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Coastal Watershed Factsheets
Estuaries and Your Coastal Watershed
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Office of Water
(4504F) |
EPA 842-F-98-009
July 1998 |
stuaries are an
important component of the complex and dynamic coastal watershed. The economy
of many coastal areas relies on the natural beauty and bounty of estuaries.
When those natural resources are imperiled, so are the livelihoods of the many
people who live and work along the coast. As our population grows, the demands
imposed on our natural resources increase and protecting these resources for
all their natural, economic, and aesthetic values becomes even more
important.
What Is an Estuary and What Does It Do?
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from
rivers, streams, and groundwater flows to the ocean, mixing with the salty
seawater. Although influenced by the winds and tides, estuaries are protected
from the full force of ocean waves, winds, and storms by the reefs, barrier
islands, or fingers of land, mud, or sand that define an estuary's
seaward boundary.
Estuaries come in all shapes and sizes and go by many different names. They
are often known as bays, lagoons, harbors, inlets, or sounds. Whatever the name
or type, estuaries provide valuable functions.
- They are critical to the survival of tens of thousands of birds, mammals,
fish, and other wildlife. Many different habitat types are found in and around
estuaries, including shallow open waters, freshwater and salt marshes, sandy
beaches, mud and sand flats, rocky shores, oyster reefs, mangrove forests,
river deltas, tidal pools, sea grass beds, and wooded swamps.
- The wetlands bordering many estuaries perform valuable functions including
water quality and flood protection and water storage. Many upland areas drain
to fresh and salt marshes, which act as filters, removing pollution from
runoff. Wetland plants and soils also act as a natural buffer between the land
and the ocean, absorbing floodwaters and dissipating storm surges. Salt marsh
grasses, mangrove trees, and other estuarine plants also prevent erosion and
stabilize the shoreline.
- They are a source of recreation, education, and aesthetic value. Boating,
fishing, swimming, windsurfing, and bird-watching are just a few of the many
activities people enjoy in estuaries.
- Estuaries have important commercial value. They serve as nursery grounds
for two-thirds of the nation's commercial fish and shellfish. Estuaries
are also home to ports and marinas that support shipping and other industrial
activities.
Some Impacts on Estuaries
Pollution of coastal watersheds poses a threat to our nation's estuaries.
Some typical impacts on estuarine systems include loss of habitat due to
development, loss of recreational opportunities due to poor water quality, and
loss of economic resources due to shellfish bed closures and a reduction in
fisheries.
People can adversely affect estuaries. Stresses caused by the overuse
of estuarine resources have resulted in reduction in fisheries, loss of habitat
and wildlife, and fish kills.
Excessive nutrients from sources such as failing septic tanks, sewage
treatment plants, storm water runoff, atmospheric deposition, industrial
organic waste discharge, and contaminated runoff from fertilized farms or yards
or from animal operations can adversely affect estuarine systems. Excessive
nutrients in estuaries can result in accelerated eutrophication and algal
blooms. As the algae die, they decay and rob the water of oxygen. The algae
also prevent sunlight from penetrating the water. Fish and shellfish are
deprived of oxygen, and underwater sea grasses are deprived of light and can
die. Animals that depend on sea grasses for food or shelter leave the area or
die. In addition, the excessive algae growth can result in brown and red tides
and other harmful blooms, such as Pfiesteria piscicida, which have been linked
to fish kills. Increased algae can also cause foul odors and decrease aesthetic
value.
Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms such as viruses,
bacteria, and parasites and can be a result of inadequately treated sewage
released into estuaries by faulty or leaky septic systems and sewage treatment
plants, runoff from urban areas and animal operations, medical waste, boat and
marina waste, combined sewer overflows, and waste from pets and wildlife. They
can pose a health threat to swimmers, divers, and seafood consumers. Fish and
shellfish concentrate pathogens in their tissues and can cause illness in
people consuming them.
Habitat alteration such as the filling of marshes and tidal flats,
and reconstruction of shorelines to accommodate the needs of development,
transportation, and agriculture, can degrade estuaries. Wetland loss and
degradation have limited the amount of habitat available to support healthy
populations of wildlife and marine organisms. The clearing of land to obtain
timber, the construction of homes and roads, and other development projects
completed without properly revegetating the area can lead to excessive
sediments being washed into the estuarine environment. These sediments
muddy the water, preventing sunlight from reaching aquatic vegetation and
making the water unappealing to swimmers. Sediments can also carry excess
nutrients, pesticides, and toxic substances, causing additional water quality
problems.
Estuaries are vulnerable to the introduction of a wide variety of toxic
substances. Metals, such as mercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides can concentrate in the
water, sediment, and local aquatic animals. These substances enter waterways
through storm drains; industrial discharges; runoff from lawns, streets, and
farmlands; discharges from sewage treatment plants; and atmospheric deposition.
Bottom-dwelling organisms like shellfish are exposed to these chemicals and can
pose a risk to human health if consumed. Wildlife and aquatic plants and
animals can also be harmed through the consumption of contaminated fish and
water.
Intentional or accidental introduction of invasive species can often
result in unexpected ecological, economic, and social impacts on the estuarine
environment. Through predation and competition, introduced species have
contributed to the loss of some native populations and the drastic reduction
of others. Overpopulation of some introduced herbivorous species has resulted
in overgrazing of wetland vegetation and degradation and loss of marsh habitat.
Other impacts include increased erosion and interference with sport and
commercial fishing and beach use.
Marine debris enters an estuary by washing in from storm sewers and
with the tide. Marine debris is one of the more widespread pollution problems
threatening estuarine and coastal systems. Debris comes from many sources,
including improper disposal of trash on land, storm water runoff and combined
sewer overflows to rivers and streams, ships and other vessels, and offshore
oil and gas platforms. Once litter gets into the estuarine environment, it
seriously affects wildlife, the environment, humans, and our economy. Coastal
communities lose considerable income when littered beaches must be closed or
cleaned up.
What Is EPA Doing to Protect Estuaries?
National Estuary Program
-- The National Estuary Program (NEP) was designed to restore and protect
America's nationally significant estuaries. Through its approach of
inclusive, community-based planning and action on the watershed level, the NEP
is an important initiative in conserving our estuarine resources and an
effective model for the protection and management of other coastal areas. The
program focuses not only on improving water quality in an estuary, but also on
maintaining the integrity of the whole system- its chemical, physical, and
biological properties, as well as its economic, recreational, and aesthetic
values. The NEP is designed so local communities can work together to manage
their own estuaries. Each NEP is advised by committees made up of
representatives from federal, state, and local government agencies responsible
for managing the estuary's resources, as well as members of the
community. These stakeholders work together to identify problems in the
estuary, develop specific actions to address those problems, and create a
formal management plan to restore and protect the estuary. In addition, EPA has
been helping NEPs with the assessment of air pollution affecting water
quality.
EPA's Watershed Approach-- EPA has joined with others to
promote the Watershed Approach nationally as a means to further restore and
maintain the physical, chemical, and biological quality of our nation's
waters. In particular, EPA has been working with federal, state, and tribal
governments to tailor activities and services to their local watersheds. The
Watershed Approach has three key components:
- Geographic focus-- Watersheds are nature's boundaries, draining to
surface water bodies including lakes, rivers, estuaries, wetlands, streams, and
the surrounding landscape.
- Continuous improvement based on sound science-- Sound scientific data,
tools, and techniques are critical to inform the process. Actions taken include
characterizing priority watershed problems and solutions, developing action
plans, and evaluating the plans' effectiveness within the watershed.
- Partnerships/stakeholder involvement-- Since watersheds transcend
political, social, and economic boundaries, it is important to involve all the
affected interests in designing and implementing goals for the watershed.
Watershed teams may include representatives from all levels of government,
public interest groups, industry, academic institutions, private landowners,
concerned citizens, and others.
- Through the Watershed Approach, integrated coastal management tools and
watershed concepts can be applied in the development of comprehensive
management and conservation plans to assess, protect, and restore our
nation's estuaries.
Other EPA Programs-- EPA's Coastal Watershed
Protection Strategy specifically targets technical assistance and support
top priority coastal watershedsF such as NEPs and other coastal waters
identified by states. Through an interagency effort, the Clean Water Action
Plan was developed to address enhanced protection of public health from
threats posed by water pollution, more effective control of polluted runoff,
and promotion of water quality protection on a watershed basis. EPA works with
coastal states to develop their Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control
Programs and with other federal agencies to protect human health and
aquatic habitats by reducing marine debris and the discharge of pollutants into
estuarine waters.
What Can You Do to Help Protect Estuaries?
Estuaries reflect the overall health of a watershed. Individuals are the most
important contributors in the long-term effort to identify and address water
quality, pollution, and habitat problems within estuaries. Examine your
every-day activities and think about how you might be contributing to the
pollution problem. Here are some suggestions on how you can make a
difference:
- Be informed and involved. Learn about estuarine water quality
and habitat issues that affect the community in which you live and work. Become
familiar with your local estuarine systems. Visit or contact your nearby
National Estuary Program office. Become a citizen volunteer. As a volunteer,
you might take ongoing water quality measurements, track the progress of
protection and restoration projects, or report on special events such as fish
kills and storm damage. You can volunteer to plant trees, to clean up trash, or
even to participate in restoration efforts planting sea grasses and shoreline
plants.
- Take responsibility for your own backyard. Determine whether
additional nutrients or pesticides are needed before you apply them, and look
for alternatives where fertilizers and pesticides might run off into surface
waters and, ultimately, the estuary. Consider selecting plants and grasses with
low maintenance requirements. Water your lawn conservatively; the less water
you use, the less runoff will eventually find its way into the estuaries.
Preserve existing trees and plant new trees and shrubs to help prevent erosion
and promote infiltration of water into the soil. Restore bare patches in your
lawn to prevent erosion.
- Practice good housekeeping. Around the house, keep litter,
pet waste, leaves, and grass clippings out of street gutters and storm drains
to prevent their entrance into streams that might flow to estuaries. Never dump
any household, automotive, or gardening wastes into a storm drain. It might end
up in an estuary. Keep your septic system in good working order. Replace any
dripping faucets or leaky pipes and install water-saving devices in shower
heads and toilets. Always follow label directions for the use and disposal of
household chemicals. Take used motor oil, paints, and other hazardous household
materials to proper collection sites such as approved service stations or
designated landfills.
- Respect your estuary. Avoid entering sensitive habitat areas
with your boat or other motorized watercraft. Maintain your boat engine to
prevent oil and gas leaks. Keep all waste produced during your excursions in a
safe place to be disposed of properly when you're back on land. Maintain
safe boat speeds to avoid shoreline erosion. Maintain and use your marine
sanitation devices properly. Use designated pumpout and dump stations. Maintain
your automobile so that oil doesn't leak and the engine is tuned to
conserve energy. By reducing your energy consumption, many tons of nitrogen and
toxic pollutants can be prevented from entering estuaries through emissions
from the exhaust system.
For additional information...
Call EPA's Oceans and Coastal Protection Division at (202) 566-1200,
or write to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Oceans and Coastal Protection Division 4504T
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
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