contributing Authors/Editors: Derek S. Busby, St. Johns River Water Management District/Indian River Lagoon
NEP; Richard Volk, Corpus Christ! Bay NEP; Nanette Holland, Tampa Bay Estuary Program; Tiffany Lutterman,
Charlotte Harbor NEP; Marcia Brockbank, San Francisco Bay Estuary Program; Marianne Yamaguchi, Santa
Monica Bay NEP; Courtland Lewis, and Ginger Webster. Many others provided valuable comments and review
of this document. Thank you to everyone involved.
rams A
on, D.C. 20024
554-0699
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Market Survey Reveals Americans Expect To
Find Coasts Under Stress
For millions of Americans, summertime means visits to the coast. The average American
spends about 10 vacation days at the coast each year, and over half the U.S. population lives
there. Yet this popularity can spell trouble.
As part of a nationwide effort to raise Americans' understanding of the stress on the coast,
a national market research firm, Market Facts' TELENATION, donated survey services to find
out what Americans think about coastal issues.
The random survey found significant concern about overbuilding, erosion, water pollution,
overcrowded beaches and marine debris.
For example, 83 percent
of respondents say they see
overbuilding along the coast
as a problem. Comparing
conditions to 10 years ago,
56 percent of respondents
said they see more trash; 47
percent see more dead fish
washed up on beaches; 53
percent say the waters are
dirtier, and 64 percent say
they see more erosion.
Still, the survey indicates
that Americans seem
unaware of an individual's
impact on the coast.
A fatherandson stroll along one of Florida^ sandy
beaches near Sarasota Bay.
^
|
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Contacting the National Estuary Programs
Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds National
Estuary Program
NCDENR, 943 Washington Square Mall
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 946-6481, ext. 269
email: joan_giordano
@waro.enr.state.nc.us.
Barataria-Terrebonne Estuaries
Program
P.O. Box 2663
ThibodauxLA 70310
800-259-08697(504) 447-0868
email: btep-smk@nich-nsunet.nich.edu.
Barnegat Bay Estuary Program
New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 418
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 633-1205
email: tfowler@dep.state.nj.us.
Buzzards Bay Project
2870 Cranberry Highway
East Wareham, MA 0253
(508) 291-3625
emai: tracy.warncke @state.ma.us.
Casco Bay Estuary Project
Univ. of Southern Maine, Room 408,
Law School Bldg.
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104
(207) 780-4820
email: kgroves@usm.main.edu.
Charlotte Harbor NEP
4980 Bayline Dr., 4th Floor
No. Fort Myers, FL 33917
(941) 995-1777
email: chnep-upton
@mindspring. com.
Corpus Christi Bay NEP
Natural Resources Center, Suite 3300
6300 Ocean Dr.
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
(512) 980-3420
email: rvolk@tnrcc.state.tx.us.
Delaware Estuary Program
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
P.O. Box 9569
Wilmington, DE 19809
(302) 793-1701
email: partners@udel.edu.
Delaware Inland Bays Program
Center for Inland Bays
P.O. Box 297
Nassau, DE 19969
(302) 645-7325
email: brichards@udel.edu.
Galveston Bay Estuary Program
711 W. Bay Area Blvd., Suite 210,
Webster, TX, 77598
(281) 332-9937
email: mbrown@tnrcc.state.tx.us.
Indian River Lagoon Program
1900 South Harbor City Blvd., Suite 107
Melbourne FL 32901
(407) 984-4950
email us at martin_smithson
@district.sjrwmd.state.fl.us
Long Island Sound Study
Stanford Government Center
888 Washington Blvd.
Stamford, CT 06904-2152
(203) 977-1541
email: tedesco.mark@epamail.epa.gov.
An aerial view of the
Tillamook Bay Estuary
watershed in Oregon
HI
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Estuaries of the National Estuary Program
The National Estuary
Program was established by
Congress in 1987 to recog-
nize and protect "estuaries of
national significance."
tered by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), which
provides seed money to local communities
to develop and implement comprehensive
management plans for their estuaries.
Today, the NEP encompasses 28
selected estuaries, located in every coastal
NEP locations, for more detail see inside back cover. region of the country (see map at above
left.) Many of the estuaries participating in the Program are in good health, but
need additional protection if they are to remain so. Others are suffering the
consequences of rapid growth and development, and require a helping hand to
repair damage to habitats, fisheries or water quality. All are cornerstones of their
community's economic and environmental
well-being - as well as its cultural identity.
as
Tillamook Bay watershed in Oregon
Since its inception, the NEP has served
a catalyst for bringing people with
diverse interests together to address
the threats facing America's estuar-
ine ecosystems. In fact, one of the
NEP's greatest strengths has been the
active involvement of citizens and busi-
nesses who have a substantial investment
in the health and sustainability of local
waterways. This report highlights our
accomplishments as we look back on a
decade of
success-and
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
and the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary
Program's Citizen's Advisory Committee tour
the Venus Lake restoration project on Sanibel
Island, Florida.
ahead to the challenges that remain.
What is an estuary?
Estuaries are places where fresh and salt
water mix. Whether they are called bays, estuaries,
harbors, sounds or lagoons, these fertile junctions
of sea and stream are among the most productive
areas on earth. As many as 80 percent of the fish
that we catch for food or fun depend on
estuaries for all or part of their lives. This is why
estuaries are often called the "cradles of the
sea."
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Many of the nation's most
celebrated water bodies are
estuaries: Chesapeake Bay, San
Francisco Bay, Puget Sound and
Long Island Sound, for example.
Although each estuary is unique,
they all share common
characteristics such as constant
mixing of salt and fresh water by
tides and winds, as well as common
problems such as excessive nutrient
pollution and loss of natural habitats.
There is more to an estuary
than you might think just by
looking at a shaded area on a
map. n fact, estuaries encompass
broad ecosystems that usually
extend many miles beyond the
open waters of a bay or lagoon to
encompass surrounding wetlands,
rivers and streams. Anything that
happens on land within this
sprawling watershed has a direct
impact on the estuary itself.
A boater hauls his boat onshore along Herring Point in New York-New Jersey Harbor, NJ.
What's
worth?
an estuary
As many as 80 percent of
the fish we catch for food
or fun depend on estuaries
for all or part of their lives.
North Carolina fisherman with
companion in Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds
It's impossible to put a dollar figure on all the benefits
an estuary provides. However, some of the economic
impacts derived from estuaries have been well documented.
For example, estimates developed by the National Estuary
Program indicate that commercial and recreational fishing
contribute about $4.3 billion to the nation's economy each
year, while the marine industries supported by these activities
add another $3 billion annually.
Tourism and
recreation associ-
ated with estuar-
ies participating
in the NEP gener-
ate an estimated
annual economic
impact of $16.3
billion. For many
communities,
estuaries are the
focal point of
tourist-related
Commercial and recre-
ational fishing contribute
$4.3 billion to the nation's
economy each year.
Tourism and recreation
generate an estimated
annual economic impact
of $16.3 billion.
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Port of Houston, Texas, a major port in the Galveston Bay watershed area
activities. In the Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds of
North Carolina, for example, 10 percent of the
local workforce is employed in tourism-related
businesses. Tourists visiting Southwest Florida's
scenic Charlotte Harbor spend more than $1
billion every year.
Ports established in estuaries contribute
billions of dollars to local economies and employ
hundreds of thousands of people. More than $40
billion worth of goods passed through ports in
Puget Sound last year, while the Port of Tampa in
Tampa Bay directly or indirectly provides jobs for
5,000 people and consistently ranks among the
top 10 in the nation in trade activity.
A recreational angler raises a red drum in Galveston Bay, Texas.
Waterfowl use the Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine system in
Louisiana as a resting and feeding stop in route to wintering
grounds.
Other benefits bestowed by estuaries are
less tangible, but are equally important. Estuaries are
critical habitats for a magnificent array of fish, birds
and other creatures; they provide unparalleled
recreational opportunities for people; and the
wetlands that border estuaries serve as natural filters
for pollutants and buffers against punishing storms.
Consider these facts:
More than 45 percent of the nation's surface
waters are contained in estuarine systems,
making these areas an important source of
drinking water for many Americans. In fact,
two-thirds of the residents of California obtain
their drinking water from freshwater rivers,
streams and marshes associated with the San
Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary;
The Lower Columbia River Estuary is the most
valuable spawning and nursery area for
salmon in the continental United States;
The Buzzards Bay Estuary in Massachusetts
provides critical nesting habitat for 98 percent
of North America's endangered roseate terns;
Mangrove islands in Tampa Bay in Florida are
among the nation's most important waterbird
nurseries, annually hosting as many as 40,000
nesting pairs of 25 different species.
Fish, oysters, crabs and crawfish are so abun-
dant in the Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine
complex in Louisiana that it is known as the
"nation's fish market."
In summary, our nation's estuaries, like anything else
that cannot be replaced, are priceless.
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Gateways to a new
nation
Estuaries have played a central, if often
unheralded, role in the history of the
United States. The first colonists in the New
World settled along the fertile shores of
estuaries, joining Native Americans who
long before had set down roots on these
waterways.
From our earliest beginnings,
Americans have always flocked to the coast,
dredging the fertile wetlands for
farmlands, clearing vast forests of cypress,
oak, redwood and pine for timber products,
harvesting oysters, clams, shrimp and fish,
and hunting beaver, otter and other
animals that sustained a thriving fur trade.
Only in recent decades have we come to real-
ize that the bounty provided by our estuaries is not endless.
But our fascination with the coast has not waned, and the
waterward migration continues. Today, most Americans live
within 50 miles of the coast, and thousands of newcomers
arrive every day. Ironically, these beautiful places are imperiled
by their own popularity, since more people and development
often mean more pollution, habitat destruction and pressure
on fish and wildlife populations.
The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay, California
The Statue of Liberty greeted immigrants as
they sailed through one of the nation's gateways, the
New York-New Jersey Harbor, New Jersey.
Today, most Americans live
within 50 miles of the
coast, and thousands of
newcomers arrive every
day.
Many coastal
communities
now recognize
the necessity for
"smart growth,"
a concept pro-
moted and sup-
ported by the
National Estuary
Program. This ""
new approach acknowledges that a strong economy and a
healthy environment go hand in hand. The NEP also recog-
nizes that environmental protection is most successful when
those directly affected by the health of an ecosystem - local
citizens, local officials and other stakeholders - have a strong
voice in decisions about their estuary's future.
The NEP approach: promoting
partnerships for progress
Because estuaries are by definition dynamic, evolving f
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automobiles; and
poorly operating
septic tank systems
or municipal waste-
water systems.
Bacterial cont-
amination that can
cause public health
problems may be
caused by animal
feedlots, leaky
wastewater and
stormwater systems,
boaters who do not
properly dispose of
on-board waste, and
malfunctioning
septic tank systems.
Pollutants like
, , heavy metals and
Farmlana water project in San Francisco Bay watershed Other toxic contam-
inants have many sources such as automobiles, industrial facilities, oil spills, and
the mishandling of hazardous materials during production or transport.
All of these pollutants - excess nutrients, bacteria, heavy metals, and toxics -
can degrade water quality and make the water unsafe for human contact or
drinking. Poor water quality also affects the birds, fish, and other animals that live
in and near the water. Water quality problems can make oysters and scallops
unsafe to eat, cause massive fish kills, or create deformities and lesions in birds,
fish, and other creatures.
Seagrass meadow in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Surface
water runoff is promoting the loss of this important habitat.
Maintaining a minimum level of water quality is therefore
an important issue for both people and wildlife. When water
quality is degraded, drinking water supplies, commercial fisheries,
human health, and fish and wildlife can be damaged.
Examples of water quality
degradation
The Petaluma River, a tributary to San Francisco Bay, has
experienced seasonal algal blooms, low oxygen levels and
fish kills resulting from municipal waste discharges.
Low dissolved oxygen levels are problematic in Corpus
Christi and Galveston bays in Texas and in Mobile Bay,
Alabama. Low oxygen levels are especially prevalent
where wastewater discharges and surface runoff occur to
areas that are poorly flushed or have little circulation.
In 1990, nitrogen loads to Sarasota Bay, Florida were
estimated to be three times greater than pre-development
levels.
Pollution from surface runoff has been implicated in
nearly thirty percent reduction in seagrass coverage that
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occurred In the Indian River Lagoon,
Florida between 1970 and 1990. If no action
is taken it is estimated that pollution from
surface runoff will increase by more than
thirty percent by the year 2010 due to
increasing human population.
Runoff from the land contributes more
than fifty percent of nitrogen loadings to
Marylands' Coastal Bays. Fifty
percent of these loadings come from
agricultural feeding operations (primarily
poultry) which make up less than one per-
cent of the watershed.
Low dissolved oxygen levels have resulted in fish kills in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.
A citizen-based water quality sampling effort in
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts reports that nine of the Bays' 30 embayments
experience poor water quality (primarily from over
enrichment of nutrients) during the summer,
months. Another eight embayments are in transition
from good to poor water quality. At least fifty percent of all the
embayments have shown a slight to moderate decline in water
quality during four years of monitoring.
From mid-July through September each year, up to half of Long Island Sound
in New York experiences dissolved oxygen levels insufficient to support
healthy populations of marine life. Nitrogen loads are more than twice those
estimated during pre-colonial times with 57 percent of nitrogen entering the
Sound each year attributable to human activities.
Fish & wildlife
habitat loss
Every animal requires
places to feed, raise young and
hide from predators. Most
species require different
habitats at different stages of
their lives and the ability to
move freely from one habitat to
another as their needs dictate.
For fish, manatee, wading birds,
and other water-
dependent animals, runoff
from farms and cities can alter
aquatic habitats and eliminate
food sources. Conversion of
wetlands, swamps, and other
coastal areas to dryer lands for
agriculture, residential commu-
nities, and roads is a chief cause
of habitat loss.
For terrestrial animals, the
destruction or conversion of
their usual places to hide, feed,
11
Coho salmon smolt in Tillamook Bay, Oregon
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Manatee in Tampa Bay, Florida
nest, and sleep decreases
the number of animals
that survive and reproduce.
Pressures from harvesting
of animals, such as
overfishing, can remove so
many fish from an area that
not enough mature adult
fish remain to spawn a new
generation to replace the
ones that were lost.
Also, the accidental or
intentional introduction of
plant and animal species
from other locations can
upset the delicate natural
balance of reproduction
and population control.
Introduced plant species
typically do not provide the
same food sources and
shelter for local wildlife that
they receive from native
plants. Exotic interlopers
often out-compete native
species and drive native
species out of the area. If no local predators exist to control the spread of exotic
species of plants and animals, they can spread into vast areas and become difficult
to control or to remove.
Examples of fish and wildlife habitat loss
Twenty-three of the 28 National Estuary Programs have identified habitat loss
and damage as a high priority management issue. Listed below are some specific
examples of habitat loss and the pressures that are facing fish and wildlife
populations:
Development along the shores of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida
In the Indian River Lagoon,
Florida, the amount of land
devoted to urban uses increased
by 895 percent between 1940 and
1987. The amount of land
dedicated to agricultural uses
increased by 352 percent during
the same time period.
The amount of finfish harvested
from Peconic Estuary, New York,
has dropped from 2.9
million pounds in 1980 to less
than 340,000 pounds in 1989 - an
88 percent decrease.
In Charlotte Harbor, Florida,
important pine flatwood habitats
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nave been, reduced to less than half their former range. These
upland areas that are dominated by pine trees, wax myrtle, and
saw palmetto plants are critical habitat for animals such as deer,
pileated woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, and
sandhill cranes.
In the Maryland Coastal Bays region, oyster beds have shrunk
from more than 2,000 acres to approximately 200 acres, while
fish populations are shifting to less desirable species tolerant of
polluted waters, especially in the northern bays.
Santa Monica Bay, California, provides habitat for at least
5,000 plants and animals. However, residential develop-
ment, pollution and over-harvesting are whittling away the
numbers and diversity of plants and animal species in the
area.
Coastal areas around Massachusetts Bay, including wetlands, are
steadily damaged or depleted by development. Eelgrass meadows
in some Cape Cod embayments are being replaced by undesirable
macroalgal communities. Declines in populations of fish that
spawn in freshwater are attributed to the construction of dams and
other structures that restrict access to upstream nursery areas.
Agriculture can contribute to freshwater discharges
collected from irrigation and storms.
Between 1780 and 1980, nearly half of all North Carolina's wetland areas were
destroyed. These losses are placing a severe strain on the many rare and
endangered plants and animals of the Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds system.
Between one and three million bushels of oysters were harvested
yearly in the Delaware Estuary at the turn of the century. Viruses
and diseases associated with pollution decimated oyster stocks in
the 1950's, and today the oyster harvest is almost zero.
Since 1950, about half of the natural shoreline of Tampa Bay, Florida and
nearly 40 percent of its seagrass beds have been destroyed, along with
significant portions of upland habitat.
About 90 percent of the historic wetland acreage in San Francisco Estuary
area has been converted to farmland, urban areas, or other uses.
Alterations in freshwater flows
The dynamic and productive habitats associated with estuaries have
evolved due to the naturally occurring and highly variable changes in
freshwater flows from the land to coastal waters. These systems have
evolved gradually and over extended periods of time. When humans
undertake activities which rapidly and permanently change the amount
and timing of freshwater flowing to estuaries, it can have devastating
effects.
Some ways in which humans alter freshwater flows include:
Constructing dams, reservoirs and flood control structures that
divert surface and groundwaters thereby preventing water from
Agriculture often uses and discharges significant
amounts of fresh water to estuaries.
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Delta Canal San Francisco Bay watershed
To right, a naturally meandering river
Below, canals like this one carry exces-
sive freshwater and agricultural runoff
reaching the estuary in historical
quantities, and
Ditching, draining, paving and
clearing wetlands, forests and
other natural areas for urban and
agricultural development that
increases the amount of freshwater
reaching estuaries beyond the
amounts they can tolerate.
Examples of
alteration of natural
flow regimes
Eleven of the National Estuary
Programs have identified human-
caused changes in the timing and
amount of freshwater flowing to the
system - resulting in either too much
or too little freshwater - as a highly significant issue.
Forty percent of the total miles of streams in North Carolina's
coastal counties have been modified to some extent.
1 In recent years, more than half the San
Francisco Estuary's natural river flows
have been diverted for agricultural, munic-
ipal and industrial uses. Millions of fish
eggs, larvae, and young are sucked into the
powerful intake pumps of the water supply
project.
During the 20th century, 23 reservoirs have
been constructed within the Delaware River
Basin.
Damming of four major rivers for flood
control and water supply development,
along with hydrologic modifications in
the watersheds of numerous tidal creeks,
has significantly reduced the amount of
productive, low-salinity habitat in the
Tampa Bay ecosystem in Florida.
Both of the creeks entering Morro Bay, California, are heavily
siphoned for municipal and agricultural uses, sparking
contentious water rights battles between competing interest
groups that have long divided the region.
Diversions of surface water have caused massive kills of steelhead
trout in Oregon and California.
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Since the turn of the century, drainage works developed to foster
agriculture and urban development within Florida's Indian River
Lagoon have doubled the size of the drainage basin and greatly
increased the amount of pollutants entering the estuary. This
has increased the number and extent of harmful algae
blooms and fish kills.
A Case for Ecosystem
Management
Think of an estuary as a heart served by dozens or even hundreds
of arteries and veins in the form of rivers, creeks and wetlands. From this
perspective, it is easy to understand how activities occurring many
miles away can affect an estuary's health.
Traditional environmental management approaches often viewed an estuary as a
series of separate compartments, and parceled responsibility for those compartments
to many different organizations. While this philosophy recognized the importance of
individual components, it did not address the needs of the overall system - and all
too often resulted in inefficient gaps and overlaps in management.
In contrast, the National Estuary Program approach of ecosystem
management is akin to looking at the world through a wide-angle rather than
a macro lens. It recognizes the critical connection between an estuary and its
vast watershed, and assesses the cumulative impacts of human actions on
entire natural systems. A key component of ecosystem management is the
use of living resources as a meaningful measure of an estuary's health. Instead
of measuring progress by rigid laboratory standards alone, success is centered
on restoring or improving natural communities and the marine life they
support. This broad focus allows estuary managers the flexibility they need to
achieve realistic, cost-effective solutions with
tangible results.
The National Estuary Program has been a
national leader in implementing- ecosystem-
based management plans that account for the
needs of an estuary's individual "threads,"
while preserving the integrity and diversity of
the overall tapestry that defines it.
A commercial fisherman tosses his
cast net.
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U.S. EPA Administrator Carol Browner lends a hand to Lakewood High School
students planting marsh grass in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Taking action for our
future
Congress created the National Estuary
Program to collect and analyze data
needed to assess trends in water quality, and
then develop and implement
Comprehensive Conservation Management
Plans that recommend corrective remedies
for identified problems in individual
estuaries. The Management Plans that each
NEP produces are designed to produce
meaningful, measurable results. Community
support and involvement are critical
components of this process.
,* f.
The overall goals of the NEP are to protect and improve water quality and
enhance the living resources of an estuary. To achieve these goals, the NEP:
Establishes working partnerships among all levels of
government and the private sector;
The Massachusetts Bay Program's interagency approach to shellfish bed
restoration seeks to restore and protect 13 oyster, clam, scallop and mussel
beds along Massachusetts and Cape Cod bays. The restoration program
combines the regulatory and enforcement efforts of the Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries and local health boards with the pollution
identification, cleanup and public outreach skills of various federal and state
agencies and community groups. This coalition also works with area
businesses to promote the use of innovative pollution reduction and
Volunteers pitch in during a community wetland planting day in Sarasota Bay, Florida prevention Strategies. What
was a widely scattered,
inefficient "hit-or-miss" effort
is now a systematic, goal-
oriented resource manage-
ment program.
Groundbreaking research
sponsored by the Tampa
Bay NEP has identified air
pollution as a major source
of the bay's nitrogen
burden and focused
national attention on the
strong connection
between air and water
quality. Many other com-
munities are applying this
pioneering work to their
estuaries, while Tampa
Bay is moving to address
the problem through an
interlocal agreement
that commits local
-------
governments and private industries to
reducing their nitrogen contributions to
the bay, with support from federal and
state regulatory agencies.
Promotes the transfer of scientific
information and expertise to
Program partners, including
agricultural interests, businesses,
industries and homeowners.
The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program,
Rhode Island, has enlisted scientific
expertise from Brown University, NASA, the
U.S. Department of Energy and the
private sector to assess the health of
the bay. The team is using state-of-
the-art satellite and aerial imagery
to quantify the overall water
quality impacts of the largest fossil
fuel power plant in the Northeast,
located at Brayton Point on Mount
Hope Bay, a part of Narragansett Bay.
Volunteers from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Americoips and the
Galveston Bay National Estuary Program in Texas erect fencing to create an oyster
reef to help break wave action on newly planted shore grasses.
A project that helps farmers in the>
Delaware Inland Bays watershed^
determine their crop's nitrogen needs has
received increasing acceptance. The
project promotes the use of a
chlorophyll meter that shows farmers,
how much nitrogen fertilizer their
crops require at any given time. Use of the
meter reduces the potential for harmful nitrogen runoff into the bays and
saves farmers money. At its debut, Sussex Conservation District personnel
demonstrated the device to area Citizens and scientists conduct water quality testing in Jillamook Bay, Oregon
growers. All responded positively and
several participants plan to purchase meters
of their own.
Enlists public participation in
programs to increase community
awareness of pollution problems
and remedies;
Paterson Creek Pals, a volunteer stewardship
group in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, has
monitored water quality and conducted
restoration projects in Paterson Creek since
the summer of 1995. With a small grant
from the Tillamook Bay NEP, the Pals already
have planted more than 2,000 trees to create
shady havens for fish; collected monthly
baseline water quality data; monitored insect
and fish populations; sponsored annual
-------
State and local officials in the Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Estuary Program address the public
about estuary issues In North Carolina.
community creek cleanups; and
provided educational brochures
and library poster updates to the
community.
The Albemarle-Pamlico
Estuarine Study Program,
North Carolina, promotes
nature-based tourism and
education to facilitate environ-
mentally sound economic
development. The Program
helped initiate the non-profit
Partnership for the Sounds in
1993. The Partnership,
overseen by a Board of
Directors comprised of local
governments, community
groups and business interests,
promotes eco-cultural tourism,
environmental stewardship
and education as key compo-
nents of sustainable growth in
the Albemarle-Pamlico area.
Encourages basin-wide or ecosystem planning to control
pollution and manage living resources.
The Wetlands Ecosystem Goals Project is a collaborative effort spearheaded by
the San Francisco Estuary Program, California, to identify the types, locations
and specific acreages of wetlands needed to sustain healthy fish and wildlife
communities in the San Francisco Bay watershed. The Project, which involves
representatives of various public agencies and public interest groups concerned
with wetland protection have developed goals and recommendations for
effective planning and design of restoration projects.
Because so much of the Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, watershed is used for
agricultural purposes, partners working with the Corpus Christi Bay National
Estuary Program targeted agricultural runoff as a priority issue. The Program
has worked with agricultural interests to investigate the quality and quantity
of runoff flowing into the watershed. This effort is creating a strong
relationship between resource agencies and the entire agricultural commu-
nity that is built on trust and cooperation.
To date, 18,049 acres of impounded salt marshes have been reconnected to the
Indian River Lagoon, Florida. The total acreage targeted for reconnection
throughout the radian River Lagoon basin is 27,000 acres. The reconnection
of these wetland areas has resulted in increased habitat for important
commercial and recreational fish species and has improved
critical habitat for migratory and wading birds. It has been
estimated that each acre of reconnected impoundment results in $ 10,000
of fishery production and that each dollar expended
on marsh reconnections provides $25 in economic
benefit to the Lagoon region.
18
.
-------
Develops and implements pollution reduction and
prevention programs.
The amount of nitrogen entering Sarasota Bay, Florida, as a result of human
activities has been reduced by an estimated 28-38 percent since 1988.
Through implementation of policies set forth by the Sarasota Bay
National Estuary Program, the amount of life-sustaining seagrasses has
increased 7 percent in that same time, and Sarasota Bay now supports
an estimated 38 million more fish, 114 million more crabs and 58
million more shrimp than it did a decade ago. Large-scale wetland
restoration projects that are planned, under way or completed will
repair more than 400 acres of saltwater wetlands and create a network
of artificial reefs in the Sarasota Bay.
Clark's Cove is located on the western shore of Massachusetts' Buzzards Bay,
between the towns of Dartmouth and New Bedford. Raw sewage discharged
to the cove from antiquated sewer systems had forced the closure, nearly a
century ago, of all of New Bedford's shellfish harvesting beds to protect
public health. Work supported by the Buzzards Bay NEP provided for
enhanced water quality sampling and analysis that more precisely defined
the nature of the contamination and led to development of a shellfish
harvest management strategy. Resulting improvements to dry-weather
bacteria counts prompted the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries to
reopen Clark's Cove to conditional shellfish harvesting after 91 years of
closure.
The National Estuary Program is unique in its emphasis
on solving problems at the watershed level and its focus
on local decision-making. Each Program is
governed by a management conference
composed of stakeholders with a vested
interest in the future health of their estuary.
The NEP process identifies the most critical problems within
the estuarine system and the responsibility that federal, state and
local entities have for addressing those problems. This approach
allows local communities to target their efforts more effectively
and efficiently within the constraints of dwindling government
funds and competing community needs. Only when the Program
has produced a Management Plan that is fully supported by the
local citizenry is that Plan submitted to the state's Governor and
the EPA for approval.
The NEP is not a "command and control" program in which
the federal government imposes costly and complex regulations
that local communities can ill afford and which often do not
achieve their desired result. It is a consensus-building process that
takes into account the needs, wishes and limitations of local
citizens whose livelihoods and lifestyles depend upon healthy,
sustainable natural resources.
A great blue heron searches for food in
Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds, NC
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
21
-------
he following pages contain summaries of the status and corrective actions
happening within each of the national estuary programs. Turn to your program
amtaria lerrebonne
ational
.
Fast Facts
,i JVHi. '.
mon:acre
yslem between
"1
Afxrhafalaya
ivers in *
juisiana.
linn n if ill 11 n i ii mi i i in nil
! ' I
0 where else in
wojrld is
disappearing as ]
[quickly.
JA half-acre of
coastalwetland
[turns' to'pperi '
i water every 15
minutes.
j
j
;Supports a
cbmrnercial
'haryesf p| over
600 million
pounds of fish
1 and shellfish each
I year.
j Sustains the
oldest French-
speaking culture
in the nation.
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Barataria-Terrebonne is facing a serious
crisis with a land loss rate of 21 square
miles every year. The area's natural plumb-
ing has been altered in many ways:
by river
Mississippi
Rivers;
levees
and
along the
Atchafalaya
by extensive dredging of straight
canals, many of which are deeper
than natural water bodies;
by breaching of natural ridges;
by laying of pipelines; and
by impoundments created by
levees, dikes, roadbeds, and
embankments,
making hydrologic modification the
"linchpin" issue. This priority problem
directly impacts other identified problems
of sediment and habitat loss, and water
quality issues of nutrient-enrichment,
pathogen contamination and toxic
substances.
Barataria-Terrebonne Program's
nationally-recognized, award-winning
management plan addresses methods to
re-establish the natural flow of water
Terrebonns Bay
Barataria-Terrebonne watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
and improve water quality. In addition,
the Program has partnered with the Gulf
of Mexico Program to demonstrate
shellfish restoration strategies.
For more information about the
Barataria-Terrebonne Estuaries Program
call 800-259-08697(504) 447-0868, write
P.O. Box 2663, Thibodaux LA 70310, or
email us at btep-smk
@nich-nsunet.nich.edu.
-------
staziy rrogram
giilSllilis;
i^ast Facts
L .i".',,:1' ",i,, iift'tr"" i nr.,jiN' -'.,; ;,r' . ''t'ls"."'.:?., 5 .'"'
lil^S^-'ld
ittle Egg Harbor in i
southern NJ.
~,i\ " , ?'' '", I
60 square mile
^^tershedjpcated \
largely in Ocean i
County. j
Total year round <
population in i
tounty is 466,500 ]
put can double in '
:summer. Fastest ,
"growing county in j
estate. ' ' '_""',' *
Tourism brings in ^
an estimated $1.65 |
billion annually. .
Supports a $2.7 ;
'million commercial "
fishery and *
playground for tens j
of thousands of ^
recreational boaters
and anglers. !
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
The primary environmental
concern is nonpoint source
pollution, particularly path-
ogens, nutrients, and sediments.
The potential impact of these
pollutants is significant as the
residence time for water moving
through the bay is 50 days.
Activities include a Nonpoint
Source Pollution Partnership to
coordinate demonstration projects,
the NJ Clean Vessel Program
which has identified the Bay as a
priority area for the installation
of marine sewage pumpouts, and
progress on a No Discharge Zone
application for portions of the
estuary.
Habitat loss and alteration is
also an environmental concern
because of land development.
There is a growing network of orga-
nizations and agencies working on
open space and habitat acquisition
in the watershed.
More than 32,000
acres have been set
aside in the last
10 years,
^ Point Pleasant
. Seaside Heights
Barnegat Bay
Barnegat Bay watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
the county. A recent citizen initia-
tive increased property taxes to add
about $3.8 million a year to the
public land trust fund.
For more
information about the
putting a
total of
117,000 acres
in parks, forests,
and refuges-nearly 1/3 of
23
Barnegat Bay
Estuary Program
write to the program at
New Jersey Department
of Environmental
Protection, P.O. Box 418,
Trenton, NJ 08625 or call
us at (609) 633-1205 or
email us at
tfowler@dep.state.nj .us.
-------
B
Pi
rogram
ratershed includes
people,
. _n lie city of
r Begifprd,.
in n j i ill i ii i i i
toduces nearly
150% of world's
I cranberry harvest.
i Combined quahog,
| bay scallop, soft ]
"" , and ]
V/JT*^V*-JL A.AUUL T \»
-------
^nM^
COSCQ
Estuary Project
Fast Facts
rv/ 1,1ft i * | A
atershed is 985
Update &
1
miles and j
Includes 41
Municipalities. j
>nly 3% of
fine's land
ass, but 25% of
State's population. :
' - '
ITourism-related j
'expenditures 5
Jexceed $250 ]
;million per year.
The program is focusing on
the most significant problems
facing the Bay today: toxic
pollution, habitat disruption and
loss, nutrient enrichment, and
pathogen contamination.
These problems are the result of
development, stormwater runoff,
combined sewer overflows, failing
septic systems and discharges from
boats, or existing sediment contami-
nation. Storm-water runoff is
thought to be the
^single greatest
contributor
of conta-
[Soft shell clams
^provide estimated *
r income of $4.66 j
^million to about
: 270 commercial \
diggers (1994).
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
jX^minants to
CaSCO BaV Cosco Bay watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
The pro- to implement recommendations that
gram is aim to reopen clam flats in the Bay,
rently address the combined sewer overflows
or king of the City of Portland, and educate
the public about pollution prevention
from homes and boats.
For more information about the
program call (207) 780-4820, write
Casco Bay Estuary Project, University
of Southern Maine, Room 408, Law
School Building, P.O. Box 9300,
Portland, ME 04104 or email us at
kgroves@usm.main.edu.
-------
National
Charlotte Harbor
vgfam
Fast Facts
r" ! *?"«
Status Update &
f ,,:p'!'j
0ne of the largest
Elorida watersheds,
:pvering"4,40()'
guare miles.
j 8 cities
irid several impor-
gnt baslnsfLemon
yakTca River,
feace j&yer, tidal
Caloosaljatcriee,
Sstero Bay and
Charlotte, Harbor
proper.
The area supports a
~ wide variety of eco-
| npmic uses such as
J tourism, ranching,
i..!fj|j||!'"ljjjiii i nr.i,|, i1 iwpipnP'.ii!.ii'i ^...i1 .... O'
I citrus, phosphate
» mining, vegetable
j; crops, residential
f development and
urban areas.
Current population
of 1.1 million (1997)
expected to grow to
1.65 million by 2020.
World famous for
tarpon and snook
fisheries.
The Charlotte Harbor National
Estuary Program is developing a
Comprehensive Conservation and
Management Plan to address the
following local issues:
Hydrologic Alterations
Adverse changes 'to amounts,
locations, and timing of freshwater
flows, the hydrologic function of flood-
plain systems, and natural river flows.
Water Quality Degradation
Including but not limited to
pollution from agricultural and urban
runoff, point source discharges, septic
tank system loadings, atmospheric
deposition, and groundwater.
Fish and Wildlife Habitat Loss
Degradation and elimination of
headwater streams and other habitats
caused by development, conversion
of natural shorelines, "cumulative
impacts of docks and boats, and
invasion of exotic species. The
development of the management
jplan has included a thorough
review of existing scientific
35a&$J|$feMnstt4£ f ° r m a * i ° n /
:""3P^
St. Petersburg
Charlotte.
Harbor
Charlotte Harbor watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
compiling a directory of public and
private monitoring programs, assessing
the programs and agencies that manage
resources, and holding a public and
technical conference.
The Citizen's Advisory Committee has
been active in setting resource objectives,
providing information about local issues,
volunteering to give presentations to civic
organizations, and targeting public educa-
tion efforts.
Together with the Technical Advisory
Committee, resource managers, and local
governments, the plan will detail specif-
ic actions to be implemented,
the cost of these
^ actions, the partners
"who are responsible, and the
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
expected environmental benefits.
For more information regarding the
Charlotte Harbor NEP, call (941) 995-
1777, write us at 4980 Bayline Dr., 4th
Floor, No. Fort Myers, FL 33917, or email
at chnep upton@mindspring.com.
-------
owns
IT
tional ^tuaiyirogram
_
Jncfudes 3 of 7
janes in Texas:
ansas, Corpus
JChpsti, and upper
Xaguna Madre.
2f
,J,2_ county region
^known as the Coastal
" Bend is more than
,500 square miles;
Jover 22,500 square
^fniles in drainage basin.
Population of nearly
^600,000 projected to
^double within 35 years.
^Nation's 6th largest
'port and 3rd largest
"petrochemical
complex.
than 490 species
of birds and 234
^species of fish.
^Bay-related economic
activities provided over
$4.1 billion in sales,
$2.3 billion in value-
added, and generated
| more than 53,000 jobs
| for local residents
(1995).
w%^
JL
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Seven priority issues are being
addressed: altered freshwater
inflows, condition of living resources,
loss of wetlands and other estuarine
habitats, degradation of water quality,
altered estuarine circulation, bay debris,
and public health issues.
Qsing a collaborative, consensus-
building process, the program is
working toward:
a politically acceptable strategy
to achieve the freshwater inflow
needs of the estuaries;
completion of a long-term (20 to
50 year) dredged material
placement plan that
incorporates beneficial use
concepts to the maximum
extent possible;
habitat conservation and
management at the regional,
landscape scale; and
completion and acceptance of a
"total loadings" plan for the bay
system that will reconcile projected
regional population growth and the
bay system's poor flushing
capacity.
upper Laguna
Madre Estuary
Corpus Christi Bay Project area. Courtesy of USEPA.
For more information regarding the
Corpus Christi Bay NEP, call (512) 980-
3420, write us at Natural Resources
Center, Suite 3300, 6300 Ocean Dr.,
Corpus Christi, TX 78412, or email us at
rvolk@tnrcc.state.tx.us.
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
The Farmland Preservation
Demonstration Project has resulted
in the preservation of almost 3,400
acres of land within 11 farms. If all
pending requests are approved, over
4,500 acres of farmland and
roodland will be preserved within
the watershed.
For more information regarding the
Delaware Inland Bays Program, call the
Center for Inland Bays at (302) 645-7325,
write us at P.O. Box 297, Nassau, DE 19969
or email at brichards@udel.edu.
OUtiT
107, Melbourne
32901 or email us
martin_smithson@district.
sjrwmd.state.fl.us
FL
at
-------
daware
vgram
Sets1'] Status Update
" *
Gah/eston
ong Island
ound
I
... llllllllllllllN I
lated annual j
ii i J «B "B!l! " '""i I
7aluepf boating, j
)ortfisfiingj
i
[commercial
shirig, and
'intrinsic is $5.5 j
" iUion (1990). J
Receives more ^
than 1 billion ^
gallons per day
, of treated
I effluent.
Status Update &
Next Steps
In 1994, the States of New
York and Connecticut and USEPA
approved a plan to restore the
ecosystem and improve the water
quality-dependent uses so important to
the regional economy.
Environmental Goals:
1. Reduce the load of nitrogen by
58.5% within 15 years.
2. Restore 2,000 acres of coastal
habitat and 100 river miles used
by migratory fish over the next 10
years.
Low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) is
the most significant problem in the
Sound, and a phased approach is being
used to reduce levels of nitrogen which
will result in improved oxygen levels.
Having capped nitrogen loads from
certain point sources and implemented
low-cost improvements at sewage
treatment plants, nitrogen loads are now
5,000 tons per year below peak levels.
The Habitat Restoration Initiative
will complement nitrogen reduction
efforts, as healthy habitats help filter
nitrogen and other pollutants. Through
a partnership of local, state, and federal
organizations and agencies,
more than 450
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAU ESTUARY
FROCJRAMS
New York City
Long Island Sound watershed. Courtesy of USEPA
degraded sites have been identified and
prioritized. Restoration work has been
funded at 8 of these sites.
For more information about the
Long Island
Sound Study call1
(203) 977-1541,
write us at Stanford
Government
Center, 888
Washington Blvd., Stamford, CT|
06904-2152 or email us at
tedesco.mark@epamail.epa.gov.
-------
Lower Columbia River
Mtez*S BSSS^ **=» ^
vgram
lets
=-
i^p_nyt:ar iiiiicoj JULUIIJ. ^ ^^
ISffloSonnevillej C
2amaiKluPme i ^J
gam and up the
" yyiamette River to
lette Falls.
Hi.
«f
ataries drain
[5,100 square miles.
i
I
I
i
1
fiome to 2 million t
fieople, with 600,000,
more expected by ]
;5 major deep water
sorts, contributing ]
28 billion annually ~>.
[to economy.
|27 major dams and
f generating facilities. ]
* Historically produced
largest chinook j
fsalmon run in 't
iworid. Now 67
"species are ;
endangered and 76 :
rare at risk
even priority issues have been
identified including:
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Toxic Contaminants in Sediments
and Fish Tissue: Levels of PCBs, DDE,
and dioxin may be linked to
reproductive failure in bald eagles, mink,
and river otter.
Habitat Loss and Modification:
Dams, dikes, maintenance dredging,
and land use practices over the last
100 years have significantly altered
the estuary.
Conventional Pollutants: Point and
nonpoint source pollution have
changed Ph, temperature, and
dissolved oxygen levels.
Biological Integrity of Species:
Anadromous
fish runs have
' declined significantly
in recent years. Several
species are listed
as endangered or
threatened.
Impacts of
Human Activity &
Growth: Certain
current and past land
use practices have
degraded habitat and
water
u a 1 i t y.
Anticipated future
growth could lead
Lower Columbia River estuary watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
to further degradation.
Public Awareness & Stewardship:
There is a continual need to
connect people to the river.
Greater awareness will lead to
stronger protection of the river.
Institutional Constraints:
Currently, many agencies and
levels of government are involved in
managing and protecting the
estuary; coordination of these efforts
is important.
For more information regarding the
Lower Columbia River Estuary Program,
call (503) 229-6066, write us at 811 SW
Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 or
email us at lcrep@deq.state.or.us.
-------
oastal
vgram
Fast
allovjjT. coastal
.agoons locate^
ichiod "fen wick
Ocean^City) and
\ssateajjue Islands
Deluding Isle of t
J#ight and Assa- |
Woman bays in the !
north, and Ch|nco: |
teague, Newport, and 1
§jflepuxent bays in L
the south. i
Watershed of 175 ,j
square miles within *
[Worcester County. J
Population of 21,781 j
igwells to over ]
§60,6bO in summer; j
tol1 Shft, 'i Illll ,T T,!,!,,"!!?,1 ' :,,i, L y ''!'",,nir«
"expected to double j
within 30 years.
9 animal species
and 89 plant species
currently on state's
rare, threatened, or
endangered list.
Important wintering,
| staging, and breeding
J habitats for more
= than 360 bird species.
i
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Status Update &
The northern bays, major
tributaries, and artificial canals
are degraded while the southern
bays are in relatively good health.
Eutrophication is the single
greatest environmental problem.
Loss of terrestrial and aquatic
habitat has contributed to the
degradation of the bays and, in
some locations, chemical
contaminants occur at levels
that are likely to cause harm to
living resources.
The amount of nutrients
entering the coastal bays today
is significant.
Approximately one-third of
the nutrients come from the
wastes
produced in
animal feeding
operations (pri-
marily poultry).
This is particularly
impressive because
these operations
constitute only about
1% of the total land areal
of the watershed.
Corrective actions tar
get nutrient reductions
from septics,
lawns and
Assawoman Bay
Islo of Wright Bay |
'Ocean City
Sinepuxent Bay
Newport Bay
Maryland Coastal Bays watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
farms. Enhancement of riparian
areas with natural vegeta-
tion will help filter nutri-
ent-rich runoff and
provide habitat for
wildlife.
For more
information regard-
ing the Maryland
Coastal Bays
Program, call (410)
213-BAYS, write us at
9609 Stephen Decatur
Highway Berlin, MD 21811
or email us at
info@mdcoastalbays.org.
-------
ational
_"i ^-^ */
Lstuary
vgram
^Fast Facts
rricompasses all
5astal waters of
Slassachusetts
pay from tip of
tape Cod to
Isfew Hampshire
bojder, an area
Iff about 1,650
Square miles.
Watershed
rovers more
than 6,300
square miles.
Commercial and
^recreational
shellfish
harvests
contribute $14
million annually,
in landings
alone.
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Thousands of acres of shell
fish beds are closed, water is
unsafe for swimming in many
areas, contaminants are found in
fish tissues, and some of the
harbors have polluted bottom
sediments.
The management plan includes
15 specific Action Plans to not only
address the many centuries of
human abuse, but also emphasize
prevention, in recognition that it
costs far more to clean up
pollution than prevent it in the
first place.
Program studies determined
that the most significant sources of
nitrogen and PAHs are point source
discharges and the atmosphere.
Atmospheric sources originate not
only from Massachusetts and
mid-western states but also from
New York City.
More than half of the estimated
13,000 metric tons of oil and
grease entering the bays each year
is from nonpoint sources of
pollution.
Boston Harbor, the Merrimack
River, and North
Massachusetts Bay watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
Shore basins contribute the most
pollution to the bays. Thirty of the
34 major industrial and municipal
outfalls are in these three basins.
For more information about the
Massachusetts Bays NEP write to
the program at 100 Cambridge
Street, #2103, Boston, MA 02202 or
call us at (617)727-9530, ext. 424
or email us at Jan. smith
@state.ma.us.
-------
ational
vgram
«i* iii i "I* i i i i i IK I
Fast Facts, 1
"«' 1
Jodudes most of
Mobile and Baldwin
es^ where
elation increased
Status Update &
1,^90.
Watershed drains
|'44jl70 square miles.
|Natipnally significant
fBr minerals, .fisheries,
jrestry products,
JubmergeS' aquatic
jyegetatfon, and
getated wetlands.
j Port of Mobile ranked ^
113th largest in nation ;
I m amount of tonnage *j
| shipped and 8th in for- ";
| eign waterbome "
j commerce (1995).
t Sportfishing
: contributes over
=, $260 million annual-
ly to local economy,
commercial fishing
over $300 million
and tourism another
$415 million (1995).
As one of the newest National
Estuary Programs, technical
and citizen committee members
are refining priority issues and
developing action plans for
human uses, habitat loss, living
resources, and water quality.
Some of the program's issues
include:
declines in feeding and
breeding bird habitat;
losses of marshes and submerged
aquatic vegetation;
declines in the quality of coastal
wetlands and conversions of
wetlands;
point and nonpoint source
pollution;
physical modifications
which have impacted
water flow patterns;
and
introduced
Bayou L:
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
There is
concern within
the community about
36
Mobile Bay watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
introduced species that could be
delivered via ship ballast
discharges. The program has
joined in a cooperative effort with
the Coast Guard to check ship
bridge logs for compliance with
voluntary maritime offshore
exchange policies. This analysis
will help determine what type of
action might be required.
For more information about the
Mobile Bay NEP write to the
program at 440 Fairhope Avenue,
Fairhope, AL 36532 or call us at
(334) 990-3565.
-------
gram
~ includes '.
igr 1?.;; -if ' ' lit"1".. "' - '» ','f ?!' i1,;:},,,, " j"fei ..sai, '«. *,' n ";
^Otto IJay, Los
5sps, and '
laywooii Park.
I
1
J.f
i
«-j
-\
I
i
48,0130-acre
upports most ;;
significant wetland 1
system on state's ^
south-central 1
:oast.
Essential link in
Pacific Flyway,
supporting one of
state's largest
waterfowl habitats.
Provides habitat
|-for many
I endangered and
|i threatened species.
orro Bay is facing the following
priority problems:
Rapid Sedimentation: The rate of
sediment delivery has increased
due to changes in land use, changes
brought on by wildfire, changes in
sediment deposition areas, and
reduced circulation.
Increased Bacterial Concentrations:
Portions of shellfish harvesting lease
areas are always restricted, and other
areas are closed for several days
following storm events.
Increased Nutrient Concentrations:
Agricultural land, grazing land,
roadside, and lawn runoff are
resulting in increased nutrient
concentrations. Fertilizers, septic
systems, and animal waste are
believed to be contributing to this
problem.
Freshwater Flow Reductions:
Increases in surface and groundwater
diversions directly affect the
quantity and timing of the flow of
creeks into the bay, and the wildlife
and botanic values associated with
freshwater supply.
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Morro Bay
San Luis Obispo
Morro Boy watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
Increased Heavy Metal
Concentrations: Inactive mines in
the upper watershed are believed to
have contributed to high levels of
heavy metals found in sediments
eroding from these areas. Some
mussel samples from the bay have
toxic contamination.
Habitat Loss: Development
pressures steadily increasing.
Greater population density and
changing land use threaten water
quality and wildlife habitat.
For more information regarding
the Morro Bay NEP, call (805) 528-
7746, write us at 1400 Third
Street, Los Osos, CA 93402, or email
us at mjmooney.mbnep@the grid.net.
-------
Narragansett
vgram
Fast Facts
tensely populated
||uarfgs Jin the \
'Tial-irtn f*»iflh almrvcf- 1
1
Ration, with almost
million people in
the watershed.
jifatershed is 1,657 ^
guare miles and ;
Deludes tlie cities fif.]
providence and ;
'lewiDort, JRi, and J
Worcester MA. ]
Although state\vide ;
populatipn has been ]
lablefrbm1988 to"'J
1997, some coastal ,;
owns have !
I experienced 20% "j
I growth rates. ;
I
I Over 100 fish
species and 20
t shorebird species.
! Tourism, the state's
j: 2nd largest industry,
f contributed $1.7 bil-
lion to the
economy in 1996.
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Status Update &
The management plan focuses on
conserving and restoring natural
resources and protecting and
enhancing water quality. Two
approaches are being used.
First, bay-wide planning tools
and practical, results-oriented
projects are being developed that
create a basis for informed decisions
The Program is working with
coastal municipalities to incorporate
new GIS resource mapping data into
local planning processes.
Second, watershed-based projects
find pollution "hot spots" and
develop effective and innovative
ways to correct them. This activity is
using technical assistance and
outreach to communities and
citizens to build critical local support
for action.
A primary role of the Narragansett
Bay Estuary Program is coordination
- a critical need because resources for
environmental action are becoming
increasingly scarce. The program is
Narragansett Bay watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
successfully leveraging state, federal,
and local efforts to further common
goals.
For more information regarding
the Narragansett Bay Estuary
Program, call (401) 222-4700, ext.
7270, write us at NBEP, 235
Promenade Street,
Providence,
RI 02908-
5767 or
email us at
narrabay
i@earthlink.net.
38
-------
^V» ^ ': "'If ^''Si'jK '^'W:^>
fT.ri'.t
amnshire
'ones
H^C^,t&^*^^&fr^jM)4&^!
|eacoa,§t watershed
immunities is
Li'i.."!.1.''" v^'^^ihs-^11''--'11'^11'11-11^111"-1' '"i!""
«4--«Si5 .,j..< ,,-,,, I
(1990)--projected *
W^ff ;»<,' L,JI.,-'I. -fr..K..,r,-^4»-H^rr ,,-; . |
io grow to over ]
;43,pOqby2015, '
early I iri 5 jobs " jj
9irectly related to f
Itayei and tourism - ^
the region's second _ j
largest industry.
73% of watershed
forested or open
lands.
I
Recreational shell- g
fishing contributes :
-an estimated $3 1
million annually to,
state and local 1
economies.
Recreational salt- t
water fishermen *
spent $52 million 1
I in 1990. ;
** ^wi
^.^k^ «T..w«"*Br.- .
J^^^sy^}
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
The program is currently
refining its list of priority-
issues.
Most activities are directed at
enhancing estuarine water quality
through , the identification,
abatement, and prevention of
nonpoint source pollution.
Bacterial contamination
introduced through stormwater
runoff and faulty septic systems are
priority management issues.
The decline and management
of shellfish resources will be
addressed in light of pathogen
contamination and habitat
degradation.
Changes in shoreline/riparian
buffers are environmental
management issues that impact
both water quality and habitat
values.
The possibility of
future nutrient,
enrichment and,
impacts from
>mpton
Hampton Harbor
Derry
New Hampshire Estuaries watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
the resuspension of sediments
containing toxic contaminants are
also issues drawing management
attention.
For more information regard-
ing the New Hampshire Estuaries
" Project, call (603) 433-7187,
write us at 152 Court Street,
Portsmouth, NH 03801-
4485 or email us at
chrisnash
@rscs.net.
ANEP
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
jects, and children's .con-
ferences.
For more informa-
tion on the Peconic
Estuary Program, call the
(516) 852-2077, write us at
Suffolk County Dept. of
Health Services, Office of
Ecology, County Center,
Riverhead, NY 11901 or email
at vminei@suffolk.lib.ny.us.
PROGRAMS
43
primary remaining bay wetlands, and reducing the
challenge of the number of yearly beach closures to zero
program is (through improved stormwater
-------
ew tersey
ueram
Status Update &
*3 arasota
ational
tuary rroeram
Fast Facts
A. -i'.
e Bay area has
ollutibn control ]
i,i",. i. 1
.nlrastrticture ................ ^ ...... j.
iresently valued j
%t morejtiaiia ''
billion dollars.
1
*The area supports i
.more than 50 1
,jwatef:dependent
"industries;
" 'tourism is
i j ii
number one
(more than $820
million annually).
The restoration
J plan is based on
* $2.5 million in
! technical studies
, and recommends
~' a capital
! investment of
approximately
$160 million.
Status Update &
Next Steps
Released in November 1995, the
comprehensive management plan
focuses on improving Bay water quality
and productivity.
Community efforts to improve water
quality are focusing on controlling
nitrogen. Since 1988, it is estimated that
nitrogen loading has been reduced by
28%-38% due to improved wastewater
treatment, re-use of wastewater and the
construction of stormwater control
projects. Reduced pollution has in-turn
resulted in a 7% increase in seagrasses and
an estimated 38 million more fish, 114
million more crabs and 58 million more
shrimp than in 1988.
Wetlands restoration and artificial reef
creation (for juvenile fish) are also major
features of the management plan. Since
1989, more than $8.5 million in wetlands
restoration projects (400 acres) are
completed or are planned. Nine addition-
al artificial reef sites have been permitted
or are in the permitting (
process; two reefs
have been
refurbished,
since
1995.
Indian
River
Lagoon
Sarasota Bay
Samsota Bay watershed and program boundary.
Courtesy of USEPA.
Significant land acquisition efforts to
protect bay habitat are underway.
Changes in local landscaping and
maintenance practices are also proposed to
reduce fertilizer and pesticide runoff. The
Florida Yards and Neighborhoods
'rogram is being implemented with
twelve model yards created. "The Gulf
Coast Heritage Trails"
-------
lamva
Estuary
vgram
More! ,tharii 2jmwign _,
C"w!aTa'i7%r''
icrease i projected
' ..... ' ~ .......
Largest port in
Florida, consistently ^
ranking among top \
JO ports nationwide \
in trade .acflvity.
Tampa Bay supports :
3 major seaports ]
and a cruise ship ]
industry that ^
contributes more ^
than $10 million 1
annually to the
region's economy. '
Mangrove islands ;
host over 40,000 \
pairs of 25 species of *
birds annually.
Specific action strategies cover five
areas of concern: Water & Sediment
Quality; Bay Habitats; Fish & Wildlife; Spill
Prevention and Response; and Dredging &
Dredged Material Management.
Water & Sediment Quality: Goal is to
maintain nitrogen loadings at existing
levels, even with future growth, to allow
the gradual recovery of 12,350 acres of
seagrass. Local governments and
industries need to reduce their future
nitrogen contributions by about 7% by the
year 2010, or about 17 tons per year.
Bay Habitats: Goals indude recovering an
additional 12,350 acres of seagrass in the
bay while preserving the bay's existing
25,600 acres; and "restoring the historic
balance" of coastal wetland habitats.
Fish & Wildlife: Goals seek to bolster the
number, diversity, and health of the bay's
native inhabitants by improving the areas
in which they live, feed, and reproduce.
Spill Prevention & Response: Goals
indude the installation of a state-of-the-art
Indian
River
^Lagoon
Clearwatei
St. Petersburg
iSarasota
ASSOCIATION OF
NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAMS
Tampa Bay watershed. Courtesy of USEPA.
vessel traffic and information system to
improve tracking and coordination of ship
traffic along the bay's narrow shipping
channel.
Dredging & Dredged Material
Management: Goals focus on the
development of a long-range,
coordinated dredged material
management plan that minimizes
environmental impacts and
maximizes beneficial uses of the
dredged material.
For more information about
the Tampa Bay Estuary Program
write to the program at M.S.
1-1/NEP, 100 8th Avenue SE,
St. Petersburg, EL 33701 or call
(813) 893-2765 or email us at
tbnep@tampabayrpc.org.
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