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• AssoaAnorvo< NATIONAL 137VARY Estuaries of National Significance: Albemarle -Pamlico Estuary Bamegat Bay Barataria-Terrebone Estuary Buzzards Bay Casco Bay Charlotte Harbor Columbia River Corpus Christi Bay Delaware Bay Delaware Inland Bays Galveston Bay Indian River Lagoon Long Island Sound Maryland Coastal Bays Massachusetts Bay Mobile Bay Morro Bay Narragansett Bay New Hampshire Estuaries N. Y. -N. J. Harbor Estuary Peconic Bay Puget Sound San Francisco Bay San Juan Bay Santa Monies Boy Sarasota Bay Tampa Bay Tillamook Bay ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAMS PROBLEMS FACING AMERICAS BAYS AND ESTUARIES Estuaries are nearshore bodies of water where fresh- and saltwater mix. These highly productive ecosystems are vital to our nation's environmental and economic well-being, but they are threatened by impacts from a wide range of human activities. -a Toxic Chemical Contamination Since 1940, more than 70,000 synthetic chemicals have been introduced to the marine environment through stormwater runoff, industrial discharges and air pollution. Many of them are toxic in minute concentrations. Of particular concern are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), toxic metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides. These chemicals collect in sediments and bio -accumulate in fish and shellfish, causing health risks to people and marine life. =J Excessive Nutrients Nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) occur naturally and are necessary to support a healthy ecosystem. However, excess nutrients create problems, such as stimulating the growth of algae which die and decompose, robbing the water of oxygen necessary to support aquatic life. Excess algal growth diminishes water clarity, harming aquatic plants that are sensitive to light changes. This impairment or loss of critical freshwater and estuarine habitats results in declines in fish and shellfish populations. Excessive nutrients in some southern estuaries have also been linked to fish kills caused by toxic microbes. Primary sources of nutrients are fertilizers, animal wastes, and septic systems. Health Risks from Pathogens Pathogens are viruses, bacteria and protozoans that cause disease in plants, humans and other animal;. Aside from serious health risks to recreational users and consumers, pathogen contamination causes economic loss due to closed shellfishing beds and beaches, affecting important industries. Diseases linked to pathogens include gastroenteritis, salmonellosis, and hepatitis A coni on hack vase The National Estuary Program In 1987, as part of an amended Clean Water Act, the National Estuary Program (NEP) was created. This innovative program finds solutions to environmental problems in at -risk estuaries. These estuaries and bays are important to the environmental and economic well-being of this country. Estuaries of national significance around the nation have been defined and federal funds have been allocated to create Estuary Programs to develop Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans for the estuaries. With 28 programs now in action, this approach nas provided an important laboratory to test and refine the principles of watershed management. it is also among a handful of government programs that successfully involve citizens in decision-making and problem identification at the local level. The Estuary Programs conduct scientific assessments in estuarine watersheds that identify priority problems and issues, bring ocai stakeholders to the table to craft strategies and solutions, and :oorainate the wont of many partners to implement those solutions. August 4, 1998 -25- • BOOK 106 FACE 46