Estuaries

Maryland Department of the Environment Undertakes Multi-Year Resoration Initiative — The Maryland Department of the Environment is undertaking a multi-year initiative to target watershed restoration resources to biologically degraded non-tidal streams with high recovery potential. The objective of this project is to remove waters from Maryland’s 303d list. Maryland has a list of candidate watersheds under consideration. They are looking for comments from their state and federal counterparts. For the list of candidate watersheds, or for more information contact David A. Greaves at (215) 814-5729.

EPA Releases White Paper on Climate Change Adaption Planning in Estuaries — EPA’s Climate Change Division (OAR) and the Ocean and Coastal Protection Division (OW) put together a white paper to help guide climate change adaptation planning in estuaries. The guide identifies five critical elements that should be incorporated into adaptation plans, provides examples and sources for additional information, and includes a suggested template for an adaptation plan. The intention of this white paper is to provide a brief overview of our current best understanding of the adaptation planning content for coastal areas, including the necessary steps for becoming a “Climate Ready Estuary”. Download the whitepaper

Maryland Coastal Bays Releases Shifting Sands Book and Report Card — On Monday, June 8, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP), the University Of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) celebrated the release of the book, Shifting Sands — Environmental & Cultural Change in the Maryland Coastal Bays , as well as the release of the first Coastal Bays Report Card. The book is a collaborative effort from the Coastal Bays Program, the UMCES and the MDNR. Coastal Bays Program Executive Director, Dave Wilson and staff scientists, Dr. Roman Jesien and Carol Cain are among the 80 authors from 24 different organizations and agencies who contributed to the book. This team assessed the condition of the Coastal Bays ecosystem, reviewed the history of the area, current management strategies and upcoming concerns for the watershed and documented their findings in this 225-page manuscript. The Coastal Bays Report Card, also a collaborative effort, is a scientifically and geographically detailed assessment of the health of the ecosystem. The Report Card assigns scores for seven indicators that reflect water or habitat quality and uses those indicators to formulate an overall Habitat Health Index that assigns a grade. The document will provide a clear, concise and timely assessment of the health of the Coastal Bays.

What is an Estuary? An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of water where freshwater from the land measurably dilutes saltwater from the ocean. This mixture of water types creates a unique environment that is critical for the survival of many species of fish, birds, and other wildlife. They provide safe spawning grounds and nurseries for fish and shellfish, ideal resting and refueling places for migratory birds, and habitat for many reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Marshes and other wetlands, which often fringe estuaries, protect marine life and water quality by filtering sediment and pollution from upstream sources. Estuaries also create natural protection to coasts and shorelines from damaging storm waves and floods.

Estuaries in the Mid-Atlantic Region

What is the National Estuary Program? The National Estuary Program (NEP) was established in 1987 by amendments to the Clean Water Act to identify, restore and protect estuaries along the coasts of the United States. The NEP was modeled after the Chesapeake Bay Program which was established prior to the 1987 Clean Water Act amendments.

Currently, there are 28 estuaries in the program nationwide with oversight provided by EPA Headquarters' Office of Water. Unlike traditional regulatory approaches to environmental protection, the NEP targets a broad range of issues and engages local communities in the process. The program focuses not just on improving water quality in an estuary, but on maintaining the integrity of the whole system-- its chemical, physical, and biological properties, as well as its economic, recreational, and aesthetic values.

There are 3 National Estuary Programs in EPA's Mid-Atlantic Region. Each one has a unique set of environmental and socioeconomic conditions and each has in place tailor-made management plans and specific actions leading to the protection and restoration of the estuaries' water quality, habitats and natural resources.

• Delaware Estuary Program - administered by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
• Delaware Inland Bays Program - administered by the Center for Delaware's Inland Bays
• Maryland Coastal Bays Program - administered by the Maryland Coastal Bays Foundation