Approximately 10,900,000 hectares of the U.S. coastline are estuarial.
An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water, with a salinity gradient
measurable from its freshwater drainage to its ocean entrance.
Bay and estuarine systems are among the most productive ecosystems on earth; however,
many estuarine systems are experiencing a decline in productivity.
CCEHBR is currently researching the
status of the nation's estuaries in an attempt to understand the factors
involved in inducing decline. The goal is to develop methodologies
for restoring estuarine habitats.
Read more about
CCEHBR's research in Estuaries as part of its Regional Integrated Assessments