NATIONAL
ESTUARY
PROGRAM
RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Natural resources in the Delaware Estuary are certain to be affected by climate change, and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) is working to
meet the adverse effects head on. The PDE has partnered with the U.S. EPA to begin developing a climate adaptation strategy as one of six national pilots
taking part in the Climate Ready Estuaries Initiative. PDE plans to work with collaborators in the watershed to start evaluating the vulnerability of example
resources that are likely to be most at risk.
The climate adaptation strategy will also furnish recommendations about how to prioritize what can and should be done to monitor and protect the most valuable and vulnerable
features. The goal is to provide new guidance on monitoring and management actions and policies that may help sustain maximum "natural capital" for life-sustaining natural
resources in the Delaware Estuary.
THE NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM IN ACTION Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
PDE's first step in its climate ad-
aptation project is to work with
partners to assess the vulner-
ability and adaptation needs for
up to three critical "case study"
resources in the Estuary: tidal
wetlands, drinking water, and bi-
valve shellfish. Each case study
will include specific activities
such as inventorying potential
climate impacts to the case study
resources, performing data gap
analyses and risk assessment
for case study resources, pri-
oritizing concerns relative to the
degree of potential risk, outlining
an "early detection" monitoring
framework to watch for warning
signs of key response variables
and thresholds, and identifying
management actions to help
mitigate for potential climate
impacts.
These natural resources were
selected because they are im-
portant for the vitality of both
people and the environment and
because current scientific judg-
ment suggests that they may be
particularly at risk from climate
changes because of threats
imposed by increased salinity
and sea levels. Extensive tidal
marshes line much of the Dela-
ware Estuary where they play
EFFECTIVE
EFFICIENT
ADAPTIVE
COLLABORATIVE
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a pivotal role in preserving wa-
ter quality, preventing flooding,
and supporting fish and wildlife
species. Currently, the health of
these tidal marshes appears to
be compromised over much of
the region.
Tidal marsh extent and condition
are affected by sea level, salinity,
temperature, freshwater inputs,
sediment supply, tidal flooding,
and the physical characteris-
tics of the landscape. Climate
change is expected to lead to in-
creased storm energy, increased
rates of sea level and salinity
rise, decreased sediment supply,
and increased erosion. Freshwa-
ter and estuarine bivalves are
excellent indicators of ecosys-
tem conditions. Where they are
still abundant they also furnish
important ecosystem services
by forming complex habitats,
stabilizing the bottom, and fil-
tering water. A few species are
commercially important, such
as oysters, which still support a
multimillion-dollar industry de-
spite being depleted in numbers.
Understandably, bivalve shellfish
are living resources having high
natural capital value in the Dela-
ware Estuary. The geographic
scope of the climate adaptation
project will include the Delaware
Estuary and its watershed.
PDE is creating a Climate Change
Workgroup in association with its
Science and Technical Advisory
Committee and plans to release
a Climate Adaptation Report
on the vulnerability, monitor-
ing needs, and potential actions
that can be taken to sustain the
"natural capital" associated with
the three case studies.
Visitwww.delawareestuary.org
to learn more about this and
other Partnership efforts.
EPA's National Estuary Program
(NEP) is a unique and successful
coastal watershed-based program
established in 1987 under the
Clean Water Act Amendments.
The NEP involves the public and
collaborates with partners to pro-
tect, restore, and maintain the wa-
ter quality and ecological integrity
of 28 estuaries of national signifi-
cance located in 18 coastal states
and Puerto Rico.
For more information about the
NEP go to www.epa.gov/owow/
estuaries.
The NEP: Implementing the Clean Water Act in ways that are Effective, Efficient, Adaptive, and Collaborative.
EPA-842F09001
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