![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Barnegat Bay
Coastal and Estuary Quick Finder |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEP Profiles | NEP Study Areas | NEP Watersheds | NEP Home Pages | NEP Contacts |
On this page
Summary Information
| Year Established: | 1995 |
| Location: | New Jersey |
| Area of Watershed: | 3,525 square kilometers |
Priority Management Issues: |
|
|
nutrients conventional pollutants pathogens human population growth habitat loss/alteration |
species loss/decline fisheries loss/decline introduced/pest species freshwater inflow problems drinking water problems |
Major Habitat Types: |
|
|
submerged aquatic vegetation (sea grass) barrier islands/sand bars lagoon/shallow open water shellfish growing areas beach/dune (bare and vegetated) sand/mud/salt flats salt/brackish marsh |
freshwater marsh (non-tidal) forested wetland freshwater lakes/ponds grass/open field scrub/shrub non-wetland forest riparian/riverine (forested and floodplain) |
Federally Endangered or Threatened Species: |
|
|
birds: bald eagle peregrine falcon piping plover roseate tern |
plants: American chafseed Knieskern's beaked-rush sensitive joint-vetch swamp pink |
Overviews and Highlights
Located in Ocean County, New Jersey, Barnegat Bay is a shallow, lagoon-type estuary, characteristic of the back bay system of a barrier island coastline. The Barnegat Bay Estuarine system covers over 42 miles of shoreline from the Point Pleasant Canal to Little Egg Harbor Inlet, but is relatively shallow, with an average depth of 6 feet. The Barnegat Bay watershed drains from a land area of approximately 550 square miles.
Over 450,000 people live within the Barnegat Bay watershed. That population doubles in the summer as people flock to the shore. The continued economic health of the Barnegat Bay watershed is dependent on the continued health and natural beauty of its waters. The Barnegat Bay Estuary is not only a vital component of New Jersey's tourist industry, but is an important natural resource that supports populations of commercially and recreationally significant fish and rare and endangered species.
Non-point source pollution, while diffuse, is cumulatively the most important issue in addressing adverse impacts on water quality and the health of living resources in the Bay. The contaminants found in rain and snowmelt, as well as groundwater, contribute to non-point source pollution.
At the request of the Governor of New Jersey, Barnegat Bay Estuary was recognized as an estuary of national significance threatened by pollution, development and overuse and was accepted into the National Estuary Program in July 1995. The Barnegat Bay Estuary Program will develop its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan to address these issues, as well as others, over a three year time frame.
Maps
Select a map.
- Regional Maps- Northeast
Watersheds of Estuaries in the NEP
Study Areas of Estuaries in the NEP
